Grace as Justice March/April Edition, Vol 2. Issue 2

GRACE AS JUSTICE graceasjustice.com * Volume 2, Issue 2 * March/April 2017

Business Edition

Contents Kn it 'n Kit t en

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Naom i M ar k er

Th r ee Tr ee Cof f ee

139M ade

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In k a M at t h ew 8

Scar let 's Bak er y

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Ph ilip Klaym an

Ten Th ou san d M ade For Fr eedom

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Daw n M an sk e

Good Clot h

Valen t in a Sch ade 14

St eph an ie Hepbu r n

Redem pt ion M ar k et Rh on da LaBat t

Photo credits are either Pixabay or the agencies that allowed us to use their photos with their stories.

Villages

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Sk ippin g St on e

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M at t h ew Voss

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Th e Black Len s Ch r ist oph er St ollar

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EDITORIAL Grace As Justice?s March/April edition is a very exciting issue for me. It combines awareness with action that works at every level of counter trafficking: prevention, rescue and restoration. In this edition, we are focusing on the important work of businesses dedicated to helping the enslaved.

The business owners in this month?s edition are very different from your usual business owners. These individuals began these businesses from the heart rather than the pocketbook.

They were often so ?not business savvy? that everyone told them they were doing it wrong. Yet their desire to create something that would help free the enslaved and prevent the enslavement of others was enough to keep them going in spite of others?doubts.

Rach ael William s-M ejr i Edit or

Business has always been an important mountain of influence that has the power to tip the course of labor trafficking, along with the influence to help aid the end of sexual slavery. A business that seeks the best for its employees and clients is in fact one that will produce a quality product by people who are being paid fairly and treated with respect. Additionally, creating more jobs, instead of reducing them to swell one?s pocket, can bring economic empowerment to women who might otherwise be forced into sexual trafficking.

Business is important. Very important.

I am delighted that the owners of the businesses featured in this edition took the time to meet with me and share their ventures and their hearts. I was so pleased with the response from businesses, that I hope to share a comprehensive edition and a great place to shop in our November edition ? just in time for Christmas.

Whatever you do will never be too small. Just do what is in your hand and we will change the course of history forever.

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Ru t h Sch en k er Assist an t Edit or

Knit'n Kitten In early January, I caught up with Naomi Marker from Knit?n Kitten Fiber Arts, an online store with a special purpose. Despite our dreadful Internet connection on my end, Naomi graciously persevered to share part of her story with Grace As Justice?s readers.

Houston.

Naomi didn?t just want something that sold fair trade products. She wanted a real yarn shop that provided hand made tools, high quality yarns and hand dyed/hand spun yarn from real artisans. The profits she would make would go to fight human trafficking. By encouraging people to buy fair trade, she would help prevent human trafficking around the globe.

Naomi?s inspiration for Knit?n Kitten has roots in what she connected with as a young girl. She has been crocheting and spinning since she was seven years old, and learning needlework techniques since she was a teen. The enjoyment from creating things would become the catalyst into helping others recreate themselves.

Naomi describes the idea for her store as ?a download into my head. I knew what it should look like, smell like. It was just a flash.? She began to explore her options at the Chamber of Commerce and consulted an attorney. As she began Knit?n Kitten, she discovered that many roadblocks are self-created. Says Marker: ?I don?t always know what I don?t know. I am not a driving personality, being the driving force can be difficult.? She found out that getting one?s name ?out there? was not easy; and having local organizations know she really meant she was pledging her help was even more difficult.

After getting married and having four children, Naomi faced a horrible tragedy of losing her husband to cancer at the age of 35. She soon had to face the realities of sustaining both herself and her four children. After moving to Houston and pressing on, she went to Mongolia on a mission trip. While on the trip, she met someone in a fair trade shop called Mary & Martha Mongolia. Wanting to help this group of women working in fair trade, she decided to open up her own shop back in

Nevertheless, Naomi persevered. Although she currently has an online store, she is

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Kn it 'n Kit t en Scr apbook

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looking for a physical location to keep inventory and establish herself as part of the community. Many people ask her why she needs a physical space since she is selling online. Naomi feels a physical presence is unbeatable in establishing community.

ways to be self-sufficient (or at least not donation dependent) [and] to use the market forces to help others to support themselves.?

Naomi encourages people to get involved in ending human trafficking and slavery in whatever way they can. She says: ?Go online ? chances are good that there is probably an organization that does this.

