THE VOLUME 90 | ISSUE XXIII
ANCHOR
© The Anchor 2017
MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017
Call for freedom
T
Gianna Rocchio Anchor Editor
his past week, members of the RIC student organization Sojourn joined millions of others across the nation in the Rally for Freedom in support of the End Modern Slavery Initiative (EMSI) bill. Although this bill passed unanimously last year in the Senate, organizations around the US have come together to support this bill and ensure that the new White House Administration acknowledges it. Sojourns local Rally for Freedom sought to not only collect signatures of students for the petition supporting the EMSI, but to also spread awareness that slavery is very much present in our society. Slavery may not exist in the historical capacity to which we usually attribute it, but it most certainly exists as a well-hidden and growing modern industry, both domestically and abroad. Humantrafficking is so rampant among vulnerable populations, particularly
children, that it demands the attention of government intervention. Many people do not realize that this modern form of slavery is very much alive in our world, a realization that came to Sojourn President Genesis Sanchez this past spring break while on an immersive trip in Tijuana, Mexico. On this trip, Genesis learned about the horror that is the sex trafficking through first-hand accounts of victims and survivors, fueling her drive to take action against the many trafficking rings in our nation. Realizing the lack of awareness for this issue around campus, Sojourn motivated and educated students across campus last Tuesday, April 11.
After rescheduling due to rain, Sojourn caught a beautiful day on the quad to reach out to students. Members of the group stood with their whiteboards under the unusually warm day. Their boards proclaimed, “I stand for freedom because…”, and students were encouraged to write their own personal opinion and share a picture
of themselves online under the hashtags #EndItMovement a n d #RallyForFreedom. Another symbol in support of the EMSI is a red “X” across the backs of their hands, which members of Sojourn and students wore proudly throughout the day.
Overall, Sojourn successfully collected over 130 signatures in support of the EMSI, and perhaps more importantly, spread awareness about this issue during a time when it is so desperately needed. With the current political environment and the constant barrage of new scandals, it can be difficult to find an issue to support that resonates with such a large group of students on campus.
Photos courtesy of Julio Berroa
By addressing such an important issue, Sojourn and other groups are taking the first steps towards social action for the freedom of these innocent individuals.
NEWS 3 | A&L 8 | OPINIONS 10 | SPORTS 12 Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928