This morning I kicked off my personal racing season for my fundraiser #miles4change at a local race in Goose Creek, South Carolina. It was the Crowfield Plantation 5K Run\Walk. This race was a trail run and marked my first time participating in a trail run. One of my coworkers told me about it last year, but that's when I was in excuse mode, not run mode. This year I jumped on the opportunity to participate in it and I'm glad I did.
My kick off tshirt for #miles4change
I am amazed at how quickly summer is flying by! Unfortunately during the first week of June I had to contest with an injury to my left ankle. Which I insanely naively continued to run on, leading to issues with my right ankle. So I spent most of June with the R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) method in full rotation. I still have no clue what I did to injure my ankle. The only thing I can come up with is I must have rolled it after jogging up on the curb trying to avoid oncoming traffick.
My three essentials as I nursed my ankles back to health.
In order to help combat human trafficking we need to understand what it is and where it takes place. The more awareness we spread, the less we reinforce the mental block that makes us believe that it only occurs over there, but not here. So with this post we will take a look at some questions and answers about human trafficking.
What is human trafficking?
"Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings, mainly for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor." -(source The A21 Campaign )
What does human trafficking look like?
Some forms are:
Forced labor
Sexual exploitation
Child sex slavery/ Child sex tourism
Child soldiers
Baby harvesting/illegal adoptions
Sale of body parts
Where does human trafficking occur?
Human trafficking occurs in cities and towns around the world. This also includes here in the United States. Human trafficking is a global crisis , not just a third world issue, with approximately 27 million people enslaved. People are not commodity to be bought and sold, yet it's happening around the world and right here in our nation, possibly in our own neighborhoods.
What kind of people get involved/caught up in human trafficking ?
People just like us! Victims come from various backgrounds, ethnic groups, and economic statuses. The age range spans from young kids to adults, from runaways to people who are tricked by the lure of great potential job opportunities. Even parents who sell their child/children for financial gain.
Some of the pimps/traffickers may start off as love interests who groom their victims for exploitation. Scouting everywhere from local shopping centers to social networking sites for potential victims. Others may portray themselves as reputable businessmen/women, trusted family members, or other authoritative figures in the victim's life. They also do not fit a particular stereotype other than being people who are manipulative and abusive to their victims for the sake of profit.
I don't pay for sex, so I am in no way a part of the demand that fuels human trafficking! What does this issue have to do with me?
We always want to know and understand our connection to any topic, unfortunately we are connected to human trafficking more than we realize! Many of the goods we buy are created by workers who are not protected by fair labor standards. They work long hours for low pay, under inhumane conditions, and some are even threatened physical harm for not meeting a quota. Some local places we patronize may profit from forced labor as well. Which is why we must be aware of where goods/services are coming from and make sure companies and organizations are responsible for the methods they use to produce products they manufacture and sell to us, or services they provide.
With each story we need to see people, not statistics. Whether it's sexual exploitation or forced labor, people are not commodity on either side of the spectrum, to be bought or sold. The bottom line is people matter. Being spectators in this issue, or other injustices, is no longer an option! Once we know more, we must do more.
I've explained in my earlier post, "Run For Life", the events that occurred that made human trafficking stand out to me and really catch my attention. Even when I share this with family and friends, I still get a questionable look or asked why human trafficking? I'm going to share why I chose this cause how this cause chose me.
I have always been concerned about two major injustices in this world, the ill treatment of women and the historical issue of slavery. From the Bible to issues in our society, the treatment of women as "second class citizens", of varying degrees in the United States and abroad bothered me. I saw conflicts constantly In the Bible where the men who were heralded as great men of God had multiple wives and/or harems. I just couldn't get past that fact, and the whole "that was common back then" didn't make it better. An issue I had currently was how it's acceptable for males to sleep around without being labeled, but females are described using every loose terminology known to man. I never understood the double standard in many things and could careless about having someone attempt to explain it to me. If it wasn't good for the goose, then the gander needed to back away from it too. Not to mention how our culture uses sex as a form of liberation, crams it down our kids throats in sitcoms, movies, music, etc., then are horrified when they regurgitate what we've allowed them to gluttonously consume. But I digress...
I said I would use this blog spot to update my fitness goals achievements periodically. So I'll start with May's progress. One thing we know that has to happen in order to be a better runner, is you have to run! So in May, one of the most stressful times of the school year, I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and get out there and RUN! Remember I did my 10K with little no training in April and have been approaching a few races like that for years. Well, no more!
My racing wings! Top pic with Asics and wings in Mt. Pleasant at the start. Bottom pic with one wing missing at the finish! I placed the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline number on both sides of my headpiece.
So its been four months since I decreed my goal for my fundraiser #miles4change. Here's an update on what has occurred:
I was supposed to run a 5K a month leading up to the 37th Annual Cooper River Bridge Run 10K taking place in historical Charleston, SC. Well, I did not participate in running any 5Ks, but did run/walk the Bridge Run on April 5, 2014 and received my first three donations towards the fundraiser.
I was amazed at how "wings" on my feet and head started so many conversations during the Bridge Run.In 2009 I read a story about human trafficking that moved me to tears and prayers. In 2012 I was moved to run, but felt more comfortable looking for organizations that fought human trafficking. This helped me to focus on contacting legislators regarding the cause and finding out more information. A good thing, but not the only thing I was called to do. In 2013 I was moved to run for the cause, but created all kinds of excuses to justify my shrinking back. For 2014 I am ready to jump back on the wagon and pick up where I left off.
A message from the A21 Campaign
From children to adults, we all love new! It's a proven fact! Kids love the promise of new toys and if you walk around any car accessories area in a store looking for an air fresher scent you can easily find one called "new car" scent. We absolutely, positively love new. So when the new year rolls in people are excited for new experiences, new adventures, and the possibilities of new opportunities. Everyone feels like they can take on the world, or the issues of their lives, and press forward to victory.
We also know by the end of the month, if not earlier, most people abandon their pursuits and sink back into whatever were their habits before the ball dropped and the clock striked twelve. But honestly, should our focus remain there? I believe as an online community we need to be in the business of spurning each other on, not regurgitating the defeats that possibly lies in the future.
As I visited various social media platforms today it was interesting to see how many people are taking part in the war against resolutions. Resolutions are not the problem, it's the fact that we normally stop at the resolution, which means we go no farther than making a wish, that's the problem. Not truly looking at the behaviors we need to change relearn in order to inch us closer to achieving our resolution goal.
We have heard it said before that it takes about a month to form a new habit. Others would argue that it takes even longer than that! What we can agree on is that habit forming whether new or relearned is a process and processes take time.
My Twitter page for the new year. I associate the struggles of life with sports, helps me to wrap my brain around it.
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