As our class forms key documents and searches for partnerships, we cannot limit ourselves by focusing solely on these two objectives. There are many more venues in which we could proceed, such as writing and sending letters to the appropriate organizations and government representatives. The US Ambassador to Haiti, for example. Building relationships in these areas would get our name and cause out to the appropriate audiences, help us find and form partnership organizations, and ultimately reach our goals regarding Restavek.

Now is a great time to reach out again to potential partnerships who may have fallen between the cracks as we focused on building a response template.

We updated our class resume, which has been posted.

Stephanie is beginning to form plans for starting an END IT movement on Elon’s campus. The organization’s mission is to end child slavery worldwide. Building this organization on Elon’s campus would be a great and very well-fit opportunity for our class. Their website and the videos they have posted are excellent, we could definitely learn a thing or two about how to be effective at moving an audience into action. Here’s a link: http://enditmovement.com/

We WILL have class next Tuesday!

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Slavery still exists.

We want every man, woman and child to know that there are 27 million men, women and children, just like them, living in the shadows. Working as slaves. In 161 countries. Including our own. Let’s shine a light on slavery and END IT.

Visit enditmovement.com, to watch the video, take the pledge and then pass it on. Let’s make FREEDOM go viral!

This is an organization that works with universities to bring awareness about slavery and human trafficking. In class today, we researched their website and are discussing bringing this movement to campus.

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Tess and I at the beginning of the Debating for Democracy Conference in New York at the New School! Excited to start the day.

So far, it has mostly been free time with a brief orientation with the other students here. Today is the official beginning of the Conference and we are really looking forward to hearing Eugene Lang, founder of Project Pericles, come and share with us.

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We are in communication with various local and Haitian organizations, and continuing to develop each of these relationships.

When we come back from break, we will focus on what specifically we plan to get out of and contribute to our partner organizations.

There is a possible event we could hold next fall in collaboration with Triad Ladder of Hope and a documentary entitles Nefarius: Merchant of Souls. We could host the documentary as well as have the woman as a speaker. We could also collect donations, get the event on the cultural calendar, and use GST classes to promote the event. The trailer seemed very eye-opening and compelling.

We MAY be able to find a way to organize a university trip to Haiti before the travel advisory is listed.

A possible idea: putting together something like the ’14’s week of events that pulls together many different aspects of human trafficking. This would fit better in the fall.

Freshmen Induction is Thursday, April 11th, 5:00-6:30pm.

We also have a website on the way, and are investigating the idea of getting an official elon.edu email for our class.

slaveryfootprint.org: an eye-opening estimate of how many slaves support YOU.

We could organize another debate, similar to the presidential debate from last semester, revolving around gun control. The event would be available for both Elon students and the surrounding community. It would encourage Periclean civic engagement, but if we decide to take this project on, we need to recognize that it will require a lot of work and commit to putting forth this effort. Student will apply to participate in the debate, and we would review the applications as a class.

We should plan an event in the second half of the semester to bring everyone back in. Perhaps we could revisit the idea of visiting the Warner household? Grilling on a warm day?

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Georgia’s Restavek Freedom Foundation emailed us back! They wanted to know more about us, what we’re about, and what we can offer. (We should nail this down)

So..we need to nail down our specific goals regarding our impact on Restavek, our partnership, and what specific aspect of Restavek we want to address.

From this side of the water, we can contribute to: advocacy, fundraising, 1-on-1 long distance mentoring/connection, drives (supplies, books).

Our strenghs: passion, drive, man power, brains, University support, diverse interests and talents, audience/wide reach, connections

Goals: sustainable change, outlasts our time at Elon, visit Haiti at some point.

Reminder about the Periclean cards and getting that to Lauren!

Sophia is making good progress with Hearts with Haiti, and Danielle is collaborating and building ideas for a project with Lauren Kearns, the head of the Dance Dept.

Skype session next Tuesday, 12:00pm with the program coordinator of Equitas Group! Possible partnership, if you can make it please think of some questions.

