My husband and I LOVE road trips.  We have driven from Ontario to the West Coast, from Seattle to Chicago (x2), to Washington DC in a December blizzard, to Atlanta, Georgia for the Catalyst Conference (x4)…not to mention Jay’s diamond digging expedition to Arkansas with his best friend Richard (long story).  We were pretty excited a couple of months ago when we heard about the Justice Summit taking place in Ottawa – and the word “ROAD TRIP!” may or may not have been blurted out in anticipation as we began to envision our drive to the nation’s capital!  I was looking forward to meeting other abolitionists and learning from those on the front lines.  Here are some of my notes and thoughts from each session:

What I Learned From MP Joy Smith:

New Dreams Can Catch You By Surprise.  Joy was a math teacher with a dream of being the school principal, and she was slated to be the next one at her school.  But when her students opened up to her about a sexual predator who was involved with some of the kids on her school, she made a decision that changed the course of her dreams.  She immediately went to the principal and told her they needed to call the police.  Worried about the school’s reputation, the principal refused, and threatened Joy that if she called the police, she would kiss her chance to be principal the next year goodbye.  Joy called the police, and a dangerous man was arrested.  Her dream of being a school principal slowly began to transform into a new dream – one of ending exploitation and human trafficking in Canada and around the world.

Fighting Human Trafficking Requires Courage.  Fast forward several years – she became a Member of Parliament and has lead government efforts to combat human trafficking. She worked with one of the victims in Canada’s first human trafficking case. She has had 5 threats on her life, as well as her daughter’s life.  This is what can happen when you stand up to organized crime, but she is not letting fear cripple her.

Regular Life Does Not Stop Even When You Have a “Cause.”  I love how open and honest Mrs. Smith was at the summit.  She talked about being a mom to her 6 children, and about how when her bill passed in Parliament, she was in a rainy parking lot trying to find juice for her husband who was fighting cancer in the hospital.  Having a cause to fight for does not mean that the rest of life’s struggles end.

The Word That MUST characterize an Abolitionist:  Mrs. Smith said: “The only good thing about me is that I am willing.”  Let’s add “willing” to our vocabulary.

Brian McConaghy, Justice Summit 2012

What I Learned from Brian McConaghy:

Unlikely Examples of Forgiveness.  Brian, who started the Ratanak Foundation, rescues and restores child victims of sex trafficking in Cambodia.  When he was part of the RCMP, he was also in charge of the freezer contents in the Robert Pickton case.  With this type of work it is a miracle he is able to talk about forgiveness.  He showed us a picture of one of the girls at his safe house writing a letter of forgiveness to her mother for selling her into the sex trade.  Wow.  We have much to learn from these beautiful young women.

The Hearts of Traffickers Can Change.  Brian’s team not only reaches out to victims of sex trafficking, but also to pimps, traffickers, and mama-sans.  Ratanak has set up a gym where the men can work out, and the team uses that as an opportunity to build relationships, have conversation, and help them to change their ways.  Progress and heart change is happening, albeit slowly.  This is revolutionary.  Many of these boys and men grew up doing this, with role models who did the same, and they need to be re-educated by people who understand what true love looks like.  After all, the song “Amazing Grace” was written by repentant human trafficker from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

What I Learned from Jamie McIntosh:

We Are All Shackled.  Jamie, who is the founder of International Justice Mission Canada and just finished the Master’s program in International Human Rights law at Oxford University, reminded us that there is one chain that weaves itself around the world, and ridding ourselves from that may be the fight of our lives.  It’s so true.  We have to untangle ourselves from the system of exploitation that exploits us or allows us to exploit others.

In addition to hearing these amazing keynote messages, I attended two workshops.  Shae Invidiata from Free-them spoke passionately and practically on what effective activism looks like.  She pointed out that when we quote statistics, we have to make them relevant and easy for people to grasp.  For example, when we talk about 27 million slaves in the world today, we can mention that it is close to the population of Canada.  Imagining all of Canada in slavery puts the numbers into perspective.  I also got to hear the personal stories of two young women who were lured into the sex trade and how they are now on a journey towards healing.

