5 ways to fight modern-day slavery wherever you are

The Star Fish—based on the story by Loren Eisley

I awoke early, as I often did, just before sunrise to walk by the ocean's edge and greet the new day. As I moved through the misty dawn, I focused on a faint, far away motion. I saw a youth, bending and reaching and flailing arms, dancing on the beach, no doubt in celebration of the perfect day soon to begin.


As I approached, I sadly realized that the youth was not dancing to the bay, but rather bending to sift through the debris left by the night's tide, stopping now and then to pick up a starfish and then standing, to heave it back into the sea. I asked the youth the purpose of the effort. "The tide has washed the starfish onto the beach and they cannot return to the sea by themselves," the youth replied. "When the sun rises, they will die, unless I throw them back to the sea."


As the youth explained, I surveyed the vast expanse of beach, strectching in both directions beyond my sight. Starfish littered the shore in numbers beyond calculation. The hopelessness of the youth's plan became clear to me and I countered, "But there are more starfish on this beach than you can ever save before the sun is up. Surely you cannot expect to make a difference."


The youth paused briefly to consider my words, bent to pick up a starfish and threw it as far as possible. Turning to me he simply said, "I made a difference to that one."

Get the picture? The point is, there isn’t a superman. No one gets to save the world single-handedly and in one day, unless you're Jesus. Making a difference is as simple as one person being what they are and giving what they can.  So on that note, here are five ways YOU can make a difference when it comes to fighting modern-day slavery wherever you are:

1. Put up posters in multiple languages in public places or print information on cup holders at coffee shops (for ideas of what to put on a poster, click here).

2. Write articles and letter to the editor for local newspaper and newsletters.

3. Commit to abstaining from all forms of commercial sex (including porn, strip clubs, escort services, etc.)

4. Volunteer at a local direct services organization and post a sign with an 800 number for victims.

5. Share the reality of sex trafficking by hosting an awareness/fundraising gathering at home or work (for resources to do this, contact the author).

These ideas were taken from an Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center event and the Breaking Free training hosted in Duluth. To follow-up with these ideas or to find more, contact the author or comment below.