It brought tears to my eyes... human trafficking, it's incomprehensible

Natalie Alford, an A5 Ambassador, is our latest blog contributor.  Natalie, a 9th-grade student at Medfield High School, was so disturbed about what she learned watching the film, Not My Life, that she wanted to "do something". 

A5 realizes, they can't change the world or eradicate human injustice, but they can take steps toward empowering survivors of human trafficking. They can be advocates against modern day slavery, by speaking out, changing the conversation about what the human race deems as acceptable.  

Many people don't have a choice. Their lives are taken from them and they don't have the ability to fight. Women and men sold for the purpose of making money. They lose their pronouns as he or she and they become a thing to be used.

Working to help these individuals is the mission of Amilia's Light.  Part of their work is to spread the word about human trafficking and show the meaning behind human trafficking.

We help people by showing these films, doing fundraisers and a lot of other every important work. It's not easy to take in the information, but very reassuring to know we are doing something to help.

The nonprofit recently hosted the showing of the film, Not My Life, which highlighted stories of people affected by human trafficking. One story was about small children that were trafficked. It brought tears to my eyes and a sick feeling in my stomach. Using children, some as young as four years old, for these acts is so incomprehensible, it’s hard to wrap my head around it.

Another story portrayed how traffickers don't really get caught. There are so many traffickers out there exploiting people, and they don't get caught or arrested. This infuriated me, personally. As a child, many of us were taught that if you do something wrong, there is going to be a consequence. This seldom occurs with human traffickers.

Sitting there watching the film with the rest of the audience, I observed people wanting to help and stop it all right now, but it seems so overwhelming. We can't end all the troubles and make all the pain go away, but we can start by learning about human trafficking and figuring how we can help.

My experience after joining and being a part of A5 has been amazing. From watching the movie to working with people in group meetings and meeting a survivor and hearing her story, I’ve realized that it's amazing what we can do. We show the hard stuff to people in the hope that it will raise awareness about the need to stand up and do something about this issue.

You have to be a strong person to be part of this mission, and we truly are.

Help out, say something, and make sure you keep your eyes open. 

The scars that human trafficking leave...

We're so excited, to present the newest addition to our volunteer team, Jane O'Donnell. Jane is a student at Medfield High School, and is a member of our A5 youth ambassador team.  

A5, Amilia's Angels, Ambassadors for Anti-trafficking Awareness recently helped  us host the film, Not My Life, in partnership with UNICEF.  Jane recently sent a letter to the Hometown Weekly (our local Medfield paper) about the film.   Below is more of how she felt, how passionate she has become, about what she learned viewing the movie. 

If you could commit a crime that was financially rewarding and not get caught, would you? This is the decision that human traffickers make at the beginning of their careers. We must raise awareness of the fact that those guilty of human trafficking walk freely every day, while the lives of the men and women that they sell will be forever changed. 

Having basic human rights denied is something that Amilia’s Light is trying to change. By raising awareness about the atrocities of human trafficking and what it means in the lives of those affected by it, Amilia’s Light hopes to help end human trafficking. 

Amilia’s Light hosts events to enlighten people about trafficking, and recently they showed the movie Not My Life at the UCC in Medfield. Not My Life is a collection of stories about people who have been trafficked, both locally and in foreign countries. This film illustrates the horrible realities of life as a someone involved in trafficking. 

One story was about a girl named Grace, a victim of human trafficking. One of the other girls who was in the same location as Grace tried to escape. When she did, she was caught and Grace’s captor forced Grace to beat the girl to death. 

The scars that human trafficking can leave on an individual are unimaginable. Human trafficking is an undeniable reality of life, but that can change. As human beings, we have the ability to change the things that are fundamentally wrong in this world. 

So, wondering what to do? You can help. Get involved with an organization like Amilia's Light. Do some research, and help educate others. Together we can change trafficking. 

Click here for more info, to donate or volunteer.