If you are like me, you are ZOOMED OUT! These days of pandemic have meant that we are constantly online trying to work and/or connect from home. Despite this constant demand for screen time, I have nonetheless taken the time—in small doses—to study some things that have been in my “need to learn more about” box for a while. Grant writing and social entrepreneurship are a couple of examples.
July 30th is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Would you be willing to let human trafficking be in your “need to learn more about” box? If so, I have five suggestions on where to start.
1. I wrote this article for Good Faith Media regarding the populations that are vulnerable to human trafficking: "Slavery, Masters Still Exist in US Today."
2. The Off Ramp addresses the issue of human trafficking as does our partner organization, The Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking. Take a few minutes to peruse our websites. Together, we will be introducing a webinar to discuss the basics of human trafficking and the increased vulnerability due to the pandemic. That will be ready for the fall. Interested? Contact cynthia@ccht.com so that she can add you to the list.
3. The documentary “Be The One” chronicles how average citizens in the state of Texas helped save people from slavery by being observant. When they saw something, they said something.
4. “In Plain Sight” points out that most Americans are completely oblivious to the fact that thousands of women and children are enslaved within their own communities. This isn’t limited to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York. We’re talking about cities across America—from Sacramento to Little Rock to Baltimore—where the unthinkable is happening “in plain sight.” In this documentary, one of our partner organizations, Redeemed, is featured.
5. And finally the PBS expose, “Trafficked in America”, recounts the story of Guatemalan teenagers who were smuggled into the Midwest in 2014 and forced to work against their will at an egg farm in Ohio. Did you know that labor trafficking is the most prevalent form of human trafficking?
In honor of the victims of human trafficking and July 30—this day of global effort to bring awareness to their plight, consider reading or watching one of these resources or reach out to us to participate in our webinar in the fall.
Knowing a little more means that we can help a little more, and if we all help a little more, we can change the world.