Attend some meetings. They are just now getting the numbers and studies and figuring out what is going on. Most people do care once they do find out about it. I wouldn?t recommend starting your own thing. But if you?ve got a creative and different idea, check around; see if it will do any good. Don?t be afraid that since it is a business it won?t be a help. Don?t be afraid to start small. Find little ways you can help.

As a shop, provide good quality and good service. Get informed.?

Presently, Knit?n Kitten has a variety of products that Naomi hopes to grow in the future. Their current inventory includes hand dyed silk and marina wool from an artist in Texas. There is also hand spun yarn, hand turned wooden tools and finished objects like scarves. She has items, such as hand woven textiles, from a Sri Lanka fair trade shop; jewelry from Streams in the Desert; and camel and yak yarn from Mary & Martha Mongolia.

When asked for her vision for Knit?n Kitten, she says she wishes ?to eventually help the organizations that are providing rescue and restoration. [She wants] to help them find

?I don?t want people to think it is a charity. I want them to see it as a business with purpose.?

Naomi Marker Knit'n Kitten 6

Will you do. . .

. . . what' s in your hand?

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At Three Tree Coffee, we don't just serve coffee to people...we serve people using coffee. More specifically, we use artisan roasted specialty coffee to change the world in 3 ways: Empower our Farmers, End Human Trafficking, and Engage the Community.

an annual fundraiser called 'Free Coffee for Free People,' in which we give out free coffee to raise funds for various organizations, including: True Justice International, Out of Darkness, International Justice Mission and more. This is just one of the many examples of how we use our business's profits and influence towards eradicating injustice.

Empower our Farmers: We believe the farmers should be fairly represented on the production chain. That is why we ensure our coffees are ethically sourced, whether that be through Fair Trade USA or partnerships with other organizations, such as Cafe Femenino Foundation. Not only do we buy our coffee with a clear conscience, but many of our products are sourced in similar ways, including our Fair Trade and Organic chocolate and teas. From fair wages, to safe working conditions and community development projects, we want to invest in the ones who invest the most time into this product.

End Human Trafficking: Though we are helping end labor trafficking through our buying habits, we want to address all forms of modern day slavery.

We do this by raising awareness through community events. One of those events is

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Engage the Community:

so much potential?! We make it easy for you to support this mission by sourcing some of the best coffee in the world and by roasting it in such a way to tap its optimum flavor. Don't just take our word for it...take our many customer 's recommendation, and try it for yourself! You can purchase our coffee online at www.3treecoffeeroasters.com/store. We ship all over the US and would be thrilled have you partner in our mission.

If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes more to save millions. We cannot do this on our own, which is why we mobilize our community to embrace our mission as their own. More so, we partner with local non-profits to help them accomplish their goals. We partnered with many local organizations, such as: Fostering Bulloch, Safe Haven Domestic Violence Shelter, Young Life, and more.

Who knew your morning cup of coffee had

Click here to find out more about Three Tree Coffee Roasters.

Philip Klayman graduated from the University of Georgia in 2011 with a degree in Agricultural Economics. Philip and his wife, Anna Klayman, both have 8+ years of specialty coffee experience. They currently live in Statesboro, GA with their two children (Abigail and Emerson) where they own and operate Three Tree Coffee.

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Dawn Manske is the founder of Made for Freedom, an ethical apparel company based out of Saint Louis, Missouri. When asked what her inspiration behind the company was, she says with a laugh: ?It was a pair of pants!?

Like many people helping to end human trafficking, Dawn saw this atrocity openly while living in China. She says: ?I got to see in person what trafficking and devaluation of the girl-child did to people. Trafficking wasn?t a term that was used and I had no idea how widely spread it was.? After watching a documentary on the trafficking of little girls in Cambodia, Dawn felt duly impressed to do something ? but what she didn?t know yet.

After moving back to the United States, single and in her 40s, she made a decision

that if she wouldn?t marry, she had to pour herself into a job that would take her all.

According to Dawn, God said it wasn?t either or, but both. Within a short time, her friend from China living in Thailand came to attend her wedding, carrying with her several pair of Thai pants that Dawn had requested. Surprisingly, women everywhere from stewardesses to grocery shoppers stopped her to comment on her pants. It was through these exchanges that Dawn knew she had something she needed to explore further.

She laughs when she says: ?I am not willing to pour myself into a business just to sell pants. But as a social enterprise; and if this can be a foundation of a business that can help women to come out of sex trafficking; I will do it.? Thus the idea for Made for Freedom was born.

