Somaly Mam on the Tyra Banks Show

Somaly Mam is a true hero and inspiration. For those of you who have not read her book, "The Road of Lost Innocence," I highly suggest it. It's heart-wrenching story with a silver lining of hope, survival and service.

There are dozens of great videos with and about Somaly, so you can bet I will be posting more about her. Below are a series of videos from the Tyra Banks show. If you only watch 1 video, watch video #3.

#1 Susan Sarandon - Abolitionist and Board Member of the Somaly Mam Foundation

#2 Somaly Mam- Survivor and Founder of the Somaly Mam Foundation

#3 Nicholas Lumpp & Jared Greenberg - Founders of the Somaly Mam Foundation

AUTHOR'S INVITATION:

Everyone I talk to about modern slavery agrees it's atrocious. Then they ask, "What can I do?" BE A VOICE. Spread awareness by sharing these posts and videos with others. Collectively we can reach thousands of people. Creating awareness and making this an issue in the public mind WILL lead to CHANGE.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Will you accept my invitation? Will you be a voice?

Thank you,
John Burger

AbolitionisJB

YOU CAN HELP: Books, Books, Books

STEP 1: Check Your Local Library Selection
One of the first things I noticed as I started researching modern slavery was the lack of books at my local library. Our city library, which is average size, only had 3 adult non-fiction books, 1 photo book and 1 adolescent book regarding human trafficking and modern slavery. It was the same story (pun intended) with neighboring cities.

STEP 2: Make a list of Books

Create a list of books you would like to see at your local library. I've put together a suggested reading list at the bottom of this post. Feel free to use this as a reference to build your own list.

STEP 3: Request Books

Almost all libraries allow their patrons to submit book requests for the library to purchase. Here's an example from my local library. (If you live in Orem, UT feel free to help me out by requesting books as well.) Typically you'll need to enter your library card #, information for the book(s), and this is key, an explanation of why you think the library should buy these books.

STEP 4: Get Your Friends & Family Involved

Now that you've submitted book requests, ask your family and friends to do the same. If libraries get bombarded with different requests from their patrons, they will be sure to order the books.

STEP 5: Donate Books

If all else fails, or if it's just easier for you time-wise, you can always purchase books and donate them to your library. No library will turn down donated books if they are new or in good working condition.

STEP 6: Book Clubs

Book clubs are a great way to introduce the issue of modern slavery to your friends. If you're in a book club, suggest one of the readings below. If you're not, you can always start one.

Most libraries will have groups of books available specifically for book club checkouts. When you suggest books, you can also suggest 1 or 2 that you think would be valuable for libraries to add to their book club lists. If I had to choose two book club books, they would be "The Road of Lost Innocence," by Somaly Mam and "Ending Slavery," by Kevin Bales.

THE RESULT:

1. You've just created awareness of modern slavery for the librarians, your friends and your family.

2. You've helped provide books for you, your neighbors, students and book clubs to learn more about the issues and get educated.

3. You've helped buy books, which in turn helps fund authors, which in turn helps raise money for many anti-slavery charities.

SUGGESTED BOOK LIST:

The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam

Ending Slavery: How We Free Today's Slaves by Kevin Bales

Modern Slavery: The Secret World of 27 Million People by Zoe Trodd, Kevin Bales, Alex Kent Williamson

The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today by Kevin Bales

Disposable People by Kevin Bales

Slave Hunter by Aaron Cohen and Christine Buckley

Not For Sale by David B. Bastone

Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery by Siddharth Kara

Enslaved: True Stories of Modern Day Slavery by Sage Jesse, Liora Kasten and Gloria Steinem

A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face With Modern-Day Slavery by E. Benjamin Skinner

AUTHOR'S INVITATION:

Everyone I talk to about modern slavery agrees it's atrocious. Then they ask, "What can I do?" BE A VOICE. Spread awareness by sharing these posts and videos with others. Collectively we can reach thousands of people. Creating awareness and making this an issue in the public mind WILL lead to CHANGE.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Will you accept my invitation? Will you be a voice?

Thank you,
John Burger

AbolitionisJB

"FATAL PROMISES" Movie Trailer

I came across "Fatal Promises" on Twitter and we quickly began a conversation about modern slavery and their documentary. That's one of the things I love about Twitter. I've met a number of people fighting the same cause and we've been able to easily share information, ask questions, answer questions and learn from one another.

