The Alabama International Justice Mission is hosting a series of week-long events aimed at raising awareness on modern-day slavery and its 27 million victims, a number that is higher than ever.
“These people are trapped in forced labor, police brutality and sex trafficking,” said Victoria Luna, Alabama IJM vice president.
Alabama IJM works alongside the non-profit IJM organization. Founded in 1997 by Gary Haugen, a lawyer at the U.S. Department of Justice and United Nation’s investigator, this human rights agency was created in response to the abuse of power by police and authorities discovered in the communities of humanitarians and mission organizations across the globe.
According to IJM.org, the abuse was revealed by surveying more than 65 organizations, representing nearly 40,000 overseas workers.
Alabama IJM carries on Haugen’s mission by striving to seek justice and serving as a voice on behalf of the victims of injustice. Alabama IJM accomplishes this through prayer, advocacy and raising awareness on campus and throughout the Tuscaloosa community.
In addition, the student organization strives to seek support to enable the organization to continue to rescue victims.
Darby Hess, Alabama IJM president, describes the organization as a dream of hers and a product of her passion for fighting sex trafficking.
“This passion urged me to research and gain knowledge of the issue along with other forms of human oppression,” Hess said. “I came across International Justice Mission, and knew immediately that The University of Alabama needed a chapter.”
Alabama IJM is one of 200 campus chapters for International Justice Mission. Last month, Auburn University’s chapter hosted a Week of Justice. In April, UAB will be promoting a Freedom Week.
With this increase of student involvement in Alabama, Hess said the organization’s executive team decided The University of Alabama should join the fight by establishing Justice Week 2012.
“We wanted a week where the whole campus would be buzzing and talking about IJM and the 27 million people enslaved,” Luna said. “We hope to create a week where this fact can’t be ignored.”
On Monday, the organization hosted a screening of the movie Freedom followed by “Justice Talk at Bama Cru” at First United Methodist of Tuscaloosa on Tuesday.
Alabama IJM will continue the week with a bake sale in the Ferguson Center and Night of Prayer on Wednesday.
Thursday will be an event-filled day beginning with a rally at the steps of Gorgas Library. Hess described the rally as a short but powerful moment to make a statement to our campus, our community and ourselves.
Following the rally AIJM will host a Women and Men’s Night. Women and Men’s Night creates an environment for men and women to gather separately and discuss their roles in the fight against human oppression. The women will meet at the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house and the men will meet at John Pickering’s Loft, located across the street from the Children’s Hands on Museum.
Midnight Madness, Alabama IJM’s largest fundraiser, will occur directly after Women and Men’s Night in the Rec Center. The event will begin at 9:45 p.m., and conclude at 2 a.m. Midnight Madness will feature a DJ, free food and include activities such as 3-on-3 basketball, dodgeball and Zumba classes.
“We want to make a stand on our campus,” Hess said. “A person’s background, political stance, hair color preference … none of it matters. Freedom is something we can all raise our voices for as a campus united.”
For more information on the week’s events, visit Alabama IJM’s Facebook page, Justice Week 2012.
