One Voice....

So, RLG, Hill, Sparky and I worked an event at Mosaic last night. It was really fun and crazy. The coffeehouse was loaded with tons of people, most of them way younger and hipper than me, which isn't difficult. They were there to hear from Trong and Roni from the Tronie foundation which all along with One Voice, www.onevoicetoendslavery.com , are working to end slavery and human trafficing throughout the world.

Trong and Roni are a married couple, she's from India and he is from Vietnam, who were both vicimized as children - she as a child slave and he as a refugee who was escaping being forced into the Viet-cong army. Their stories are incredible - you can read more at www.troniefoundation.org and I highly recommend checking out what they are doing.

I was amazed at the level of trafficing that goes on here in the US. I always think of this problem going on in other countries, but not here. Its incredible too the different ways that people are used - they told a story of a girl from Vietnam who came to America with her aunt - her mother, of course trusted this relative. The girl was forced to work in the family's restaurant here in Washington up to 12 hours per day with no pay and was then locked in her room each night to prevent escape. She was thankfully allowed to go to school and was rescued by a school counselor and was able to leave this life. Another woman was brought here from India, intially forced into prostitution and then used as a drug mule, she was beaten and threatened into submission and witnessed another woman dying after a drug balloon broke after she had ingested it. So sad....I guess too that many men are being used in Eastern Washington as migrant workers - they are brought here from South American countries and then forced to work to pay off their passaged to our country.

The event last night was partially a celebration of the opening of "Nell's House" which is the first house in Western Washington that will be used as a safe house for people coming out of human trafficking. This is sponsored by Homes of Freedom, www.homesoffreedom.org .

All three of these organizations seemed to being doing incredible work and I encourage people to check them out and support them, if possible. I met representatives from each one and they were wonderful, gracious people who are dedicating their lives to ending this horrible tragedy that is happening all over our world and even in our own city! I must admit, when I shook Roni's hand I couldn't help but think "She shook Oprah's hand too!" just kidding...sort of.....I was also struck by the demographics of our crowd, as I mentioned, most were very young and were so interested in what they could do to change this problem. I think so often, the young are looked down upon. But, I really feel like that generation is extremely tuned into social justice and are wanting to DO something to change their world...A very eye-opening and encouraging evening.