You Spoke, Congress Listened
This spring, advocates across the nation rallied together to speak up for the 40 million people trapped in slavery (Global Slavery Index, 2018). As a movement, thousands of you leveraged the power of digital tools to raise your voices to your members of Congress through tweets, emails and online petitions. Together, we urged Congress to ensure that the State Department’s Program to End Modern Slavery and the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Office are fully funded in the 2020 appropriations bill. Here is a breakdown of the momentum you’ve built:
Read MoreConnecting with Congress: It Just Got Easier
By Laura Nagle, IJM Advocacy and Mobilization InternIt's never been easier to connect directly with your members of Congress. Facebook has introduced a tool (“the Constituent Badge”) that can help you advocate on behalf of causes like the fight against modern-day slavery. You can opt-in to this new functionality, which creates a badge on your profile, as well as your posts and comments, validating your official Congressional district. Through this constituent badge, lawmakers can more easily recognize their constituents, allowing them to have better visibility into what is most important for those in their district. Lawmakers can also directly communicate with their district’s constituents through this tool. The constituent badge tool creates a simple and direct stream of communication between lawmakers and their constituents.
Not only does the constituent badge create a new flow of communication between directly with your lawmaker; it also creates a new flow of communication between you and those in your community. By opting into this badge, you’ll have the opportunity to see links, posts, and relevant articles important to people in your area. This means you, as the constituent, have a new means of spreading information to other advocates in your district.
This Facebook badge is a valuable tool to consider for those of us advocating for an end to slavery in our lifetime. It’s a new means to communicate with lawmakers about legislation, harnessing social influence to push for action in Congress and fuel the movement in your area.
Curious about how to opt-in and where to get started? Once you log in to Facebook, take these simple steps to get started:
In the search bar, type in “Town Hall”. Town Hall.png Read MoreTweet to Congress on June 27
#TIPReport Tweet-In Day
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Each year, the State Department releases their Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, a critical tool to shed a light on the crime of human trafficking.
On Tuesday, June 27, the 2017 TIP Report will be released by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The release of the Report is a great opportunity to raise the profile of this issue with our elected leaders.
Research by the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) has shown that it takes as little as 10 tweets to bring an issue on the radar of Congressional staff. We will make sure Congressional offices know the importance of the TIP Report in the fight against slavery.
Read MoreTweet to Congress on May 5
#EndSlaveryAct Tweet-In Day
Friday, May 5, 2017
Since January, IJM advocates across the country have been gathering signatures in their communities on a petition to urge President Trump and Congress to fully fund the End Modern Slavery Initiative (EMSI).
On Friday, May 5, we will deliver nearly 40,000 of these petitions to Capitol Hill in person. We will amplify our voices by storming the digital halls of power on Twitter.
Research has shown that it takes as little as 10 tweets to bring an issue on the radar of Congressional staff. We will make sure Congressional offices take notice of the thousands of postcards and signatures being delivered.
Read MoreThis abolition advocate has something to ask *YOU.* Meet Rusty.
On May 5, 2016, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana became the 39th cosponsor of the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act (EMSI; S.553). This bill will bring together private and public funding to replicate successful anti-slavery models. In other words, the EMSI is a real game-changer in the fight to end modern-day slavery around the world.
That’s why IJM and our friends have been working so hard to make sure this bill becomes a law. As you’ll know since the first time you watched Schoolhouse Rock: I’m Just a Bill, there’s a lot that can happen to a bill on its way from its sponsor’s desk to the president’s pen. It’s incredibly important that a bill have strong support behind it for it to stand a chance.
Read MoreThis news has us—literally—jumping for joy this Christmas!
Hello from Washington, DC!
One of the great holiday traditions in our nation’s capital is Congress waiting until a final deadline to pass an appropriations bill that will fund the U.S. Government for the next fiscal year. Usually, this is within the last day or two before DC becomes a ghost town for the holidays. This year, the tradition continued. Earlier today, as the sand ran out, Congress voted to approve a budget for 2016.
Read MoreThe End Modern Slavery Initiative Act of 2015 and its journey to become law
The End Modern Slavery Initiative Act of 2015 (S.553; EMSI) provides a bold, bipartisan opportunity to advance the very best of American ideals to end modern-day slavery. From many years of working in the human rights field, I can tell you it is painfully rare to see opportunities like the one this bill represents: a way to spring forward and fight injustice on a new level. Senator Corker’s bill will make a big difference in the fight to end modern slavery and human trafficking – if it becomes law.
Read More2 reasons why we are celebrating the CRomnibus
Like many Americans, our Government Relations and Advocacy team watched anxiously as Congress worked to pass its omnibus spending bill, which they did just in time to avert a federal government shutdown. The bill is enormous, so it’s not surprising that many Members were unhappy with the final compromise. But we at IJM had to rejoice, for two reasons.
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Three things I learned from campaign failure
Nobody around here likes to accept to defeat. It’s partly how we’re wired—everyone I work with throws their body and soul into their work—but mostly because we know what a victory would have meant for the clients that IJM serves, and thousands like them.
Read MoreWashington: We need you to call your senators today!
Hello, Washington!
We need YOU to join IJM in speaking up against human trafficking today. Will you help us by making 2 phone calls?
It's really easy, and we've got all the information you need. Here's what to do:
Dial 1 866 720 FREE (3733)
Ask for (1) Senator CANTWELL and for the next call, (2) Senator MURRAY.
When the office answers the phone, say the following, replacing text in BOLD with the appropriate details.
Hi! My name is [YOUR NAME] from [YOUR HOME TOWN], Washington.
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