The Current
Advocacy News + Updates
TOP STORY
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:
Every September, Congress returns to Washington after a month-long recess, spent with constituents at town halls and in-district meetings hearing about the issues important to the people in their states and districts. This August, Members of Congress heard a message loud and clear: Americans care about modern-day slavery. IJMs friends around the country held 100 meetings with Members, Senators or their staff in 24 states and let them know that ending slavery and supporting foreign assistance programs that end slavery is their top priority.
Last week Thursday, September 8, hundreds of advocates around the country called their Senators as part of the National Call-in Day to Pass the TVPRA. Over 1300 calls have been logged by advocates from 47 states!
Constituents can call their Members of Congress about important issues like this any day (so if you havent called yet, you still can!). But a flood of calls on one day really helps draw attention to an issue. Thank you for helping us bring this issue to the forefront!
This spring, students across the country created videos to inspire others to advocate for the passage of the TVPRA. Submissions for the TVPRA Student Video Contest called on citizens to join the movement to end modern-day slavery by calling their Senators on IJMs National Call-in Day to Pass the TVPRA.
Check out this inspiring videothe winning submissionfrom the students at Lipscomb University, and dont forget to commit to calling your Senators on September 8!