Click the image below to watch clips from the documentary.

MOVIE SYNOPSIS:

Ukraine, the second largest country in Europe, is a prime example of a nation struggling to establish a stable economy, a functioning legal system and to control criminal enterprises of which Human Trafficking is the largest. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of women, children and men have been trafficked from Ukraine to the United States, Western Europe and the Balkans since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Katja was 18 when her boss approached her about an opportunity to take a summer job as a waitress in the US. Upon arrival, she was taken to the heartland of America and forced to work as an exotic dancer 16 hours a day; 6 days a week. She was held in an apartment, threatened, raped and beaten, but was fortunate to escape with her life.

Nadja was 17 years old when she was deceived by a school friend to work in a hotel in Moldavia and instead was trafficked into the sex industry, her papers confiscated, her resistance beaten into submission. She was locked up in an apartment. Every day she was taken to different places to serve customers. Her attempts to escape led to more violence. While enslaved she witnessed the murder and rape of others.

Anja was lured to Russia with the promise of work. She spent months as a slave in an orchard. She was held prisoner in a camp, witnessed violence, experienced rape and never saw a dime for her work.

Eugene was 18 years old when he signed a bogus contract to work on a fishing boat. He was taken to an unmarked ship off the coast of Japan. together with 30 other men from the Ukraine he was held in inhumane conditions without proper food, lodgings and pay. Eugene’s health will be damaged for the rest of his life.

These people all have one thing in common: they are survivors of Human Trafficking. By talking to these survivors, visiting their countries and getting an insight into their lives, the filmmakers gained a unique view into the problem of trafficking and a first-hand look at the shortcomings of the legal systems that are supposed to help them.

AUTHOR'S INVITATION:

Everyone I talk to about modern slavery agrees it's atrocious. Then they ask, "What can I do?" BE A VOICE. Spread awareness share these posts and videos with others. Collectively we can reach thousands of people. Creating awareness and making this an issue in the public mind WILL lead to CHANGE.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Will you accept my invitation? Will you be a voice?

Thank you,
John Burger

AbolitionisJB

2,000 Twitter Follower Giveaway! Win a Book!

We're getting dangerously close to 2,000 followers on Twitter and it's only been up 5 days! Go team go!

The day we hit 2,000 followers, I'll post a message that needs to be Retweeted (RT). For every retweet you post, you'll receive one entry for the drawing.

Not only do you get to help spread awareness of modern slavery, but you get a chance to win a free copy of "Ending Slavery," by Kevin Bales. (Author, Professor and President of www.freetheslaves.net)

VIDEO BOOK PREVIEW

This is a fantastic book that every abolitionist should have on their bookshelf and share with others. I highly recommend it to everyone trying to learn more about the issues of slavery today, the causes, the effects and viable solutions to end slavery worldwide. It's a very informational and practical approach to how we can change the world for the better.

So stay tuned and help us reach 2,000 followers!

How People are Conned into Slavery - United Nations PSA

THE CON
Children and adults become slaves in many different ways, but most often they, and/or their families, are tricked into slavery. Human traffickers will con families into giving up their children by telling them stories of teaching their children a trade, providing them with an education and giving them money to send home. The families, which are often destitute, believe this to be the opportunity of a lifetime for their children to succeed.

Teenagers are conned by the same lies and believe they're setting out to make a name for themselves in the world. They're offered the chance to become an actress, to move to America, receive an education and leave their poor circumstances behind.



THE REALITY
These children are often taken to different cities or even countries than they and their families were originally told they would go. Parents have no idea where their children are and often never hear from them again. Sometimes the human traffickers will tell the parents that their children died and were buried in a far off country or city.

THE HOPE
There is hope in educating families and teenagers of the dangers of human trafficking and slavery. Groups in countries such as India and Asia help free these children and break the cycle. They provide the children with education and therapy to rebuild their lives. They help reunite them with their families and villages where they become village leaders. Empowered with education and knowledge, they help their village become slave-free and drive out future human traffickers coming to prey on their town.

This is why education programs, both in reading and writing, along with human trafficking awareness are critical to the prevention of modern day slavery.

