This doesn't have to end after you walk. In fact, our hope is that we will be those who used our freedom to make a way for others to know freedom, not one day a year — but in many ways — some, the deep and slow life-change ways and others, perhaps simpler and specific to the season we are in, but no-less full of heart.
These are 49 ideas, suggestions, and thoughts to get you thinking in the about how you can help to fight for freedom everyday in our city and around the world. We asked a few of our partner organizations (our very own local anti-trafficking experts) for ways we can come alongside them in the fight and we've included a few of those and information about each of them below the 50 steps. Our challenge to you: choose one for season of the year. Then, go for it. Every step matters.
- Post about Walk for Freedom.
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Give to Walk for Freedom.
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Save the human trafficking hotline number in your phone (in the USA: 1-(888) 373-7888).
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Familiarize yourself with the signs of human trafficking.
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Share about human trafficking in our city with one friend.
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Follow A21 on social media.
- Follow all our non-profit partners (look below for their information).
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Commit to pray for A21 and our non-profit partners.
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Show up at a fundraiser for one of our non-profit partners.
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Give financially to one of our non-profit partners.
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Host a fundraiser for one of our non-profit partners.
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Volunteer with one of our non-profit partners.
- Watch one: Nefarious Merchant of Souls or Sex and Money.
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Read one: Make it a Zero, Girls Like Us, In Pursuit of Love, Terrify No More, Not for Sale, Half the Sky, God in a Brothel, The White Umbrella: Walking with Survivors of Sex Trafficking, or Renting Lacy.
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Wear a dress or tie all December with Dressember, as a way to raise money for anti-trafficking work around the world.
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Take a self defense class.
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Walk through A21's Human Trafficking Awareness curriculum with a group (friends, business, school, youth, church, etc.).
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Contact hotels in Williamsburg about getting the human trafficking hotline number in the rooms.
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Talk to your kids' school about the need for human trafficking awareness training.
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Talk to a school board member about the need for human trafficking awareness training.
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Take this recommended free 1-hour human trafficking awareness training.
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Learn who your local crime prevention officer is.
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Report suspicious activity to your local non-emergency police line.
- Set strict privacy settings on your social media accounts and don't over-share personal information.
- If you see suspicious interactions or pages online, flag and report it.
- Freedom 4/24: Join them on a trip to support their restoration work.
- Freedom 4/24: Parents, watch the freedom 4/24 prevention video.
- Freedom 4/24: Become an Ally and support their work year round.
- Latisha's House: Collect one of the needed items on their list for their home in Williamsburg.
- Latisha's House: Have a skill you could teach or offer to the home? Volunteer.
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Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking: Sign their petition to support survivors.
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Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking: Become a member and help to fund legal work being done for survivors in our state.
- Just Free: Law students and attorneys - volunteer to be trained in victim advocacy and meet the legal needs of survivors .
- Just Free: Help with social media and communications.
- Just Free: Refer a law student/attorney that may be interested in working with just free to advocate for survivors.
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We Are The Echo: Join them for their trauma trainings (one coming up October 27th).
- We Are The Echo: Join them in their virtual 5k/10k this November.
- WJCC Foster Care: Become a foster family, supporting reunification and families who could potentially be more vulnerable.
- WJCC Foster Care: Make a meal for a foster family.
- WJCC Foster Care: Become a respite//short term care provider (you will go through foster care certification).
- Fight The New Drug: Open up to someone about your struggle with porn and get the help you need to overcome.
- Fight The New Drug: Watch their documentary - Brain, Heart, World.
- Fight The New Drug: Get the facts - read their 15 research-packed articles illustrating porn’s harms to individuals, relationships, and society.
- Read our blog post about human trafficking + fair trade.
- Read The Conscious Closet.
- Watch The True Cost.
- Take part in or host a clothes swap, which is a decision to see the value in clothes because the people who made them.
- Take a deep look at your purchase patterns, staying open to how you could be more aware of the kind of employment provided.
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Begin to ask yourself - "who made this?" before you buy anything.
Our Non-Profit Partners
Latisha’s House
Long-term safe house for adult female victims of human trafficking and individualized support to empower them to build a bridge from their traumatic past to a positive future.
Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking
An alliance of service providers, attorneys, survivor-advocates, and community members on a mission to remove barriers preventing survivors from achieving a full and healthy life through public awareness campaigns, policy reform and enacting survivor-centered legislation.
We Are The Echo
We are the Echo resources churches and businesses to meet the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children and families through foster care, adoption, and wrap-around support.
Freedom 424
Our mission is to prevent and end sexual exploitation and trafficking locally and globally. We raise awareness, provide prevention education, and expand the restoration work of our partners.
Just Free International
We seek to provide legal services to survivors of human trafficking by partnering with local attorneys who are willing and able to donate their time, talent, and treasure pro bono (free of cost) or at a significantly reduced rate.
Freekind
Join us in our work to educate others about human trafficking, prevent the next generation from being exploited and help restore a sense of hope and belonging to those on their journey to freedom.
Fight the New Drug
Fight the New Drug exists to raise awareness on the harmful effects of porn using only science, facts, and personal accounts.