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M ade f or Fr eedom Scr apbook

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Dawn describes herself as very much a non-business person. Nevertheless, she quickly wrote to her friends in China to ask if they knew someone who was coming out of sex trafficking and could sew.

Surprisingly, she gathered quite a bit of information. She chose a mentor who she describes as a brilliant businessman, and dove into her project.

For people who feel they are not business-minded and yet wish to begin something fair trade, Dawn?s story is encouraging. Some of her biggest challenges were in fact the whole business side of the project. She laughs when she says she didn?t even know what an executive summary was. Unlike many businesses, the first question of her business plan ? what is the problem that needs to be solved by the business ? is not easily defined. Dawn says: ?The real problem is little girls are being sold for sex ? so how do you get this across to people??

Dawn smiles as she remembers how everyone in business was convinced she was doing it wrong. ?The for-profits and the non-for-profits all thought I was doing it wrong.? She shakes her head and admits that she is probably doing everything wrong if it is simply a charity or simply a business. In fact, it is neither, and she is part of a movement to do something completely different by joining business with humanity.

form. Additionally, there are t-shirts from FreeSet Global (coming from India); t-shirts from Go Exchange (coming from Haiti); drawstring bags from Ghana; infinite scarves from Nepal and purses from Thailand. Jewelry comes from various areas including two centers in China working with girls from the red-light districts; a center in Nepal; and a group in St. Louis working with refugees. Currently products come from 12 different centers, and Made for Freedom would like to connect with more.

In the future, Dawn wants to ?hone in on centers that are really doing a good job caring for the women and providing a quality product; centers that are providing something to women to sustain and have growth.? In the meantime, she has begun an ambassador program for those who wish to fight trafficking with style. You can find more about that on her ambassador webpage (http://madeforfreedom.com/ambassador).

She also encourages people to get involved either as volunteers with Made for Freedom, or with your local agencies. To find out more about Made for Freedom, click here. connect with more.

When asked what types of products are being produced for Made for Freedom, one might imagine this would include the famous Thai pants that started the whole project. One can find them on the site, although modified from their original Thai

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St. Louis native, Dawn Manske, came face to face with the effects of ?devaluation of the girl child? and human trafficking while living in China.

After returning to the States, 1) the desire to do something in the fight against sex trafficking; 2) the concept of social enterprise; and 3) compliments about her favorite Thai pants that spurred her on to start Made for Freedom.

Dawn did not grow up with aspirations of starting a business yet under her leadership, Made for Freedom has won multiple grants, awards and national coverage. Made for Freedom products are made by sex trafficking survivors and those coming out of desperate situations from twelve centers around the world.

Click here to find out more about Made for Freedom

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SPOTLIGHT GA J: Wh at is t h e in spir at ion beh in d Good Clot h ?

St eph an ie Hepbu r n : I have had two loves throughout my adult life? fashion and human rights? both of which I have been writing about for more than a decade. I didn't happen upon, nor think about, an intersection between the two until I wrote the book "Human Trafficking Around the World: Hidden in Plain Sight". I quickly learned that even the best-intentioned larger fashion companies run into transparency hurdles. A contractor can subcontract and that subcontractor can do the same. Suddenly, there is no transparency and no way to assess how workers are treated throughout the supply chain. This creates an opportunity for unscrupulous people to step in and charge astronomical recruitment fees that place garment workers in debt bondage. The supply chain in the fashion industry has long been shrouded in secrecy for the benefit of brands and retailers, at a devastating cost to workers, the environment and? you guessed it, you.

Cutting corners means just that? in all arenas. That means using ingredients that you don?t want near your body like lead, which is used in faux leather purses, belts and shoes. In fact, the Center for Environmental Health tests accessories for

toxins and has found that one out five fake leather items they test contains lead. Once you know, it?s hard to un-know. As an avid shopper, this changed the way I shopped for my family and myself. Starting a company didn?t cross my mind until years later when I realized there was a need for the research I was doing.

I started Good Cloth because I wanted to share what I knew and create a space for people whose eyes are open to the realities of existing fashion industry pitfalls and who want to know how to shop sustainably.

GA J: Wh at w er e t h e f ir st st eps you t ook t o m ak e it a r ealit y? SH: It turns out that I was on my way without even realizing it.

