SOS was founded in Washington DC in 2012 by Henry, Dan, Jonathan, and Emily, four high school students. Learn more about who they are and why they were compelled to join the fight against modern slavery.
Henry B.
- Born: July 26, 1994
- From: McLean, VA
- Attends: The Maret School – Washington, DC
- You can find Henry: competing for his varsity track and cross country teams; catching up on his favorite action and comedy movies; watching his favorite NHL and NFL teams; listening to music or hanging out with his friends.
- Favorite Types of Music: rap, alternative
- Fun Fact: Henry has traveled to many countries in Europe, Asia and Africa
- In His Own Words: Six years ago, my mom told me that she had witnessed a human trafficking case on a plane ride home from a trip to Africa. Shortly afterwards, she became involved with The Polaris Project, a non-profit organization combating all forms of human trafficking, and I soon became interested in the issue. From the start, I realized that this issue was relatively unknown among teens, and I wanted to do something to change that. I invited Dan, Jonathan and Emily over to watch “Not My Life,” and I realized we had to do something for this cause. For me, SOS is about bringing awareness to our age group about how prevalent human trafficking is, how it is relevant to our lives, and how we can work together to help prevent it.
Emily Sexton
- From: Vienna, VA
- Attends: George C. Marshall High School
- You can find Emily: chilling in her room, playing guitar or listening to music; doing art, at yoga class, or out with her friends.
- In the future: Emily would love to be a yoga instructor or a musician, and is going to VCU Arts but she doesn’t know what her specific focus will be.
- In Her Own Words: I was at a fundraiser, watching Katherine Chon, the founder of The Polaris Project, speak about her organization, and what they are doing to end human trafficking. I had never realized what a serious issue human trafficking was – especially right here in the United States. I got inspired to generate a youth initiative for the cause. After meeting with Henry, we created Students Opposing Slavery to use the raw creative energy of students to fight what is a greedy and sadistic breach of human rights.
Daniel B.
- Born: September 9, 1994
- From: Falls Church, VA
- Attends: The Maret School – Washington, DC
- You can find Daniel: playing varsity baseball; singing in The Maret School Concert Choir, playing basketball with his friends; leading heated discussions in the Sports Discussion Club.
- Favorite Movies: Space Jam, Remember the Titans
- In His Own Words: I originally got involved with Students Opposing Slavery because I wanted to broaden my horizons – try something different and step outside of my comfort zone. While I was researching internship opportunities, my friend Henry offered me a chance to get involved in something that sounded very cool and, potentially, ground-breaking. After learning about the atrocities of human trafficking, myself, Henry, Jonathan, and Emily created Students Opposing Slavery. Our ultimate goal is to make the illegal business of human trafficking an issue that everyone is aware of. We want to make a difference in the world.
Jonathan K.
- Born: October 20, 1994
- From: McLean, VA
- Attends: The Maret School – Washington, DC
- You can find Jonathan: in the kitchen cooking his favorite meals; taking the field in varsity soccer and baseball, singing in The Maret School Concert Choir, and watching University of Maryland basketball.
- Favorite Types of Music: rap and country
- Favorite Video Game: FIFA
- In His Own Words: One day, my friend Henry was telling me about how his mom had recently witnessed a case of human trafficking aboard a flight home from Africa. Before our talk, I knew almost nothing about human trafficking or what a global or current issue it was. After talking with Henry, I decided to join the group, Students Opposing Slavery. During our first meeting, we watched, “Not My Life,” a film about slavery in our time, in the United States and around the world. It was shocking to me that kids just like me were involved in human trafficking, and that there was actually a human trafficking case being investigated just a few miles from my home in McLean, Virginia. I had always thought of human trafficking as something that only happens in third-world countries – but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Through my involvement in SOS, I am now dedicated to spreading awareness about this issue and, potentially, enabling it to be prevented altogether.
Categories:Archive, Home for Brave Ideas, Students Opposing Slavery
