This month President Lincoln’s Cottage is hosting the sixth-annual Students Opposing Slavery (SOS) International Summit. Twenty teenagers from three foreign countries — Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines — plus American students from five different states are coming together for a week-long Summit where they are armed with the knowledge and tools to combat modern slavery.
In honor of the SOS Summit, and in honor of our “top ten” lists for our 10-year anniversary year, we’ve composed a list of “10 Ways You Can Fight Human Trafficking.” It includes big things, small things, and everything in between.
- Know the chain. All of the products you consume — clothing, technology, groceries — come from a long supply chain. Stay informed about where and from whom mix your products are coming from, and support companies that prioritize ethically sourced materials and goods. Need to know where to start? Find out how many slaves work for you: www.slaveryfootprint.org.
- Donate to organizations and programs that fight modern slavery, like President Lincoln’s Cottage’s own Presidential Award-winning Students Opposing Slavery
- Spread the word about SOS, or participate in the SOS Summit. Know someone who might want to be involved? The Summit happens every year in June. Find out more about how they can apply here.
- Arm yourself with up-to-date knowledge about modern slavery. The Polaris Project, Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Office, and Walk Free are all great resources.
- Join the conversation on social media. Each March the CNN Freedom Project asks people around the world to think about freedom, and what they’re doing to ensure people stay free with #MyFreedomDay.
- Buy an ethically sourced rug from GoodWeave, and find out more about the good work they’re doing. See Sanju’s story.
- Save the trafficking hotline in your phone: 888-3737-888.
- Learn about the basic warning signs of human trafficking and what you can do if you spot them.
- Check out the film, Not My Life, that depicts the cruel and dehumanizing practices of human trafficking and modern slavery on a global scale.
- Follow these organizations on Twitter: @SOSYouthSummit, @LincolnsCottage, @Polaris_Project, @CNNFreedom, @ProjectLiber8
Categories:Archive, Home for Brave Ideas, Public Programs
Tags:human trafficking, modern slavery, Students Opposing Slavery