Since working on the book I created a well researched excel spreadsheet on items and designers I liked that fit my ethos, which is ethical sourcing and transparency from beginning to end. It also had to fit my aesthetic; no hemp bag dresses for me. In my hands I had ample research, I just needed a venue to share it and create a space for people to shop. It took about six months for me to get my ducks in a row. I initially had a partner who backed out early in the process, so for a moment there it felt like the store was falling apart before it had even begun. On my own I had to figure out my business plan and determine whether to be online, a brick-and-mortar shop,

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or both. That wasn?t what I had wanted, but once the ball was rolling I saw that I was doing fine by myself. It was a confidence boost. I wouldn?t have ever thought I would be brave enough to do it on my own, but I launched the shop in October 2014 and have been helping people to become more sustainable ever since.

GA J: Wh at w er e som e of t h e ch allen ges you exper ien ced? SH: Many brands use green washing marketing terms like sustainable and ethical fashion. It can really confuse consumers. As I reached out to build relationships with designers I found that some were happy to create an aura of green around their brand but not really provide transparency information. It took a while for me to find the right partners who share my ethos and are more than happy to give information on their sourcing? in regard to the planet and workers? at each step of the product?s development.

I know how important it is to shoppers who aim to shop responsibly that they have assurances that they did. That?s why I applied for Good Cloth to become a Certified Benefit Corporation, which has stringent standards of performance, transparency and accountability. It was a

time-consuming process but, fortunately, Good Cloth received certification in 2016. I am really proud of that.

Another challenge was and is marketing. Even though I?m a journalist, marketing is an entirely different arena. I didn?t have enough respect for the marketing profession when I was solely doing newspaper writing. It annoyed me how many emails from public relations people filled my inbox. Some days it was in the thousands! I am not saying I want to get thousands of emails (please PR folks don?t fill my inbox now that I said that, hahaha!), but I have so much respect for what they do and how hard it is to come up with subject lines and emails that make a

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sell without being obvious or turning off readers. It really is an art and I am in awe of those who are good at it.

GA J: Wh at w as t h e im m ediat e an d lon g-t er m im pact you saw ?

SH: I created a private feedback Facebook group in 2014 where friends candidly let me know their thoughts on Good Cloth website language, logos and clothing design. They are fantastically honest and supportive. I have noticed that just being on the Feedback Crew group has changed the way many of them shop and that is amazing for me to observe. I see them passing along information on sustainability and fashion industry hazards to their friends. It really starts with a conversation, so it?s amazing to be a part of that dialogue.

The immediate impact is what becomes the long-term impact. Conversations sparked

by Good Cloth, other like-minded companies and people plant the seed for us, as a nation, to develop a social conscience around shopping and consumerism.

GA J: Wh at t ypes of pr odu ct s ar e bein g pr odu ced?

SH: Good Cloth specializes in ethical fashion? clothing, accessories, and home goods? that are designed with consideration for workers, the planet, and you (the consumer). The shop curates products that are made with ethically sourced materials and have a transparent supply chain. Like most clothing retailers we focus on style, but workers?rights and the environment are the heart of Good Cloth. We include product journeys for each item, so that consumers can read how products are made, from beginning to end.

How clothing is made shouldn't be a mystery. Our designers are incredibly innovative and have created eco-friendly and human-friendly materials like vegan cork leather. One of our latest collections includes satchels, yoga bags and other everyday accessories made from vegan cork leather. These designs are stunning and harvesting cork doesn?t harm the tree.

The bark is extracted, which grows back in a couple of years and the material is fire and water resistant, reusable and biodegradable. These forests reduce C02 three times more than other forests. They also support high levels of biodiversity and foster a great diversity of plants and endangered species. What?s important is that individual tailors and small businesses working under fair working standards aligned with the FairWear Foundation and the International Labour Organization make each product.

Here are two of my favorite new items: Yoga Mat Bag: (see page 12) This yoga mat bag is made by ONO Creations and won a Good Brand Award from Sublime Magazine in 2016 and is a stylish way to go to and fro. It?s a great way to practice sustainable living, not just in terms of what you purchase but also in terms of sustainable lifestyle.

Diamond Dress Another one of our designers, Threads 4 Thought, uses Lenzing ModalÂŽ, which is made from Beech trees and is a C02 neutral fiber, in this dress design. It?s incredibly soft and 95% of the production materials to make the yarn are actually recovered and reused. It is made in Weihai, China at facilities that recycle and reuse more than

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80% of the water used in the production process. Workers are paid fair wages and work in open spaces with natural light. The facilities are well-ventilated and all doors are unlocked so that workers may easily exit. Aisles are clearly marked with an arrow so workers can quickly identify the nearest exit in case of an emergency. Exits are also clearly marked and well-lit, and fire extinguishers are in working order and frequently inspected. All inks are AZO-free low impact reactive dyes? they do not contain any toxic chemicals or hard metals.