Justice Summit Presenters Receiving a Thank You

After the conference we had relaxed dinner with abolitionist friends from Walk With Me and Free-them, with conversations meandering from serious topics like how song lyrics affect teenagers and how we all got involved in the fight against human trafficking, to more light-hearted topics like the Ottawa tulip festival (which we never we able to find…) and what we all do for work when we’re not organizing awareness events, or making documentaries, or taking care of trafficking survivors.   I felt so full when we left – and not just because I had pasta for dinner!  It truly is a blessing to be part of a movement with such amazing people, and spending time with them was so refreshing.

On Monday we visited Parliament Hill and got to meet with MP Joy Smith in the morning.  I have so much respect for her – she is doing so much in Canada’s government to fight and prevent human trafficking, and it was an honour and delight to spend some time with her at her office.

Meeting with MP Joy Smith

Our Ottawa visit concluded with my interview at Camino, an amazing fair trade co-operative that makes delicious chocolate, baking ingredients, drinks, and snack bars.  We received several travel snacks for the ride home, yum!  Thanks to our amazing and hospitable relatives who had us in their home, and for everyone who put the Justice Summit together.  Many blog posts will no doubt be inspired by this trip!

Hope for the Sold sends out a HUGE congratulations to Tara Teng for winning the title of Miss World Canada 2012!  Tara has worked so hard for this – and not because she seeks glory for herself but because she believes that this platform can empower her to empower others.  Tara, thank you for your heart for justice, for your never ending energy to fight on behalf of human trafficking victims, for your willingness to declare war on exploitation, for your convictions about true beauty, and for your humility.  Your joy bursts out of you on that stage and we celebrate with you!

As Miss World Canada, Tara will be representing Canada at the Miss World Pageant in Inner Mongolia this summer.  I will be sure to post updates.  For those of you who have not been acquainted with this beautiful friend of mine, you can read my interview with Tara Teng (when she held the title of Miss BC) and learn about her journey with Miss World Canada here.

There are many of you who supported Tara through your votes and by helping her raise funds for Variety Children’s Charity, and a BIG thank you goes out to all of you as well!  She could not have done this without you.  I know Tara will not waste this opportunity to do some serious good in the world, and it is so exciting for us to stand behind her as a community of love and support.

Great job to all the ladies who competed in this pageant – I hope that you will continue the great things you are doing in the world to help others!

Follow Tara’s journey through Twitter @MissTaraTeng and on her blog.

Photo source (all photos): Kuna Photography, Miss World Canada facebook page

I was in Ottawa this past weekend for The Justice Summit, which was a great event I will summarize more next week.  My Ottawa stay spilled into Monday, and between meeting with an MP on Parliament Hill and getting to watch Question Period (in all its gory glory), I walked with my husband and a friend to the office of my favourite fair trade brand in the world – Camino – which is owned by the Ottawa-based La Siembra Co-operative.  They were the first registered importers of Fairtrade Certified cocoa and sugar in North America!  I was really excited.

About two years ago I made a decision not to purchase non-fair trade chocolate bars, and I still shed the occasional tear for my beloved Kit Kat.  I was confronted with the fact that many around the world are being exploited or enslaved to make our chocolate, and that I wanted to support brands that pay fair wages and offer healthy livelihoods for my brothers and sisters in developing countries.  I love the idea of reducing vulnerability and preventing situations of poverty in which families have to sell their daughters or take big risks just to survive.  Since I made this decision, Camino chocolate has overtaken my taste buds, and I was delighted when Mélanie Broguet, the marketing and communications manager (and taste test panel member!) agreed to sit down with me for an interview. You guys are in for a real treat.  Note: The text in pink is my own commentary!

Melanie at a CEPICAFE sugar cane field in Peru

Mélanie, what is it like to be on a tasting panel and what has been your favourite Camino taste test product so far?

