GEMS Girls: We Are Millions

GEMS Girls put together this beautiful video called "We Are Millions."  Imagine my surprise when I saw that I'm in it!!

Thank you for a beautiful tribute.  I hope this video brings all of the encouragement and love it has the power to.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

It's January 11th--National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.  Let's not let this day just pass by as if it were any other.  Here are a couple of things you can do to mark 1/11/10.  

Take a moment to read Benjamin Skinner's recent article in TIME: "South Africa's New Slave Trade and the Campaign to Stop It."  Even now, child sex traffickers are preparing for major business during the upcoming World Cup.  If anyone you know is traveling to South Africa for the games, bring this up.  Ignorance and silence always works in favor of traffickers.

Check out some of the events taking place around the country today in honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Day, listed courtesy of Change.org.

Visit the Polaris Project Action Center for ways to keep informed and ideas to be actively involved.

Do a Google News search today on "human trafficking" "child sex trafficking," and read up on this week's news.  Social networks are one of the best opportunities to get the word out and raise awareness--consider Tweeting or sharing these articles on Facebook to help open your friends' eyes.   Or even set up Google Alerts for these terms to stay up-to-date every day.

Here's a chance to honor those who are enslaved by making the most of this awareness day.

Photo by herby_fr

Sex + Money: A Search for Human Worth

Watch the preview of a full-length film by college students in 2007.
Can't wait to see this and read the corresponding book: Sex + Money.

January: National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

 Image by Axlot

In all of the news today about Google's "Super phone," I hope you didn't miss an important announcement from the White House.  President Obama has declared January to be National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

You can read the official proclamation here, and I've pulled my favorite part below:

"We must join together as a Nation and global community to provide that safe haven by protecting victims and prosecuting traffickers. With improved victim identification, medical and social services, training for first responders, and increased public awareness, the men, women, and children who have suffered this scourge can overcome the bonds of modern slavery, receive protection and justice, and successfully reclaim their rightful independence.

Fighting modern slavery and human trafficking is a shared responsibility. This month, I urge all Americans to educate themselves about all forms of modern slavery and the signs and consequences of human trafficking. Together, we can and must end this most serious, ongoing criminal civil rights violation." - President Barack Obama

As we begin our first week of resolutions, I have a new one to throw in to the mix: becoming increasingly aware of the suffering of others and what we can do to ease that suffering.  To get you started, check out this great list of actionable items that you can do to help end human trafficking and slavery in 2010: http://www.endslaverynow.com/take_action.  There's something on there that every single person has the power to do.  Use this honorary month as motivation to lend a hand and get started!