Waldorf Amnesty joins the fight against human trafficking

By Tina Somchit

Waldorf Amnesty International hosted the Human Trafficking Awareness Chapel on October 14, in the Salveson Ballroom.

Human Trafficking is something a lot of Americans, especially Iowans, think doesn’t exist in the states. “Are you aware that there are millions of slaves in the world today?” was the question that Dr.Suzanne Falck-Yi, the club faculty advisor, began with.

Consulting with a faculty club member, Criminal Justice Professor Kristen Paul, Falck-Yi agreed the first event for the club should cooperate with A21 organization that did its second walk for human trafficking awareness around the world on October 17, three days after the chapel, to raise awareness of human trafficking.

In Iowa, the major walk occurred in Des Moines. Paul also went there to participate. “It’s a great way to get the discussion started, to stir it up, and for us to become awake and alert,” Paul said.

According to the A21 organization, every 30 seconds, another person becomes a victim. There are over 27 million victims around the globe. Human trafficking is the modern slavery.

“Since we can not make it to Des Moines, Iowa with the A21 organization, we decided to host the walk at Waldorf College,” Nathan Taylor, Waldorf Amnesty president, said.

Taylor also led the walk from the Salveson Ballroom out to the library through the atrium and back to the ballroom. Everybody who joined the walk was encouraged to wear black, and hold signs that stated human trafficking facts.

Asmita KC, an international student from Nepal, joined the walk and shared her story about human trafficking and sex slaves in her country. It was “very fun and educational,” she said. She also liked the idea of wearing all back to gain attention from other people around campus. “I was holding the sign #lovegives. I liked the message we were sending,” she said.

In addition, KC talked about Anuradha Koirala, a Nepalese activist who has been helping trafficked girls around Nepal, during the chapel. Koirala was given the CNN Hero Award in 2010. She has been rescuing and rehabilitating girls from human trafficking since 1993. “She inspired me to live my life,” KC said.