There are 8 people on the tasting panel, and we are trained every 6 months.  We’ve learned to speak the same language.  For example, we learn to identify notes like red fruits, oak, and earth, which helps us develop recipes. After a day of taste testing we can’t taste anything anymore!  Taste testing is important because it ensures quality control.  Every harvest is a little bit different, so we have to make sure the taste is close enough in each batch to ensure consistency.  I like dark chocolate, specifically the Panama 80% which is more fruity.  The Dark 71% has a more complex taste to it. (At this point Mélanie brought in the Panama and the 71% and we got to experience this difference!)

One Yummy Camino Gift Pack!

If you could choose three items for a gift pack, what would they be?

The Panama 81% Extra Dark Chocolate bar, our Dark Hot Chocolate, and the Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Snack Bar.  (I wanted to take a picture of these three items, but ended up eating the Panama chocolate bar before my camera got to it! Oops. I substituted one of their delicious Raspberry bars, another of my personal favourites!)

What inspired you to work here?

I’ve always been very passionate about the environment and social justice.  I have a business background and realized that that there should be more to business than just trading and making money.  My boyfriend at the time got a job here and I loved what La Siembra stood for.  I liked that Camino works directly with farmers and fosters diversified, vibrant communities.  I have been here since 2007.

Camino Team - A Happy Bunch!

Can you explain how fair trade works, and how Camino operates differently from big corporations?

Fair trade really focuses on community.  Isolated, small scale farmers often do not know anything about selling their product, like what the price of beans would in the international market.  In order to get fair trade certification, they have to come together as a co-operative.  This gives them more opportunities for knowledge and accountability.  Once they are registered with the Fair Trade International, Camino can work with them.  Fair trade is about transparency, long term commitment, and knowing who you work with.  (Camino sources ingredients for all their products from co-operatives of family farmers in 10 countries: Dominican Republic, Peru, Paraguay, Panama, Guatemala, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cuba, Costa Rica and Brazil.  There are over 35,000 of these family farmers!)

Camino is not only fair trade, but organic.  These two go hand in hand.  Our products are shade grown, meaning that less water is needed to produce a crop.  We also help farmers diversify their crops, so if there is a year where one crop does poorly, they can still harvest others.  Big corporations generally do not operate in this way, and usually require large amounts of water and pesticides to keep profits high.

Yani, Whole Brown Sugar Sugar Project Manager at CEPICAFE Head Office in Piura, Peru

Is there a story of transformation you’d be willing to share with us?

In Peru’s remote Montero area, people used to make a sugar called canchaca (block of sugar). It often ended up being used to make alcohol (aguagardiente) because it was so poorly processed, leading to alcoholism and violence in this rural town.  When Camino began to work with the farmers in this community, things started to change.  Now the region produces high quality brown sugar that has more nutrients, and can be sold internationally.

The number of producers in the CEPICAFE Co-op has grown to 6,663, and cheap sugar is no longer used to make alcohol. Violence has decreased. Kids see that their parents are earning a living wage from farming, and instead of heading to the cities to find work, the young generation is going to school and returning to their village with even more knowledge.  (I LOVE this!  Often youth are vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking when they try to make ends meet in cities.  Amazing how sugar can reduce vulnerability!).  The product is packaged in Piura, about 3 hours away, so the whole process provides livelihoods for many families.  This project started in 2003 and has been a success. Their crops have been diversified, so even though right now there is too much rain for a good sugar harvest, they still have other things to farm.

Making Sugar

If you could share one last thing with Hope for the Sold readers, what would it be?

First, I would tell them to pay attention to who is behind the product.  When a big corporation that is not fair trade has a fair trade product, it is good for awareness but what are their motives?  Camino is about more than this, because our motives are about social justice, sustainable communities, and the environment, more than just about what looks profitable or trendy.

Also, I would say to support your local farmers, gardens and communities here.  Increasingly the fair trade movement is focusing on local fair trade. When organic, fair trade items cannot be found at the local level (like cocoa beans since they don’t grow here), support farmers in other countries.

Wow.  So cool.  Mélanie sent us away with our arms full of Camino samples, which I am munching on as I write this.

