How Can I Free Myself?
"Until we are all free, we are none free."
Emma Lazarus
American Poet
"Until we are all free, we are none free."
Emma Lazarus
American Poet
You don't need to move to Asia, become an expert on human trafficking or start a non profit organization to join the fight against slavery. There are small steps that we all can take to impact positively global slavery --here are a few.
- Believe in chain reaction? Start one now! Click on ChainStoreReaction to email a letter to importers and encourage them to take slavery out of their products. Together we can end slavery!
- Say NO to imported shrimp. Most of the local grocery stores nowadays offer shrimp imported from Asia where slave labor is abundant and child labor laws are not enforced. One way to move away from this situation is to demand slave-free products by buying local US produced shrimp where traditional labor is utilized.
- Buy local. When buying produce keep in mind your local farmers' market, you will be reducing the chances of buying products tainted with slavery and you will be helping your local growers. For a list of products and producer profiles visit Green America Today.
- Love sushi? You can make a difference by eating sustainable sushi, for a more socially conscious sushi approach try Mashiko Sushi in Seattle, Tataki Sushi & Sake Bar in San Francisco and Bamboo Sushi in Portland. For sustainable fish try Shoreline Grill in Austin and Hook in Washington D.C. Learn more about certified sustainable seafood at Seafood Watch and the Marine Stewardship Council. Wonder where to buy sustainable seafood? Click here to find out!
- Support Fair Trade products as they guarantee fair prices to producers. When buying fair trade you may be buying less for you, but that equals more for others, at the end that means freedom for people which empowers you as a consumer. More information on Fair Trade Federation here. For an in-depth reading please visit Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International. To find where to buy Fair Trade Certified products near you click here.
- Support some of the most important Anti-Slavery movements in the US. Join FreeTheSlaves, PolarisProject, or the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking. Volunteer with them, join their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter, everything counts!
- Read and asks questions, it will allow you to make more educated decisions when it comes to buying slave-free products. To keep up to date on news about human rights, child labor and human trafficking issues, please visit Human Rights Watch and Human Trafficking Change. Also, you can learn more about pending trafficking bills at The Library of Congress Thomas.
- Like to entertain? Make those get-togethers a fundraiser! Talk about slavery, show a movie, remember this is not an individual effort, everything counts when it comes to bringing awareness to the people around us.
- A birthday, reunion or anniversary coming up? Consider MadeBySurvivors, a network that offers economic resources and opportunities for survivors of human trafficking. You will get a unique handmade product, support former slaves, help recover their financial independence and bring awareness to your friends.