Threads 4 Thought is Fair Trade certified and has been certified by Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

GA J: Wh at is you r vision f or t h e f u t u r e f or Good Clot h ?

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thoughtfully created. (Items that aren?t long lasting are not sustainable.)

You are letting companies know that you aren?t spending your dollar at clothing companies that violate labor laws, turn a blind eye to subcontractor violations or don?t give product transparency You are joining and starting a conversation and a movement

It may seem like all you are doing is buying something you like, but no, you are doing so much more. My vision for Good Cloth is to do all that I can to keep the conversation going.

SH: Everyone launches a business differently? some people have all the critical pieces from the onset such as financial backing, a team of experts and a decent product? but they don?t have heart.

Meaning, they don?t love and entirely believe in their product or what they are trying to achieve. They have short-term and long-term financial goals, but they aren?t trying to create social change. Granted the latter is quite challenging, but if a customer can get one person to see Good Cloth?s benefit and they tell their friends and so on, then that not only helps my company but also my social good mission. That?s a win-win-win. There are even more wins in there because by shopping at Good Cloth, you are: -

Helping workers and the planet You get an amazing item that?s made to last and is beautifully and Spinnaker Ikat Pants

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GA J: Can people get in volved w it h Good Clot h ot h er t h an pu r ch asin g pr odu ct s? If n ot , h ow w ou ld you cou n sel som eon e w h o w an t s t o do h is/ h er par t in en din g slaver y?

SH: Good Cloth provides a place to shop where you can read the product journey and know that the products have been vetted at every stage. You don?t have to shop at Good Cloth to be our partner though; starting the conversation on exploitation in the fashion industry is essential. We need that. We are also always looking for guest writers on our blog or innovative ideas that can help spread awareness. If you have a product that fits our ethos, reach out to us! You can also be proactive by contacting your local politicians. What trafficking experts have found is that there is a significant intersection between companies who cut corners regarding the environment and human rights. Kevin Bales, co-founder and former president of Free the Slaves and author of Blood and Earth, says in his research that where slavery exists, so too does enormous unbridled environmental destruction. Lack of regulation in the fashion industry has and will continue to result in debt bondage and environmental damage, such as effluent that runs from

dye houses into rivers and streams. Dyes, salts and chemicals sully nearby land and drinking water. This decreases sustainable water resources, which has obvious adverse implications for people and the environment. While many of us have seen photos of green, purple, cobalt, pink and red rivers alerting us to the textile industry?s environmental damage, we rarely associate forced labor with the fashion world. How we got here was a process.

Since the ?70s, many United States textile companies outsource materials and production. In order to maximize cost margins, companies gravitate to countries with low-cost labor and nominal regulation.

Supply chains are also increasingly complex, which creates an ever-convenient transparency challenge, particularly when subcontracting is involved (it commonly is).

This can spark a circular discussion on onus and who exactly is responsible, the company or the hosting country. A company should not be able to intentionally move production to a nation because of its poverty and lack of regulation, turn a blind eye and then conveniently point the finger to the host nation about exploitation and human trafficking that occurred in the company?s supply chain.

Stephanie Hepburn is an independent journalist whose work has been published in the Guardian, Huffington Post, Americas Quarterly, USA Today U-Wire, the Times-Picayune and the journal Gender Issues. She has written three books on human rights, Women's Roles and Statuses the World Over, Human Trafficking Around the World: Hidden in Plain Sight and Conversation With My Daughter About Human Trafficking. In October 2014, she founded the online ethical clothing boutique Good Cloth, which specializes in pieces that are good for workers, the planet and the consumer.

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WHAT CAN YOU DO TALK -

Talk to your friends.

Talk to your family.

Talk to anyone who will listen. Don?t worry about people who don?t want to hear.

You probably don?t want to be around them anyway.

FAIR TRADE -

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Start looking at where your products come from. There are a lot of companies that make chocolate and actually pay their people. There are some textile places known for their atrocities. Do your research.

FAIR TRADE USA is a good place to see what products come with slavery, and which ones come without.

WRITE -

Write letters to your senators and congressmen/women asking them what they are doing and asking them to continue making changes.

Write women and girls pulled out of trafficking and encourage them.

BE SOCIAL -

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Use social media to diffuse information on human trafficking. You can like certain pages and pass the information along on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social platforms.

Start your own page to inform people on your passion to end trafficking.

Begin a blog.

Create a board on Pinterest.