Thank you so much Melanie for showing us that buying fair trade products can actually make a difference in the lives of others!  For those of you who want to try some Camino chocolate bars, snack bars, juices, coffee, hot chocolate, baking products, or treats, you can find a store near you by typing in your city or postal code here.  If you live in Canada, you can also order Camino products online at Well.ca, which offers FREE shipping for most Canadian locations.

Camino products make for great gifts – I even used Camino sugar and chocolate as game prizes at my bridal showers a few years back!  Really, the possibilities are endless.

I encourage you to check out the Camino website, the Fairtrade Canada website, and VOTE NOW for Camino’s Chocolate as the best fair trade item in Fairtrade Canada’s contest!  Finally, watch this video and register your first step!

A couple weeks ago I went to a prostitution awareness event put together by Sextrade 101 and Sheatre.  As I drove to Toronto I wondered what the evening would hold. All I knew was that some kind of interactive theatre was involved, and I felt a mixture of eager anticipation, nervous reservation, and peaked curiosity.  What does interactive theatre look like? Would I find myself standing up in front of a full room, forced to participate or answer some kind of difficult question I lacked the answer for?  What misconceptions would the event shatter and what lessons was I about to learn?

I walked into a packed room with tables and caught the eye and beautiful smile of Natasha Falle, the amazing woman who started Sextrade 101.  ”Good, I’m in the right place,” I thought.  I sat down at a table with the Free-them crew and some others, and immediately had a roast beef dinner set before me.  It was awesome to catch up with some blog readers as I ate (you know who you are!).

The event began with a keynote by Victor Malarek, the host of CTV’s W5 and author of The Natashas: The New Global Sextrade and The Johns: Sex For Sale and the Men Who Buy It.  He talked about how before he started investigating sex trafficking for The Natashas, he probably would have supported legalization of prostitution.  But after being held at gunpoint when taking girls out of a brothel in Kosovo, speaking with sex trafficking victims and hearing their stories, and researching what johns think about women, he has drawn his line in the sand as an abolitionist, a total abolitionist.  Prostitution is violence against women, because it is not about choice but about survival.  I am grateful for men like him who take a stand.

The play was about to begin.  A group of young women and one man took the stage and introduced themselves.  In this moment I realized the profound significance of the play…these young women were survivors of prostitution and would be acting out scenarios based on realities of the sex trade.  I held my breath as they began, acknowledging their courage to share with us experiences they’d probably rather forget.

One scene depicted what it is like for someone trying to leave the trade to be in a classroom, where classmates made fun of her for not having a computer.  Another showed the girls getting ready for ‘customers,’ and another revealed the violence they experience.  The one that haunted me most was the part in which the main character is talking/fighting with her boyfriend/pimp.  The invisible chains that hold these young women in the trade may as well be physical – that’s how strong they can be.  Finally, there is a scene of vulnerability and recruitment.

The first time through we watched it like a normal play.  Following this, the audience was asked to participate.  The team went through each scene again, but this time we had to yell “STOP” if there was some way to intervene.  The audience member would have to replace someone on stage and act out what the right course of action would be.

As you can probably imagine, this was challenging and uncomfortable for many who chose to propose a new course of action.  I often find myself sitting at events or reading books thinking, “well clearly I would do this in their situation.”  But when a complex scenario laid before me with room full of people looking on (including those who had experienced the horrors of exploitation), all of a sudden I found my heroic ideas melt into a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Would I actually care enough about fellow classmates to hear their real stories?  If one of my classmates in university had been trying to get out of the trade and was struggling, would I have ever even noticed? If others stigmatized them, would I do something about it?  If they needed some extra help to find resources, would I be willing to sacrifice my time?

If I was a bystander and saw a man push a woman down on the street, would I interfere?  Should I? Would that just make her receive punishment later because her pimp is threatened by ‘outsiders’ getting involved?  Would calling the police make her situation better or worse?  What if she didn’t want my help? What if he had a gun?

The crowd got into some lively conversation about these scenarios, and not everyone agreed as to what was the right thing to do in each one.  As I wrestled with the jumble of complexity in my mind, one of the actors said this:

“We can avoid having to make these difficult decisions on how to react if we prevent this situation from happening in the first place.”

