In the United States, January 11th begins an annual month long awareness about the New Slavery! The RSC’s organized this year’s “Walk 4 Freedom” in the Wilshire District of Los Angeles to kick off the month of awareness raising on this issue.
We walked through an area known for high activity of human trafficking chanting “No More Slavery”. A men’s group drummed and used the conch shell to “announce the gathering”. Elementary school students led the march with their homemade signs, followed by our women survivors, high school and college students, police detectives who rescue victims, women religious and their associates, as well as other activists. CAST, (the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking) joined us as a co-sponsor for this event.
The awareness we raised rippled out to the wider public as two television stations and various printed media were on site to produce wonderful broadcasts which were aired a few times that evening, and yet to be published news reports.
One notable group was, of course, the RSC’s with our friends! We also had So Cal MALE’s (Men as Learners and Elders) who animated the walk with their drumming, while carrying wonderful signs protesting the exploitation of women.
The RSC’s who participated included Sr. Kathleen Newell, 93 years young, who has walked every year, along with Srs. Francis Maria Monsimer, Marsha Moon, Margaret Farrell and Kathleen Bryant.
We begin a month of prayer in our communities (available HERE) as well as talks to educate parents, teachers, and young people. Sr. Bernadette Moran and her parish committee on Human Trafficking are hosting a workshop on technology and how it is used to traffic our young people.
We will end the month on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday to remind everyone that slavery may have been declared illegal, but was never truly abolished. We would like to consign the new slavery to the trash bins of history through our activism and prayer!
Click HERE to see photos
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