NFS News Archive Updates
From Georgia: Profile of An Abolitionist
Rebecca discovered Not For Sale through Twitter in 2009 and was immediately drawn to the entrepreneurial focus as well as the plethora of actionable platforms and tools that Not For Sale offers. Moreover, Rebecca also found it appealing that she could fight modern-day slavery within her own community. Instead of relocating to Washington D.C. or Europe, Rebecca became involved as a Community Abolitionist Leader for her local Not For Sale chapter in Georgia.
An Interview With Kevin Austin
In the United States, we eat tomatoes, strawberries, and blueberries that may have been harvested by slaves. We wear clothing and use technology that comes from places where slavery is producing consumer goods. Seventy percent of the world’s chocolate comes from a region where there’s slave labor. And this brings me back to the matter of personal righteousness versus social righteousness: we can’t say that we love Jesus and that we’re going to follow God while not caring about the economics surrounding our lives or about how we live our lives. The good news is that when we make a stand, a handful of people become an army of people one day at a time, one issue at a time. If everybody stops eating slave-harvested chocolate, the people who sell that chocolate are going to change their ways because they want to make money. And so while we all contribute to modern-day slavery, we all have an incredible opportunity to change it.
This Mother’s Day, Give a Gift that Gives Dignity
“95% of chocolate on store shelves today has been sourced unethically*,” says Kristen Carr, Director of Not For Sale Houston. “But here in Houston, we’re lucky enough to have a chocolate company called Araya, which has chocolate that is not only delicious, but ethically-made as well.”
Spotted: Halle Berry in the New NFS AllSaints Collection
Not even a month has gone by since the Spring 2012 Not For Sale AllSaints collection hit retail stores worldwide. Not For Sale is thrilled with the popularity of the new line. Halle Berry was recently spotted in Beverly Hills in the Statement Crew, an exclusive tee from the second capsule T-shirt collection.
Jewish Communities Proclaim Freedom for Captives with Freedom Shabbat
Freedom Shabbat 2012 was celebrated by more than 125 Jewish communities in nine different countries. Once enslaved in Egypt, Jewish people were reminded on Freedom Shabbat that with freedom comes responsibility and the opportunity to help repair the world. Just prior to the meal, the prayers for the wine and the matzah remind us all that everything that comes to us is a gift. We should therefore use these gifts in freedom and for freedom. Synagogues, Jewish Schools, Hillels, Jewish organizations, and family units across the world celebrated Passover, freedom, and justice.
ACADEMIC ACTIVISM | FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO SYDNEY
Academic Activism aspires to create justice holistically by empowering individuals to use their education as their advocacy. This is exemplified by the work of Not For Sale Australia and the University of Technology Sydney who are featuring two unique avenues of academic engagement: the Sydney Supply Chain Academy and the Free2Work Research Fellowship.
Spring Arbor University’s Tennis Team is Free2Play – Are you?
Free2Play began when Dave Batstone’s son Caelin led his soccer team in raising funds for Not For Sale by committing to donate for every soccer goal made. Realizing that this could be more than just a soccer game, Not For Sale created Free2Play as a way to support survivors of human trafficking through physical activity and love of sports. This year, Major League Baseball players have jumped on board, pledging to donate money to Not For Sale based on their specific statistics this season. Not only have star players like Jeremy Affeldt and Matt Holliday joined Team Free2Play, but community and university teams across the nation are also leading the charge.
From HQ: Ending Slavery In Our Lifetime
At Not For Sale, we believe that rescue alone does not equal freedom. In order to be truly free, one must have the skills and opportunities needed to overcome the root causes of exploitation. We believe that “success” is more than just shelter or the passing of a law. Success at NFS is creating new futures. This is defined as empowering individuals economically, politically, and culturally in ways that directly prevent vulnerability to human trafficking and exploitation.
From Thailand: Everyone Should Be Free2Play
The 130 children rescued from exploitation at Kru Nam’s village in Northern Thailand are set to take part in a very special annual Free2Play camp. For the next three days, 20 volunteers from three continents will lead workshops in sports, music, and art. David Batstone, NFS’ President and Co-Founder, will participate in the camp along with his family. Batstone states this is the most important, memorable, and moving week of the entire year.