Prevention.  There it is again.  The word that drives me and bothers me, motivates me and frustrates me.  Prevention is difficult to measure.  It does not seem glorious.  It is hard to show numbers on a progress report.  But as an abolitionist, I strive to be a preventionist.  One of the young women on the stage asked, “where was all the help when I was a child?  If someone had intervened then, I would not have gotten into this mess.”

Healthy, loving adoptive families.  Compassionate, intentional teachers.  Patient, devoted mentors. Brave, fully-present parents.  Caring, hospitable neighbours.  We all have a role to play in preventing these messy, uncomfortable, exploitative, harmful situations from ever happening in the first place.

The evening ended with a story from Angel, a daughter of one of the women who was murdered by Robert Pickton.  You could have heard a pin drop.  I was so grateful for her beautiful honesty and her willingness to share how she is finding healing step by step.  Natasha Falle, who herself left the sex trade a number of years ago with the help of someone who believed in her, gave all the women who performed the play a rose at the end of the night.  There were hugs, and tears, and laughter.

THIS is what redemption looks like.

To Natasha Falle and everyone who put this event together, THANK YOU!  It was truly one of the best awareness events I have ever been to.  To the brave young women who took the stage, thank you for allowing me to learn and be challenged.  This evening is forever etched in my mind.

For all of you who wrote letters and contacted your Member of Parliament about Bill C-310, you will be happy to know that it passed the Third Reading in the House of Commons last week and is now headed to the Senate!  Here is the press release from Friday.

April 27, 2012

Ottawa, ON: Today, Bill C-310, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking in persons), passed at Third Reading with unanimous consent. Bill C-310 will now go to the Senate for consideration.

“I am absolutely delighted with the adoption of Bill C-310 today by the House of Commons and look forward to it being adopted by the Senate in a timely manner,” said MP Joy Smith. “Bill C-310 will have a significant impact on the anti-human trafficking efforts of Canada here at home as well as abroad. This legislation will place important legal tools into the hands of prosecutors and law enforcement.”

Bill C-310 amends the Criminal Code by adding the current trafficking in persons offences [s.279.01, s.279.011, s.279.02, and s.279.03] to the list of offences which, if committed outside of Canada by a Canadian or permanent resident, could be prosecuted in Canada. The Bill also adds an interpretive aid for courts to provide greater clarity of the definition of exploitation in s.279.04 of the Criminal Code.

“Today, modern day slavery exists in all corners of our globe and our resolve to eliminate it must only grow stronger,” said MP Smith. “It will take concerted efforts across party lines to effectively combat human trafficking in our country as well as abroad. I look forward to working with all members of Parliament to fight this egregious abuse of human rights.”

Since introducing Bill C-310, MP Joy Smith has presented petitions containing 1000’s of signatures from Canadians calling for the adoption of the legislation. Many organizations have also lent their support for this legislation, representing stakeholders such as law enforcement, victim’s services, and non-governmental organizations.

MP Joy Smith is one of Canada’s leading anti-human trafficking advocates and has previously succeeded in passing legislation to combat human trafficking. In 2010, MP Joy Smith’s Bill C-268 became law creating Canada’s first child trafficking offence with stiff minimum sentences. MP Smith has also drafted a proposal for a National Action Plan to Combat Human trafficking called ‘Connecting the Dots’ that is being developed by the Canadian Government.

I will let you know when the bill passes through Senate.  Great job to everyone that has gotten this bill to this point!  Also in recent news, the federal government has appealed the prostitution ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal.  Will keep you posted as this develops.  Don’t know what this is about?  Read more here.

I absolutely LOVE it when people use what they’ve been given to change lives!  Meet Amie Sider, an entrepreneur with a purpose.

This Is Me TV is having a Nationwares Giveaway!  The winner will be drawn on April 30th.

And don’t forget to check out Nationwares online!

