What an amazing afternoon! Our speakers Shamere McKenzie and Laura Murphy presented an incredible talk in Axinn–each using their distinct expertise to shed light on human trafficking in our world today. Shamere shared her own moving narrative of being enslaved in sex trafficking right here in the U.S., but also expanded upon the work she has done since her trauma to turn her own life around and the lives of survivors and at risk girls. She now works on policy for Shared Hope International and is a key member of the D.C. Human Trafficking Task Force – an incredible transformation. We thank her for her courage in telling her own story and her efforts to help other girls tell their own.
Laura, a contributor to the acclaimed organization Free the Slaves, tackled the question “now what”? So many of us, when confronted with the horror of slavery alive and well (and better, even), feel outraged but also powerless…“I am one person, and there are 27 million people enslaved–how could my little actions make any difference?” Laura helped us rethink our agency by getting us to focus on what we do have access to: our skills and the people around us. She suggested that as students, activism in abolition (and other fields) is about leveraging these two things to create a small but significant action. For example: if you are a student who plays the piano and knows of an anti-human trafficking organization in your community (us, for example!)–offer to host a recital and donate the proceeds to organizations fighting modern day slavery. If you are a good writer and know someone who knows someone who runs a paper (even a school paper!), submit an op-ed article or cover trafficking in the news. The options are limitless–it’s about levering the skills you have and the people you know to create the world you want.
Thanks to everyone who made it out–we were thrilled to see so many people and so many new faces! Check out some pictures from the event, below!
AND: Get ready for our last speaker of the symposium–Rolando Bonachea, a high school senior from Philips Academy who will be presenting his research on human trafficking in Turkey. Join us for discussion and Sabai Sabai in RAJ Conference room at 6pm.
