#EndItMovement : End Human Slavery.

The world in which we live is a beautiful, enjoyable place if you look at it through the eyes of someone who's in a place they can enjoy. For others, life is an ugly, unforgiving monster with a battery of unending pain, hardships, failures and even torture.

I am fortunate enough to find myself among those who can look at [my] life and realize that while it hasn't been perfect, it is by far more than I deserve. I have what every person needs: a family, friends, a stable home life, a job, a car, etc., etc. The list goes on and on of the things and people that and whom have blessed me in a million different ways.

But beyond being a person, born abroad but raised and still living in the United States, I am a human.

And I have what every human needs:

LOVE.
FREEDOM.
EMOTIONAL SECURITY.
DIGNITY.
DISTINCTION.
LOVE. REAL LOVE.

Between the core fundamental components we need to survive - food, water, bodily nutrients - and the list of things we are wired as social creatures to desire - companions, a purpose, possessions - well, that's where I believe these things are found.

And I have all of those.
And a lot of people DON'T.

Today is February 27, 2014.
Today is the day we SHINE A LIGHT ON SLAVERY.



www.enditmovement.com

Yes, human slavery. As in, the buying, selling, owning, trading and abusing of human beings. In other words, human trafficking. It makes me ill to even think about the strife suffered by various people groups over the course of history at the hands of others who were so disillusioned that they actively treated other humans as even less than goods on a barter system. YEARS later, we as a general population [at least here in the United States] are ingraining equality as a building block to societal progression.

 

We are BLIND.

For the most part, when the term human trafficking is heard, minds automatically divert to some off-trodden third world country, where basic amenities are scarce and the quality of life in general is sub-par to what we would ever accept here. Or perhaps, we've seen movies like Taken, which shed light that human trafficking operations can be [AND ARE.] buried right beneath the nose of even the most economically-sound hubs. Opportunistic criminals are lurking in places we may not have ever imagined.

 

Like, for instance... here. We call it a homefront, because this is where we live. The U.S.A. Ohio, Alabama, California, New York.. the other 46. You know, the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Land of the free, home of the brave? Yes, here. There are men, women and children here, in the shadows of every day American life, who are not living, but simply existing.

 

And that pisses me off.
It should piss you off, too.

 

Not sure that you believe human trafficking exists here in the U.S.? Google a survivor, like Clemmie Greenlee, and listen to her explain to you how she was abducted at age 12, raped by the men who took her, and then shuttled around to major cities with the expectation to sleep with anywhere between 20-40 men daily during major tourist events like the Superbowl. Federal law dictates that the prostitution of a minor is considered sex trafficking. Any parent of a child will tell you that they would lay down their own life if it meant erasing that permanent, irreversible physical and psychological damage to their son or daughter.

 

Slavery doesn't always mean sex trafficking, either. It could mean what I know I understood it to be when I was being taught about it in school: literally forcing another person to obey your commands, regardless of how frivolous or extreme they are. Read up Quita Puchalla's story and tell me that I shouldn't be counting my blessings every single night that as an adopted child myself, this never happened to me. Adopted children, especially those from other countries, sometimes become decidedly "bad calls" by their adoptive families and basically listed online as Free to a Good Home, right between the litter of unwanted puppies and a ferret. REALLY?! These children are traded in underground "markets," if you will, then forced to do things that NO. HUMAN. EVER., let alone a CHILD should have to do. One girl was forced to dig her own grave. She wasn't even 15.

 

This is not right.

This is not okay.

THIS IS NOT LIFE. 

 

So yes, today I pledged the skin on my hands - a SMALL, unutilized surface of my body to be covered with a large red X. It's not much, I know, but it is a statement that I will make today, along with thousands of other people around the world [hopefully] that human slavery MUST end. I wanted to convey this message on two hands, put together to signify the full symbol; no one of us could conquer much on our own, but together we can create movements. And wings. I have always believed birds, owls, even bats.. really anything that can and does fly - they have a liberated vantage point on this world that we could only hope to have. They are nearly without limits if they are allowed to reach their potential, and I know that we as humans should have the same right to find ours. It starts with something as simple as just.. loving someone else.

You are the people who are shaping a better world.
One of the secrets of inner peace is the practice of compassion.
- Dalai Lama 

My heart broke today reading some of the stories from survivors of human trafficking, slavery and torture. It is 2014, which in most minds signifies another year of achieving things we never thought possible. I would hope & feverishly pray that in 2014, the efforts to disband and destroy trafficking operations is a mighty one.

I believe in the power of unity, and in the strength of love over evil.
I believe that every human being not only needs, but deserves:

LOVE.

FREEDOM.