Always make sure to include the positive: people who are rescued, preventative tactics, progress, etc. Don?t leave people depressed and without hope.

EDUCATE -

Educate yourself on this issue. Be ready to answer questions.

Educate others. Many people don?t realize this even exists or they don?t want to hear about it or care. Don?t let that stand in the way of the few who will be interested in making a difference.

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The human heart is created with the desire to be loved and to love others. The lack of connection between desire to make a difference and actually doing something is often difficult to overcome in our modern world with its competing voices, packed schedules and general feeling of overwhelm. How do we make it easy to fight trafficking for the average person who isn?t able to spend her day campaigning for change or traveling to difficult places to minister to women?

As a busy mom, I have often felt that it?s difficult to get involved in the fight against trafficking, caught up in life?s commitmentstaking care of my children, working and grocery shopping. It took me a long time to realize that there is so much we can do to be a part of the movement, even from home, and that it begins with our purchases. There is a rise in sustainable, organic and ethical products for sale, but even beyond this, there is a growth in social enterprises today. This type of business has as one of its primary goals to help alleviate a social ill. What does this mean for us? We

can make the purchase of something lovely, like a handcrafted handbag, and in addition to receiving something for ourselves, it makes a difference in the life of the woman who made the bag. She can receive dignified employment, holistic care, and a fair wage for her work.

In 2013 I founded an ethical boutique based on this very premise. Women are going to buy fashionable accessories and home decor anyway, so why not have every purchase support an amazing cause at the same time? So Redemption Market was born. In our growth as a curated shop, we?ve been able to form partnerships with amazing brands who have freedom as the very heart behind what they do.

Check out these brands committed to setting the captives free: -

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Starfish Project ? restore hope to exploited women through the purchase of jewelry made by women in their rehabilitation program Sak Saum ? unique purses, wallets, and accessories made in Cambodia

?Every time you spend money, you?re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.??Anna Lappe

by men and women rescued from modern-day slavery -

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The Tote Project- spread the message of hope and freedom through tote bags and pouches that benefit women in India, as well as at-risk girls in the U.S. Malia Designs- ?Carry the Cause? with purses and wallets that fund anti-trafficking efforts and offer jobs to those who need them most

Two other great brands fighting slavery are Sudara and Freeset, both based in India.

You can read an article featuring Sudara in one of Grace As Justice?s past issues, #6 from Fall 2016. Freeset was highlighted in Issue #3 from Winter 2015.

There are also a number of organizations that address the root causes behind trafficking. These groups deal with poverty, lack of healthcare and education, and the inability to find dignified work in rural areas. By offering jobs that pay fair wages and provide holistic care, young men and

women can be kept off the road that leads to trafficking. Here are two of our favorite brands doing just that: -

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JOYN India- incredible hand-woven block printed handbags and wallets, made in a holistic program offering education and health-care to some of the most marginalized citizens Pebble Toys- adorable organic cotton baby rattles, blankets and stuffed animals made in Bangladesh, allowing women in rural areas to stay home with their families rather than move to the city in search of employment

How can you get involved? Support these organizations through your purchases, and share them with friends. Start your own little shop, or host a home trunk show.

Follow ethical bloggers online to hear about the latest companies and products. Every small change helps, and every purchase is a vote for the world we want, where everyone enjoys freedom!

Fin d ou t m or e abou t t he M ar k et Rhonda LaBatt is the founder of Redemption Market, a fair trade boutique based in Phoenix, Arizona. Starting with a small partnership helping young women rescued from trafficking, it?s now grown to provide aid for more than a dozen organizations, providing clean water, building schools, and securing employment for some of the most vulnerable of the earth. She lives with her husband Kerry and three amazing teenage daughters.

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Fash i on w i th Purpose GA J: Wh at is t h e in spir at ion beh in d 139M ade?

In k a M at t : In year 2012, I found out that Houston is one of the biggest hubs for human trafficking. After 5 years of starting my design studio in Houston, I heard this fact from a friend. This revelation shocked me. Later I found out that this modern day slavery also runs rampant all over the globe. There's actually more slavery today compared to any other time in human history! Isn't that absurd? Estimated about 30 million people today are slaved for prostitution and forced labor.

God later placed a burden in my heart to do something, to join the fight for these trafficking victims. I wanted to do something using my abilities. When I thought about those young women, about how their lives had been robbed by their traffickers, it just really saddened me. I could not imagine what they went through.

I think it is the most horrific assault to a human being ? body and soul ? done by another. If I were to talk to one of these women, I really wouldn't know what to say, and my words will probably fall so short.

