Thursday Thinking - Human Trafficking

A few days ago, a friend of mine tagged me in something he had posted about human trafficking. In his post, he mentioned some things he had read recently about the problem in Canada. He also shared how in recent conversations with relatives in Bemidji, MN he had learned the problem was impacting Native Americans in that area.

It's no secret that the Twin Cities metro is an area where women, especially within the immigrant population, are suffering from trafficking. A number of news headlines have exposed some startling cases. [A, B, C, D...]

My friend closed his post with these statements:

This is real, and it's serious, and far too few people are aware that it occurs here; they think of southeast Asia or someplace "over there." But fighting human trafficking and violence against women needs to begin where you are.

This is not a new idea for me, but his post got me thinking about it. I agree that I should join and support anti-trafficking efforts in my area. But how do I "begin where I am?" What can I do to fight human trafficking? How could my church family make a difference and work against this injustice?

With a little digging around on the internet, I was very pleased to discover an upcoming program on the very subject. It is scheduled for Monday, February 27, 6:30pm, at a church in Burnsville. Unbelievably, it's exactly what I was hoping to find. Sponsored by the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC), the program is entitled, Protecting Dignity, Ending Slavery: A Discussion on Human Trafficking in Minnesota.

Now that I've found a good starting point, there is another problem for me. I am not able to attend this program because I have regular Monday evening church responsibilities. I do, however, hope that I will be able to find someone (maybe several someones) within my church community who will be able to attend.

If you are someone who is interested in attending, please let me know. I would be very glad to know about your plans and may even be help you connect with others would like to join you. Check your calendar and let me know asap.

Here is the information you'll need:

Protecting Dignity, Ending Slavery
A Discussion on Human Trafficking in Minnesota

Join us for a panel conversation about the issue of human trafficking in Minnesota. Hear from experts on the issue, and learn about local efforts to combat this modern form of slavery in our community.

Panelist Speakers: Dr. Lauren Martin, University of Minnesota; Suzanne Koepplinger, Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center; Michele McKenzie, The Advocates for Human Rights; Joy Friedman, Breaking Free.

When: Monday, February 27, 2012, 6:30pm

Where: Presbyterian Church of the Apostles, 701 E. 130th St. Burnsville, MN

Contact: Rachel@jrlc.org