You Can Change It
In our postmodern, hyper connected, 21st century world we have never been so aware of the problems plaguing our world, whether the more than 15,000,000 refugees from the conflicts around the world (80% of which are women and children), or the plight of 27,000,000 slaves world wide (the largest number in history) BTW 1,000,000 of those are in the US!-70% of trafficked people are FEMALE-80% of trafficking is for sex-98% of those trafficked for sex are women-83% of those trafficked for sex in America are US citizens-The average price for a slave in the 1850’s in CURRENT $ was $40,000 to day the average is $90The global sex slavery business generates $32,000,000,000 in profits each year but the average a person is sold for is a mere $90! Think about that the next time you look at porn or decide to visit a “gentlemen’s club.”The US government spends 300x more each year to fight drug trafficking than it does on human trafficking!I could go on but I know what is already happening to you, shock and paralysis.I fully understand, the same powerful new world we live - in that makes it possible for us to know and see the problems we face - also has way over exploited the impact of a few. We are victims of CELEBRITY PARALYSIS, where we sit and do nothing if we can’t see the big picture solution and our name in bright lights with a million followers on twitter like George Clooney or Angelina Jolie.We wonder,"Can one person really make a difference?At our 2nd Annual Gender Justice Film Festival we watched two films in a typical Film Festival format, one right after the other. Nothing like Chocolate told the compelling story of anarchist chocolate maker, Mott Green, founder of the Grenada Chocolate Company Cooperative, as he pursued his unique vision to create the best chocolate in the world, ethically and taste-wise.We saw for how this ONE PERSON made a difference where he is with what he has.Then we watched What I Have Been Through Is Not Who I Am. In this documentary we met Katrina, whose childhood abruptly ended when she was manipulated and sold for sex by a trafficker. Her compelling story proves that with understanding and support, victims can become survivors. The first step is to see survivors in terms of their humanity, value and potential, and not their past.Following the films we had four Irving Police Officers speak about the sex industry in the Dallas metroplex.95% of those exploited have been abused70% of those being exploited have been in foster careIn Texas almost 30,000 kids in the foster care system but 1/3 don’t have a home to go to!$25,000 on shoes ½ world doesn’t have one pair95% of those killed in WWI were soldiers- in today’s wars 75% of those killed are civilians and while we don’t have a World War going on we do have a World at War and women and children are suffering.½ world lives on $2/day$370,000,000 is how much we spent on Halloween costumes last year - on our pets!At the Gender Justice Film Festival we met people who are making a big difference in a small way or a small difference in a big way? Yes one person can make a difference as long as that person is you and you and you and you doing what you can.Whatever you do, do what you can; the women of this world are counting on you.Lets role the film.