The multi-billion dollar industry of human trafficking is an economic equation of supply and demand. The demand side that fuels sex trafficking consists of (mostly) men who pay for sex, watch pornography, and go to strip clubs.  Without them there would be no monetary incentive to traffic women, boys, and girls into the sex trade.

On the flip side, the supply side consists of women and children whose circumstances often make them vulnerable to exploitation.  In The Natashas: The New Global Sex Trade, Victor Malarek talks about this vulnerability in terms of push factors.  What circumstances enable a person to become a victim of sex trafficking?  I believe that the number one push factor is poverty.

Traffickers will often target impoverished villages where jobs are hard to come by and families are desperate.  My husband Jay recently sent me an online survey called SPENT, which outlines how difficult survival can be even in the United States.  Those of us who have been raised in middle class families often do not understand how many economic or social barriers there are to getting a job, or eating healthy, or finding a safe place to live.  For some of you, this survey reflects what your life is like now.  Please be encouraged to keep pushing forward and know that I am cheering for you!

I took the survey and had run out of money in 17 days.  I could have manipulated my answers to get a better score, but I wanted to be honest.  If that is how difficult making ends meet can be for many in the United States, where there is a lot of opportunity, I cannot imagine the barriers that exist in many other countries around the world.  It reminded me that desperation pushes people into vulnerable situations, like a teenager taking a job at a “modelling agency” in another country which ends up being a brothel, or a single mom allowing a boyfriend to sell her to his friends so that she can put some food on the table.  Obviously not everyone whose circumstances are dire end up being trafficked or exploited, but poverty is a common thread that runs through the stories of many victims.

Want to take the survey?  Keep in mind that these questions are based on life in a “land of opportunity,” and that life in chronically impoverished countries can be even more challenging.

Take the SPENT Challenge Now!

Maybe this is an opportunity for many of us to develop some compassion and understanding, and learn to withhold judgment when we see people who are down and out.

I have a confession to make.  I don’t really see myself as a “protester.”  I am not one who naturally chooses to hold up a sign and yell at the top of my lungs, and in fact sometimes I wonder how effective such approaches are.  But last weekend I took part in a protest at Queen’s Park in Toronto.  The goal was to demonstrate to the public that not everyone wants prostitution legalized in Canada.  Timea Nagy, who is a sex trafficking survivor, and Katarina McLeod, who worked in the escort industry for 15 years, were there as well to express why they do not support legal brothels.

My friend Kat and I attended the protest together, and took the rest of the day to unpack many thoughts.  Here are some of our reflections:

Protest at Queens Park. Photo Source: Toronto Sun

The Numbers

As you can see from the news clip, our group was not very large.  A few more joined after the footage was taken, bringing our number to around 30.  The pro-prostitution side has many vocal supporters who are keen to come show their support at various events, and some in our group were discouraged that our numbers on Saturday paled in comparison.

But the reality is that we were there on behalf of victims of trafficking and exploitation, who could not come protest because they were not allowed to.  I wonder how many of them would have showed up if they had the opportunity.  Also, there was no money in it for us to show up.  We took time out of our schedules to be a voice for those who could not represent themselves, not because we were protecting monetary interests.  In contrast, many of those who show up to support legalization are there because they are protecting their means of making money, or their “right” to pay for sex.  Self-interest is a strong incentive for people to show up.  For this reason, I was not surprised by the turnout, but hope that in the future there will be more who are willing to stand up for others.

The Chant

Following the media interviews, our group decided to walk to the edge of the road to hold up our signs for traffic to see, and chant loud enough to be heard by pedestrians.  The sign that Kat and I ended up holding said this: “Would men pay for sex if they went to JAIL for it?”  The chant went like this:

“Free the women, charge the johns!”

This is where the effectiveness of protests becomes an issue for me.  Chants and signs do not tell the whole story.  I was fully in support of yelling “free the women,” and ideologically I also support charging men who pay for sex, because their demand is what fuels the industry of sex trafficking.  I fully agree with Sweden’s approach of criminalizing the purchase of sex because it has decreased prostitution as well as human trafficking.  However, does the complexity of what we are proposing come across clearly in a two-line chant?