EMOTIONAL SECURITY.

DIGNITY.

DISTINCTION.

LOVE. REAL LOVE.

 

The men, women and children existing in the dark world of human trafficking don't have any of those things. The self-worth they are told they have is the opposite of what they really are. The "love" they know is nothing more than the loyalty forced by fear, not by real love. They are not free. They have no emotional security. Dignity is a word they do not know. Distinction of the reality versus what they've been conditioned to believe is probably more terrifying to weigh than the torture that comes with disobedience or failure.

 

As a parent, I of course have hesitations and concerns with raising children in this - in our - world. I can't keep my children in a bubble. I can't hold them back. And I won't. But, I will show them what love - real, purposed love means. I will teach them that while they may make mistakes, they are not mistakes. They have a purpose. I will not hide the realities of this world and the corruption that comes along with it, but I will shade them as best I can from trading their childlike innocence for hard-fought life lessons before the time is right. I pray that I can show them the beautiful things in this world, and guide them through the ugly parts in ways that teach them to exercise due caution, but above that compassion, love and selflessness.

 

And I pray that these children.. these men.. these women who are at the hands of tyrants.. can find peace. I pray for healing. For justice. For reunion with family, or separation if need be. I pray for the organizations around the world and here locally that tirelessly crusade against modern day human slavery, and for the individual advocates who rescue and council victims from that monster every day.  

We are not called to go where it is easy,
and love already exists.
We are called to go where we are sent,
and bring love with us.
- Anon.
 

Stand up & speak out, friends. It's the least we can do.

xo | cmd

Twenty-Seven!!

Oh my word.
I made it!

I think I’ve decided that my next endeavor in this earthly life is to cure Deceptive Birthday Syndrome. Allow me to explain.

You see, each year, this thing comes around that seems to get people excited when it has their name on it. [Duh, birthday.] So today is mine, and when it was all said and done, the day was wonderful, save for the fact that I am indeed getting older. Call it a quarter-life crisis, call it ridiculous, call it whatever you please, but sooner or later, I think most people would argue that turning the clock back wouldn’t be such a horrible thing. So, to solve the dilemma of actually getting older, I think I’ll start working on a way to preserve the customary fête – small or large – just sans the whole … aging part. I don’t think the odds are in my favor on this one, but hey, 27-year-olds can still dream, yeah?

There’s a special something about birthdays that will never fail to elicit well-wishes from an enormous chunk of friends, family, and facebook connections. Don’t lie; I’m one of those, and so are you! J I compiled just some of the blessings and wishes I got throughout the day, and I realized I am truly one fortunate girl. Be it a week, a year or five years, I’m grateful for all of my friends and extended family who took the moment to send annual congratulatory wishes via text, web, and/or phone call. Thank you!!

My first surprise was a box of donuts from Meagan; they arrived on my desk as soon as she walked in the door, and, although I did share, I have to say it was tough to decline eating every single one, in their delicious-looking state. Thank goodness for co-workers, hah.

Anyway, the second surprise came in the form of a text message from Joe telling me he’d left a work-related document in the backseat of the Murano. I went out to retrieve it, only to find a beautiful wooden decoration painted with my namesake verse, 1 Corinthians 13:13. [Yeah, for those of you just tuning in: I've since shortened my AKA to Cori, but post-adoption, I was given the name Corin, derived in this case from that exact verse, 1 Corinthians 13:13. Yenno, FYI.] In any sense, it’ll harmonize beautifully with the [Goodwill] frame I’d re-done with a picture of Joe and me.

For lunch, Diana treated me to my first visit to Peel, a relatively new but phenomenally delicious pizza dig in Edwardsville. With enough salad and pizza to fill up both us and a few takeout boxes, we headed back to the office. I’m certainly taking Joe there when we have the chance!

After work, I headed home with just enough time to change clothes before I was whisked back out the door for a double dinner date with Ryan & Stephanie Lopez at the Sushi Bar off 159. I’ll say this: that place definitely looks a little sketchy from the outside, but it is well worth the trip if you’re ever in the area. After dinner, we came back home with plans to watch a movie; of course Joe left me in charge of film selection, and as always, my answer: “Surprise me!” Well, he surprised me all right. He flipped on the T.V. and suggested we watch… maybe… Sportscenter?! Yeah, we have channels now, too! It’s been a long time since we’ve had satellite, and I’ve gotta say that while we were just fine without, it is a nice perk to have it.

That being said, it’s about time I call it a day. I had an excellent birthday, and for the time being, I’ll leave it at that and forget I’m inching my way closer to completing my third decade. We’ll cross that bridge when the time comes. Hah.

G’Nite!

xo | cmd