* This one goes out to students especially. College. High School. Graduate students. Middle School students. Seminary students. Not because I don't like non-students, but because I'm a student myself, so I can relate. *
Dear Student (or interested person who happens to not be a student at this time),
You have a louder voice than you realize. You are in a community surrounded by many people each day. You have connections to teachers, counselors, professors, even janitors who are active members of the community. Please, raise your voice. Speak up against injustice.
I started only 5 months ago and here is, by the grace of God, what has been done already so far: Raised awareness in my community while helping a local organization raise money, had a meeting with a government official, wrote letters to state legislators, judges, and education board members, organized a presentation to be given to school officials. There is also a campus organization possibly in the works.
Most of what's been done is all about RAISING AWARENESS. The more awareness there is in the world, the more prevention there will be. When people know the signs to look out for they will be better prepared to protect themselves and the ones they love.
Awareness also promotes community involvement. Think about it. If you see something suspicious and you call your local police station they will be much better equipped to investigate the situation if they have an awareness of what human trafficking is. The more people know about it, the better your community will be at preventing, recognizing, and fighting human trafficking. And the better your community is at those things, the safer it will be for everyone.
Okay, are you convinced now? If so, you are probably still wondering: "What can I do?"
Thanks to Polaris Project, I have a suggestion for you. Try out their Student Toolkit. It is a very clear and concise handbook on how to start raising awareness about human trafficking on your campus. (I might start using some of these tips myself.)
Note: I'm sure that these ideas can be implemented in many other areas as well. Church communities, offices, libraries, apartment buildings, coffee shops. Get creative. Think of any place you frequent where there is a group of people and start raising awareness.
I won't delay you any longer, go read the Toolkit, and change the world!
Sincerely,
W.C.