I believe that charging men who pay for sex is part of the solution, because it is their actions that make trafficking and pimping profitable.  But I also believe in the necessity for restorative justice.  Yes, throwing someone in jail gets them off the street so they cannot keep exploiting others.  But then what? They carry our their sentence in a place where they can meet more like-minded people, learn how to tighten up their game, and hit the streets without having experienced any remorse, or healing, or heart change.

So many of the men who feel entitled to women’s bodies were raised by fathers who did not respect women.  Like father like son.  In my mind there is absolutely no excuse for someone to hurt and exploit another, but I can see how easily it can happen when a person’s role model is setting a poor example.

Katarina McLeod and Timea Nagy leading the protest at Queens Park

The Deeper Things

Yes, we need to prevent legalization of brothels.  Yes, we need to criminalize the buying of sex.  But we also need to really examine what justice means.  We need to set up a system in which men can receive healing from the hurt and abuse of their past.  We need to teach young boys about how to respect and cherish women instead of using their cash to rent body parts.  We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage so that women who would otherwise be vulnerable can at least have a shot at something that does not put them in danger.  We need to do much more than “charge the johns.”  Despite this not fitting on a sign, my hope is that our chant, our signs, and our presence will get people to ask questions, because lives are on the line.

The Community

Michelle & Kat - Fighting human trafficking together!

The anti-trafficking community in Canada really is amazing. It was an honour to spend Saturday fighting alongside people I love and respect so much.  I also got to meet some HFTS blog readers, which is one of my favourite things in the world!

Reflecting on the day’s events with my friend Kat was so good for me, because it reminded me that though writing a blog is important, maintaining face-to-face relationships and connections is vital.  If we want to be effective in ending human trafficking and the abuse of women, we must know each other and fight together.  For those of you who came out last weekend, thank you!

Tara Teng - Photo Source: Vancouver Sun

A dear friend of mine, Tara Teng, is a fiery abolitionist who is using her voice to ignite a passion for justice all around the world.  I have mentioned her in several of my posts because I am inspired by her activism and truly blessed by her friendship.  When I first met Tara in British Columbia over a year ago, she was about to compete in the Miss Canada pageant.  But this girl is way more than a beauty queen.  She won the title for 2011, and has not wasted that platform for a second.  Don’t believe me?  These are just some of the things Tara has been up to this past year:

Worked for the Dalit Freedom Network, a  Canadian organization committed to the oppressed Dalits of India and their children, who are at risk for trafficking and exploitation.

Organized Freedom Week in British Columbia to raise awareness about human trafficking.

Visited Thailand and Cambodia, connecting with anti-trafficking organizations on the front lines, showing love to children and impoverished families, and seeing first hand how victims of sex trafficking end up in Asian karaoke bars.

Tara in Cambodia, 2011

Took a team of abolitionists on the road as the keynote speaker for the “Ignite the Road to Justice” Canada Tour, visiting 10 major cities across the country, connecting communities and mobilizing a network to fight for justice.

Tara Teng with MP Joy Smith

Spoke at various schools and churches, catalyzing students to take action.

Completed an internship with MP Joy Smith on Parliament Hill, learning and taking part in the fight against human trafficking on the political front.

Got nominated for Chatelaine Magazine’s Women of the Year Award.

Travelled to South Korea to speak with David Batstone at the Not for Sale Conference.

And trust me, this is just the tip of the iceberg.  But it is Tara’s character that I love more than anything that she has accomplished.  She is a woman of integrity.  She loves people, genuinely.

On her blog she wrote the following:

I walked through years of character development and learning hard life lessons before I ever stepped up to the platform of Miss Canada or Miss British Columbia. I went into the pageant with a clear focus, end human trafficking and the sexual slavery of my sisters around the world. I was intentional in my decisions leading up to the pageant and throughout the pageant. No revealing evening gowns, no fake hair extensions, fake nails or bra inserts and no swimwear competitions…No matter how fierce the competition may be, I refused to alter who I was or water down my message. Winning a title is never worth compromising in your convictions.