Since next Tuesday will be our last meeting before spring break and thus the last meeting of the quarter, we want to have as much of the class present as possible!! We’ve made great progress this quarter, and we want to do even more in the second half of the semester.

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Class Updates:

Susie and Colby are meeting with Christa Arangala tomorrow to discuss the Freshmen Induction. Colby met with April Post, the faculty advisor of the 16’s, to discuss ideas about the induction. We will collaborate with her and Christa to come up with a plan. One idea is serving Honduran food for the induction, and we will cook it! Or get it catered. We’re really excited, and they’re going through interviews right now.

Possible ideas with Helon Wright: her parents started the nonprofit Hearts with Haiti, and she started a Dance Theatre. Perhaps we could use them as exposure for our class and project as well as their organization? College Coffee performance? They’re coming in the fall (October), so we could actually have them do an evening performance. Maybe along side Elon organizations too, like the Elon Africa Society, other Dance Companies

We need to get our elevator speech going and ready for the induction. Who can make the video? Bia’s video was awesome, and Jonathan would be great.

Haiti contacts:

1) Jonathan, the Program Officer of the Equitas Group. This organization works with Restaveks in Haiti, we are in contact with him and hoping to Skype with him soon! (Susie)

2) Chloe’s contact, Kevin Bales, from Free the Slaves, which is partnered with Fondasyon Limyè Lavi, a Haitian Restavek organization. Aim to break the silence regarding Restaveks. Runs training session for grassroots leaders. Arranges open spaces dialogues in most affected areas. Links with radio stations.

3) Jean Cadet – Awareness, radio (Kerry’s connection) or Restavek Freedom Foundation – Advocacy and provide transitional homes (Georgia).

Local partners:

1) NC Coalition Against Human Trafficking: A group of several human trafficking organizations. We could raise awareness and advocacy, get involved in policy advocacy and education. They already have a program with UNC Chapel Hill. (Cat)

2) Break the Chain: Started by Institute Policy Studies after exposure of domestic slaves in DC for government official in ’97. Again, this would be like policy advocacy.

3) Triad Ladder of Hope: Awareness campaigns, presentations, donations of supplies and financial help. They have a victim partnership. For $30/mo, you can completely cover one person. Food, housing, job training, counseling, etc. Possible to build personal relationships with victims?

4) Farm Workers Advocacy Network: Farmers are a vulnerable population that are susceptible to human trafficking. There’s already a program for NC college students: Student Action Workers. There are many opportunities to get involved with both the victims, vulnerable populations, and advocacy.

5) Crossroads: sexual assault response center. This is very local and for children. But it focuses more on abuse as opposed to trafficking

6) NC Stop Human Trafficking: Big coalition that collaborates with other organizations. Kind of like an umbrella organization. They would be a great resource, however partnering with them may be more difficult.

We need to contact these organizations in order for them to even be possibilities! We should focus on local. Break the Chain is national.

Next week, we will have all the information for the induction, ideas for the video, and a shared Google Drive for all of our files (such as resources, possible partners)

Possible Areas of Focus:

Orphanage, rehabilitation, prevention, care packages, changing social construction, awareness

US dept of st recommendations for Haiti:

promote a definition of trafficking, education for children and sensitization for parents, partnerships with NGOs, enact legislation

Contribute to the Future Events Ideas page!

What to expect for Tuesday: Shelby is going to write a template email for the organizations. The template will be posted on the Google Drive. Each contact for each organization needs to fill in the blanks and send the email out to their organization and report back by NEXT TUESDAY:

Free the Slaves: Chloe

Jean Cadet: Kerry

Restavek Freedom Foundation: Georgia

St. Joseph’s: Sophia

NC Coalition again Human Trafficking: Cat

Farm Workings Advocacy Network: Cat

Triad Ladder of Hope: Cat

CrossRoads: Rachel

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“There is no passion to be found playing small; in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of.”

-Nelson Mandela

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