AUTHOR'S INVITATION:

Everyone I talk to about modern slavery agrees it's atrocious. Then they ask, "What can I do?" BE A VOICE. Spread awareness by sharing these posts and videos with others. Collectively we can reach thousands of people. Creating awareness and making this an issue in the public mind WILL lead to CHANGE.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Will you accept my invitation? Will you be a voice?

Thank you,
John Burger

AbolitionisJB

YOU CAN HELP: What businesses need to do to help end slavery.

I just finished reading Kevin Bales book, "Ending Slavery." He gives great insight into the background of modern day slavery, what solutions are most effective and specific ways people can help make a difference.

This excerpt talks about slavery in the product chain and what businesses can do about it. He goes into more depth about this in his book and shares the success of chocolate companies using this model to help weed out slavery in cocoa farms along the Ivory Coast and elsewhere.

The Roadblocks

What makes it difficult for businesses to wipe out slavery is they often buy their supplies from a broker, who buys it from a broker, who buys it from a group of farmers, where a small percentage may have slaves. That's why it's essential for businesses to work with other businesses in their field, the government and anti-slavery groups on the ground that can help identify where slavery starts.

Why Boycotting Businesses is NOT Effective

Some might say, "Let's boycott the products." The problem with this blanket approach is that it does more harm than good. This hurts the business, which hurts the brokers, which hurts the group of farmers, of which 95%+ are legitimate farmers on the Ivory Coast struggling to survive. If their farms fail, they can easily be enslaved on slave farms or may become a slave farm themselves to survive.

Because the overhead is so cheap for slave labor, this has been seen to grow the slave cycle instead of breaking it.

That's why it's critical to weed out the small percentage of slavery in the product chain at the root. When businesses and anti-slavery groups work together, instead of bashing each other, this can take place.

What You Can Do to Help

If you know of a company with slavery in their product chain, contact the company to make them aware of the problem along with your state legislators and local news. Nothing will get a company motivated to investigate and cleanup their product chain like a little bad PR. This is actually how the chocolate companies started making changes and decided to partner up with government and abolitionist groups.

AUTHOR'S INVITATION:

Everyone I talk to about modern slavery agrees it's atrocious. Then they ask, "What can I do?" BE A VOICE. Spread awareness by sharing these posts and videos with others. Collectively we can reach thousands of people. Creating awareness and making this an issue in the public mind WILL lead to CHANGE.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Will you accept my invitation? Will you be a voice?

Thank you,
John Burger

AbolitionisJB

Abolition is coming through love.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love this video by Love146.org. So many slavery awareness videos include heavy material, which is okay and needed, but it's nice to be reminded that there's hope in this cause and that good things are happening.

Remember that LOVE should be our motivation as abolitionists and not hate. It's easy and natural to become enraged and angered at the atrocities of slavery and child exploitation, but our ultimate motivation should be love for the victims as we work with hope towards prevention.

"Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love."

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Celebrate Love! from LOVE146 on Vimeo.

Love146.org has a wonderful Valentine e-card fundraiser. Please check it out. I can't think of a better gift to send to a loved one. I would also checkout the slideshow of hand-made valentine's people sent to survivors at the Love146 Round Home. Very cool.

AUTHOR'S INVITATION:

Everyone I talk to about modern slavery agrees it's atrocious. Then they ask, "What can I do?" BE A VOICE. Spread awareness share these posts and videos with others. Collectively we can reach thousands of people. Creating awareness and making this an issue in the public mind WILL lead to CHANGE.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Will you accept my invitation? Will you be a voice?

Thank you,
John Burger

AbolitionisJB

"I Want My Freedom," featuring Emma Thompson

This is a wonderful video featuring Emma Thompson as she gives a voice to slaves around the world. They CAN NOT and WILL NOT be forgotten.

AUTHOR'S INVITATION:

Everyone I talk to about modern slavery agrees it's atrocious. Then they ask, "What can I do?" BE A VOICE. Spread awareness by sharing these posts and videos with others. Collectively we can reach thousands of people. Creating awareness and making this an issue in the public mind WILL lead to CHANGE.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Will you accept my invitation? Will you be a voice?

Thank you,
John Burger

AbolitionisJB