Campaign seeks end to human trafficking
Less than a decade ago the word “slavery” meant little more to the average American than a reminder of a dark period that had long faded into history. But thanks to the efforts of several groups and organizations across the globe, a new awareness has emerged that slavery is very much still in existence throughout the world today. One such group is known as the A21 Campaign – or A21, for short.
This Saturday, October 14th, A21 will stage their annual Walk for Freedom, an event designed to heighten public awareness of an issue that goes far beyond the numbers that often identify it. And it isn’t that the numbers themselves are not staggering – most estimates say some 27 million people are entrapped in some sort of slavery today, making the modern-day slave trade a $150 billion business. But what A21 has set out to do, is demonstrate that all these numbers are in the end only evidence of what slavery is actually about – real living, breathing human beings.
The sad reality is that of the 27 million enslaved today, only an estimated 1% are ever rescued. That is a number A21 is determined to change, and their mission is to change it one life at a time. Founded by Christian speaker and author Christine Caine in 2008, A21’s stated mission is to “abolish slavery everywhere, forever.”
Despite the massive scope of the mission, A21 still seeks to make the reality of slavery personal. Those participating in the Walk for Freedom this Saturday will don the black t-shirt of A21 which reads, “Abolish Slavery With Each Step.” Those walking will do so in silence, single-file with yellow bandanas tied across their mouths, in honor of those unable to speak for themselves.
A21 is a non-profit organization funded solely by the generosity of individuals, business and faith-based organizations. Those wishing to learn more about A21, or to participate in Saturday’s Walk for Freedom, should go to www.A21.org. The Walk for Freedom begins Saturday morning, October 14th at 9 a.m. at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.