Tara has recently announced that she will be competing in another pageant, this one being Miss World Canada.  If she wins the competition, she will have the opportunity to compete on a global stage with women from all over the world, for the Miss World Pageant in China.  This would give her a platform to raise awareness about human trafficking on a much bigger scale, including an opportunity to speak at the United Nations.

Help Tara Win Miss World Canada!

So, here is where you come in.  Tara needs our help!  And FAST!  Here is what you can do to help Tara win the Canadian title so that she can compete in the Miss World Pageant in China this summer.  This will open up many more opportunities for her to speak out against injustice.

Raise some cash on Tara’s behalf.

10% of Tara’s final judging score in the pageant is based on fundraising for Variety-the Children’s Charity, an organization that helps children with special needs around the world. Because she is coming into this late (due to her convictions to NOT wear a swimsuit onstage for a pageant), she has only 3 weeks left to prepare and fundraise while the other girls have been preparing and fundraising since January!  If you want to support the work of this great organization and help Tara get one step closer to representing Canada at the Miss World Pageant, you can DONATE ONLINE or contact Tara at tara.teng@gmail.com.

Vote Tara for the Miss World Canada People’s Choice Award.

Though voting does not affect her score, the winner receives a free trip to las Vegas, which Tara would use to spend time working with anti-trafficking groups there.  You can vote once per IP address and once per FB account.  That means you can get two votes!

Vote for Tara via the Miss World Canada website HERE

Vote for Tara via facebook HERE

Not only does Tara want to represent Canada, but to also represent victims of human trafficking all around the world.

Tara Teng, Contestant for Miss World Canada 2012

The Miss World Canada Pageant takes place on May 13.  I will keep you posted!  In the meantime, please consider supporting Tara through raising some funds and voting.  You can follow her blog here. All of us are not called to enter beauty pageants to spread an important message, but let’s support a fellow abolitionist who is!

Like many abolitionists who use their early mornings, evenings, and weekends for anti-trafficking work, I have a day job.  Some days when I get home from work, I am exhausted and overwhelmed by the tasks that lay before me – whether it be fundraising for our documentary, writing letters to MPs, preparing for awareness events, researching, blogging, or catching up on emails.  I hunker down to get it done, but before I know it, it is midnight and I feel I’ve only gotten started.

Have you ever felt this way?  Like your intentions are good but your time is limited?  Like your lack of resources hinder you from ‘really’ making a difference?  Like you don’t know enough about an issue to tell others about it?  My abolitionist friend Kat and I talked this weekend about how sometimes we feel guilty that we don’t know all the answers, because we don’t want to betray someone’s trust by leaving out an important piece of information or misguiding them on a matter we have simply not had time to research or experience yet.  I’m only speaking for myself, but feeling overwhelmed can be absolutely crippling.

Instead of allowing myself to feel frustrated, last week I came to the following conclusion after listening to a message by Craig Groschel:

I will not let my inability to do EVERYTHING make me do NOTHING instead of SOMETHING.

I have a notebook where I record all the things I do to fight human trafficking, just so I can stay organized, track progress, and remind myself of important things.  I got out a big black marker and wrote the following on the cover:

Some days, my “something” fills a page and I crash into bed with the exhilarating feeling that maybe, just maybe, I changed the world that day.  Other days I am only able to fill in a line, which could be something as simple as writing a note of encouragement to someone on the front lines, or adding tags to a blog post, or reading half an article on sex trafficking.  Writing it down reminds me that though my responsibility is not to do everything, it is my stewardship and responsibility to do something.

What does this look like for you?  Whether your passion is to fight human trafficking, or serve the sick, or adopt an orphan, or teach kids, or mentor teens, or lead with excellence, or feed the hungry, or tell redemptive stories, or volunteer abroad, or write poems, or comfort the mourning, or help people in conflict zones, or support those struggling through mental illness, please don’t let your inability to do everything make you do nothing instead of something.

Maybe you could start by getting a notebook and a big fat marker, writing your reminder on the cover, and filling your first line.