News

Archive for July, 2009

NFS-CA | Giving Children Hope

July 27, 2009 Posted by Allison Trowbridge

Title: NFS-CA | Giving Children Hope
Location: GCHope Headquarters, Conference Room
Link out: Click here
Description: Giving Children Hope presents our Summer Speaking Series, a series of luncheons featuring guest speakers from the nonprofit and corporate world.

These speakers will share their personal experiences of giving back to the community and how you can make a difference in the world with the gifts you have.
Start Time: 12:00
Date: 2009-07-27
End Time: 14:00

Advocate to End Slavery in Your Own Backyard

July 22, 2009 Posted by Allison Trowbridge

06_29_2009_handsjpgThe fight to end slavery comes to your state and city! Over the past three years, the Not For Sale Campaign has been building the infrastructure and momentum needed to fight human trafficking at the local level. With operations running in half of the states in the US — with more being added every month — the time has come for YOU to join the movement in your own backyard.

Step 1: Get Updated… Add your location info to our contact list by inputting your email HERE so we can equip you to engage locally in your own backyard.

Step 2: Get Connected… with your local operation, and be ready to respond to NFS Action Calls for your state.

Step 3: Get Inspired… Check out the stories below of advocates like you making a difference in their own backyards.

A Win in San Francisco

06_29_2009_san_franjpgThe Not For Sale Campaign began investigating modern-day slavery in San Francisco over three years ago. Throughout this time the campaign has identified gaps in legislation, impeding the city’s efforts to regulate and monitor the massage parlor industry (an extremely high-probability industry for sex trafficking.) Legislation which would correct this problem, introduced by San Francisco Supervisor Carmen Chu and Mayor Gavin Newsom, passed with a near unanimous vote this week!

The new legislation will increase transparency and provide additional regulation over the massage industry. Not For Sale Campaign President, David Batstone, provided testimony in support of both pieces of legislation. This new legislation enhances the ability of the city to revoke licenses from high-probability industries and increases cooperation and dialogue between various regulating agencies, needed changes Batstone has advocated for since the beginning of the campaign.

Tide is Turning in Texas!

06_29_2009_texasjpgThe recent legislative session in Texas had 14 bills introduced pertaining directly or indirectly with Human Trafficking and Slavery. Although not all of them made it to the floor, four were enrolled and signed!

Dennis Mark, NFS Texas (NFS-TX) State Co-Director was influential in working with several legislators and their staffers including, State Senators Dan Patrick, Leticia Van de Putte and Tommy Williams and State Representatives Rafael Anchia, Senfronia Thompson, and Randy Weber. Dennis testified on the majority of the bills and NFS-TX was instrumental in voicing support for each piece. The various pieces of legislature increase funding for survivors of trafficking (SB1969), give victims the ability to sue traffickers for civil damages (HB533), allow counties to regulate high-probability industries (HB2094), and create a state task-force to assist domestic victims (HB4009).

Advocating for Minor Victims in Georgia

06_29_2009_atlantajpgNot For Sale Georgia (NFS-GA) has been actively involved in supporting state legislation that will benefit victims of trafficking, especially in the area of child sex slavery. NFS-GA has worked alongside partners StreetGRACE, Wellspring Living, A Future. Not a Past., and the Barton Child Policy Clinic at Emory Law School to successfully change the wording in the child abuse reporting law that had previously restricted who in the child abuse system would have to report child sexual exploitation. With the passage of this bill, NFS-GA was able to pave the way for hundreds of Georgia’s children to receive new avenues of care.

Recently, NFS-GA with the help of Soumya Kantamneni, a rising second-year law student at George Washington University Law School, has been promoting HB 582. This bill would change how minors are classified within the sex industry. The bill would exempt minors from prosecution as prostitutes and will instead treat them as potential victims of exploitation.

Third Effort in Massachusetts Shows Hope!

06_29_2009_massjpgSome legislatures would give up on a bill after seeing it defeated twice. Fortunately for victims of human trafficking, Senator Mark Montigny is not that man. Bill S58, with 23 Senate and 24 representative co-sponsors, including the chairs of the Joint Committee on Children and Families, Rep. Kay Khan (D-Newton) and Sen. Gale Candaras (D-Wilbraham), has been reintroduced for a 3rd time. If signed into law, Bill S58 will increase the civil and criminal penalties individuals convicted of trafficking pay. The bill will create a trust fund for victims where fines paid by traffickers will be deposited to help subsidize legal, health, and social services, in addition to paying wage compensation.

This essential bill is meant to confront human trafficking and support victims of modern-day slavery. With overwhelming bi-partisan support, the bill has tremendous momentum — thanks in large part to a committed task-force, Senator, and supportive advocates!

Not For Sale MA is working alongside Amnesty International’s Firefly coalition to raise a grassroots movement in support of this bill, ensuring that senators and representatives do not let internal political issues or the budget crisis block the way for progress in fighting human trafficking within MA

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Update your contact info by inputing your email HERE and help us effect change in your own backyard!

Together, we can end modern slavery in our neighborhoods.

A Great week at CHIC!

July 19, 2009 Posted by Allison Trowbridge

img_04131Not For Sale directors Kilian Moote and Allison Trowbridge have just finished a week’s worth of speaking engagement at CHIC — the tri-annual gathering of 5000+ high school students from around the country as part of the Covenant Church denomination.

And what an incredible experience it was! Everyday we had the opportunity to share with groups of students about the issue of modern-day slavery… and what they can do to become Backyard Abolitionists. img_04162

We certainly couldn’t compete with the heart-pounding high energy of evening performances by David Crowder (pictured), Flyleaf, and Third Day. But we sure were privileged to meet hundreds passionate students, impacted by what they’d learned and inspired to action in their world.

To learn how you can join the High School Movement, click HERE.

Next week the NFS staff heads to New Hampshire for Soulfest!! To join us… and get your 25% discount off the ticket price… click HERE and enter “abolition academy.”


This Week’s State Spotlight: TENNESSEE

July 9, 2009 Posted by Allison Trowbridge

26jpgDerri and Bill Smith, Co-State Directors for Tennessee, are educating citizens in the state about human trafficking and how they can help re-abolish it locally, nationally and internationally. It would take a book to list all that Not For Sale-Tennessee is doing, so here are some highlights:
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· Partnering with a local Vice Squad Detective to train criminal justice students in area universities
· Teaching a unit at the local “John School” so men who have been arrested for solicitation understand the prevalence of trafficking within the sex industry
· Plastering the community with posters detailing red flags that may indicate human trafficking

All of this — and the production of a Tennessee-specific public service announcement — was made possible by dedicated volunteers who have joined with the Smiths to stop slavery in their backyards. If you live in Tennessee and want to join the team, contact Derri Smith at derri hailing from notforsalecampaign from the TLD of org or visit www.notforsaletn.org.


New Grounds for Freeing the Captives!

July 1, 2009 Posted by Allison Trowbridge

notforsalecampaigncoffeeIntroducing… the first official coffee roast of Not For Sale Campaign.

Veronica’s Cup” is a Fair Trade, carbon neutral coffee produced specifically for NFSC. Proceeds from this delicious blend go to support Veronica’s House in Peru – a safe house for children rescued from trafficking off the streets of Lima. It is a sweet, medium Peruvian blend, 12 oz – ground.

And the best news of all… it’s For Sale! Click here to get yours.

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Not For Sale Campaign

P.O. Box 371035
122 Seacliff Court
Montara, CA 94037

info at notforsalecampaign dot org