This verse though, Psalm 139:14, was impressed on my heart when I think about them, and I wish I could communicate its wonderful meaning to them: that their lives are not a mistake; that there is hope in Christ.

GA J: Wh er e did you get t h e n am e f or 139M ade?

IM : When God impressed Psalm 139 on my heart, I knew that I want the number ?139? to be in the company?s name. From a friend?s suggestion, my husband and I prayerfully looked through the whole passage of Psalm 139. The word ?Made? just stood out for us. So ?139Made? was born, and we felt it summarized the whole message of the Psalm. We are ?139Made? ? fearfully and wonderfully made by God for a beautiful, specific purpose for His Kingdom.

GA J: Wh at w er e t h e f ir st st eps you t ook t o m ak e it a r ealit y? IM : I started expressing the message of Psalm 139 in a typographical design which was inspired by how God intricately wrought us in our mother ?s womb. The Amplified Bible

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version described it so well (Psalm 139:13-15): For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me [together] in my mother?s womb.

I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from You, When I was being formed in secret, And intricately and skillfully formed [as if embroidered with many colors] in the depths of the earth.

It confirmed my vision of depicting the hand-lettered typography as if it?s made in colorful silk Chinese hand-embroidery. It takes thousands of hours and masterful artists to create this type of embroidered paintings. After the typographic piece was completed, I decided to print them on shirts so people can spread the message and raise awareness of human trafficking. I worked with a screen-printing vendor, created an online store website, and 139Made was launched in March 2015 with only 2 shirt designs. I also asked an anti human-trafficking organization in Houston

called Redeemed Ministry if they would allow us to feature them on our very first campaign. They accepted.

GA J: Wh at w er e som e of t h e ch allen ges you exper ien ced?

IM : The challenges are more in the business side of things. Christian apparel niche market is pretty saturated and it is tough to break the competition barrier. It is easier to follow the popular style out there, but we would like to establish ourselves as a unique voice and brand. Another challenge is to juggle time, as I am still working as a graphic design freelancer as well.

GA J: Wh at w as t h e im m ediat e im pact you saw ?

IM : Last year, we worked with two anti-trafficking organizations in Houston who used our shirts to bless sex trafficking survivors. One organization purchased the shirts at wholesale price to give out to women who worked in the sex industry in their outreach ministry. Another non-profit gave the shirts we donated as gifts to the survivors in their comprehensive care program. The girls loved the shirts! It was such a great blessing and a humbling experience for us!

GA J: Does 139M ade w or k dir ect ly w it h su r vivor s (i.e. em ployin g t h em , t r ain in g t h em )? If so, w h at does it of f er it s em ployees?

IM : We do not work directly with survivors.

Our fight against human trafficking is by campaigning and rallying behind these anti trafficking organizations, donating 10% of our gross sales to the featured organizations, and rising awareness about this injustice.

GA J: Wh at t ypes of pr odu ct s ar e bein g pr odu ced?

IM : We carry apparel (t-shirts) that we designed and they are printed in the US. All of our garments are from WRAP-certified (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) manufacturers. We also carry lifestyle products such us mugs, poster, and later this year ? jewelry and stationery.

GA J: Wh at is you r vision f or t h e f u t u r e f or 139M ade?

IM : Our vision is to share God?s message of love ? that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by the Almighty Creator who has a unique plan for each one of us.

We are all very precious to Him thus no one should be enslaved in one form or another.

We hope 139Made will be a creative,

encouraging resource for Christian living, to share His gospel and to support the fight against human trafficking.

GA J: Can people get in volved w it h 139M ade ot h er t h an pu r ch asin g pr odu ct s? If n ot , h ow w ou ld you cou n sel som eon e w h o w an t s t o do t h eir par t in en din g slaver y?

IM : They can take part in ending slavery by supporting, donating to, and advocating for the anti-human-trafficking organizations we feature. Find out who they are and support one that God puts a burden in your heart.

We have campaigned for 9 non-profits so far, some serving nationally and others internationally. There are many more being formed because this is a huge and global crime to be abolished.

GA J: Wh at else do you w ish t o sh ar e w it h u s?

IM : Everyone can do something! Don?t decide to do nothing because you think what you do won?t matter. What we, 139Made, are doing is probably ?a drop in the bucket,? but we do it anyway. Because every drop creates ripples, and together, our drops will fill that bucket.

