Alabama International Justice Mission, a campus organization that ?ghts human traf?cking and slavery all over the world, held an event on Monday in order to raise awareness for the cause.
Night of Justice was intended to be an opportunity for anyone interested in joining the ?ght against oppression to hear how they can get involved and what is happening this semester.
“The purpose of AIJM is to, through prayer, raise funds and awareness in regards to the issues of human traf?cking (modern day slavery). Our mission is to make it so that no one on this campus is uninformed that there are more slaves in the world today than in the entire African slave trade,” Katherine Jordan, president of AIJM, said. “It is our mission to inform people that this is not just an issue across the world from us, but it is happening in our own backyards, as Atlanta is one of the top traf?cked cities in the world.”
(See also “Students to take stand against worldwide slavery“)
Jordan added anyone who has an interest or a passion for ?ghting human traf?cking should be involved in AIJM.
“Coming to our events and spreading the word means that you are member of this movement,” Jordan added. “We want to share our heart behind why we are a part of this movement to stop human traf?cking.”
Parker Floyd, AIJM social media officer, said he wants to make AIJM a known organization around campus.
“We’re here tonight to tell people who we are and what we do. Essentially, we are here for freedom from slavery. We are going to point out that slavery is still happening; it’s a real thing and a real problem,” Floyd said. “We think our generation has been called out to do something about it. We’re just trying to put the word out there because a lot of people don’t know that modern slavery is a thing.”
Maggie Snead, coordinator of the event, said AIJM works directly with International Justice Mission to support funds and raise awareness.
(See also “International Justice Mission works for freedom“)
“The International Justice Mission has people that actually ?nd brothels, and they go in to free the girls, then have rehabilitation houses for them to go to. AIJM works to support these people, and make it possible for them to succeed,” Snead said. “At the Night Of Justice event, we introduce the members of our team and their roles. I will share about the future events that we have coming up, then we will show a brief video and then have a time where people in attendance can write letters to their congressmen about the Safe Harbor Laws.”
Jordan added that AIJM raised more than $15,000 in the past year for IJM and that the money goes directly to IJM to help funds things like brothel raids, arresting pimps and rescuing slaves.
“We have a Night of Justice every semester in order to help people get more involved and share the heart of this organization with others,” Snead said. “This event is not about raising funds, but simply allowing people outside of our team to be involved as well as spread awareness of the problem of slavery.”
(See also “Alabama IJM hosts Justice Week“)
