Lauren’s Kids safety video wins Gracie Award from Alliance for Women in Media

Lauren Book accepts a Gracie Award for her nonprofit's child safety video, "Think, Feel, Act" from the Alliance for Women in Media. Image via Lauren's Kids.

Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book and her nonprofit, Lauren’s Kids, just won a Gracie Award in the original online video category for their “Think, Feel, Act” anti-child sexual abuse safety video.

Book accepted the award at the Alliance for Women in Media’s annual Gracies Gala in Beverly Hills.

“We are so honored,” Book said.

“Child sexual abuse knows no bounds, with 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys being abused before graduating high school, and 1 in 5 children who touch computers being sexually solicited online. Armed with the knowledge that 95% of this abuse is preventable through education and awareness, we are empowering and teaching children personal safety from a place of fun, not fear.”

The Alliance for Women in Media formed in 1951 as American Women in Radio and Television. Nearly a quarter-century later, the organization created the annual award program to recognize individuals in the media who reflect women’s changing roles, issues and concerns.

This year marks the organization’s 49th anniversary of the Gracie Awards, which recognize individual achievements and exemplary programming by, for and about women.

But it’s not the first time Book and Lauren’s Kids earned a nod from the organization. Lauren’s Kids also won a Gracie in 2022 for “Journey Home,” a TV program documenting the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center after it was damaged by Hurricane Michael.

This year’s award comes less than a month after Book completed a 1,500 trek across Florida to spread awareness about child abuse and how communities can better prevent it. The one-month undertaking, “Walk in My Shoes,” saw Book crisscross through the state from Key West to Panama City while partnering with numerous groups and organizations, including Bikers Against Child Abuse, Kristi House Children’s Center in Miami, Project HELP in Naples, the Women’s Center of Jacksonville and many others.

Book and her crew traveled up to 25 miles a day in April, which is recognized as National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The trek also highlighted local resources and included classroom visits where Book taught lessons from her foundation’s Emmy Award-winning, nationally used Safer Smart Kids and Safer, Smarter Teens abuse-prevention programs.

She began the “Walk in My Shoes” effort in 2010.