HUmanity, a grassroots student group, recently refocused its mission in order to help fight human trafficking and raise awareness about it around the Harding campus and Searcy community.
“What we are really wanting to be is an umbrella organization where anyone who has a passion for fighting injustices can come and present their ideas and form a committee,” HUmanity member junior Ashli Roussel said. “We can take that passion and turn it into action.”
HUmanity is focusing on groups such as International Justice Missions and Red Thread. According to IJM’s website, IJM is a human rights agency that brings rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. HUmanity member freshman Monica Shultz said she is helping to organize “Loose Change to Loosen Chains,” which is an IJM fundraiser carried out by individual chapters, such as Harding’s HUmanity. The members even think “Loose Change to Loosen Chains” could become an intercollegiate competition with other Christian universities.
Red Thread is an organization that focuses on human trafficking specifically in Nepal. HUmanity member sophomore Grace Allen said that Red Thread saves about 100 women from sex slavery per month. Red Thread sells red bracelets that help raise money for the victims of Nepal sex slavery.
HUmanity has long existed as a Harding group, according to members, but the focus on human trafficking is recent. Roussel, junior Jessica Kirkham and junior Natalie Fisher said they refocused the group after Roussel and Kirkham went this past winter break to the Passion Conference in Atlanta, Ga., which focused on freedom and fighting human trafficking in the name of Jesus Christ. Roussel said that the conference inspired them to get Harding involved.
“It’s really empowering to be a part of this and to be doing something about [human trafficking],” Kirkham said. “It’s good to be aware that you aren’t just some college kid. You are making a difference.”
Members of HUmanity are currently focusing on a showing of the documentary “Nefarious” by the organization Exodus Cry, which focuses on ending slavery. In addition, HUmanity member freshman Chris Palmore is organizing a community-wide carnival in mid-to-late April that will raise awareness of sex-trafficking in local areas and explain what HUmanity is doing to stop it.
HUmanity member junior Taylor Kee said they are also focused on informing the public that human trafficking is a growing problem. An estimated 27 million people are already enslaved and that number grows daily.
“Human trafficking used to be an issue that no one knew about, but [the media] is beginning to notice,” Roussel said. “I think that the body of Christ needs to be right in the middle of it. “
HUmanity has about 70 active members but encourages others to get involved. The documentary “Nefarious” will be shown in the Administration Auditorium on March 20 at 7 p.m. The next HUmanity meeting is on March 27 in McInteer 150.