139M ade Inka Matthew lives in Sugar Land, Texas, with her husband, 2 kids, and a standard poodle named Kiki. When she's not busy running 139Made, she's working on design projects for Green Ink Studio, her freelance design studio. In her free time, she enjoys watching Sherlock Holmes, the Marvel and DC Comics tv series, and doing iPhoneography (taking photographs with iPhone).

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Decem ber 20, 2016 ? Scarlet?s Bakery, a social enterprise that offers transferrable job skill training to women seeking a second chance at a new career, will be celebrating its first year in business on Saturday, January 14th . In honor of the one-year anniversary, Scarlet?s Bakery will feature its best-selling cinnamon roll through in-store giveaways and engaging activities for kids and adults. The in-store event will get rolling at 8am and will last until closing (3pm) featuring a special ?spin-the-wheel? with free desserts and valuable coupons, along with a coloring competition for the whole family ? so get ready to compete! The Scarlet?s Bakery team is excited to celebrate their one-year anniversary with all of its supporters, friends, and family!

Throughout the year, Scarlet?s Bakery has had the opportunity to hire disadvantaged women seeking a career change. During their employment, women are trained in a variety of new job skills including baking, customer service, barista expertise, inventory management, scheduling, and catering procedures.

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Two of the bakery employees will also be celebrating their one-year anniversary, a mother-daughter duo who have overcome trauma and hardships. Both are now in school and on track to graduate with a radiology degree and nursing degree, respectively. Scarlet?s Bakery offers a flexible schedule and learning platform in a holistic-care environment to support them while also providing an opportunity to earn a wage. One of the more advanced menu items these two employees have mastered is the bakery?s best-selling item, the cream cheese frosted cinnamon roll. Over the past year Scarlet?s Bakery sold over 5,000 of these delicious treats! (That?s over 16,800 ounces of KY-Proud flour!) Other notable accomplishments for the Scarlet?s Bakery team include winning ?Best Dessert? at the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana Desserts First competition against several of the best

restaurants in Louisville. The Scarlet?s Bakery staff nearly doubled to keep up with the growing catering and retail demand.

During the summer, the catering and retail menu expanded to include lunch with delicious deli and grilled sandwiches. The bakery also started online ordering for sweet treats and for their Good Folks House Blend coffee that can be shipped nationwide. Looking forward, Scarlet?s Bakery will continue testing the new ?Sweet Saturdays? where customers can order items online and then pick them up in the East End with no delivery charge! Also, the bakery will be expanding its lunch menu and dessert table options for weddings as well as hosting special after-hours events.

As always, Head Chef Kenna Nelson will continue to create new and exciting desserts like seasonal French macarons and beautifully decorated cakes.

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Scarlet' s Bakery

WHAT CAN YOU DO SEND STUFF -

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Send things to groups. You can create a drive at your place of worship, in your neighborhood, at your high school or university or even at work. Always make sure to check on the legalities.

Even if a particular group doesn?t necessarily have something posted on needs, you can bet they probably need something. Write and ask! One group that specifically asks for things as well as money is Stella?s Voice located in Moldova.

JOIN A GROUP -

There are a plethora of groups that strive to fight human trafficking. Find one in your area

START A GROUP -

If a group doesn?t exist in your area, start one! You do not have to wait to be important, organized, or not busy to do something. Start somewhere and see where it goes.

VOLUNTEER -

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Many groups offer volunteer positions making choosing something more difficult than actually going. Volunteer positions exist at home and overseas and can be open even to teens (with parental permission).

Volunteering can be incredible as you touch the abused community in some way; but it can be difficult, dangerous and heartbreaking. It is important to realize that the people who are recovering need a kind and non-judgmental touch. They need positive role models, and they need people who will always be there to love them.

Volunteering can also be more hands-off for things like administrative work. This is incredibly important and needed, and can be something for someone who wants to make a difference but might be having some problems dealing with the concept of the atrocities.

GIVE FINANCIALLY -

We?ve talked about giving time and things, but finances are also important. Think about something you might be able to give in terms of finance every month. Can you spare $10, $20, $30? Think about if 1 million give $10 every month. That is $10 a month. That?s a lot.

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Wh at t o do w it h t en t h ou san d GA J: Wh at is t h e in spir at ion beh in d Ten Th ou san d Villages?

Val Sh ade: In 1946, Edna Ruth Byler, a Mennonite Central Committee volunteer living in Pennsylvania, traveled with her husband to Puerto Rico. There she met women in La Plata Valley who were struggling to feed their children. Having lived through hard times herself during the Depression, she knew the face of poverty.

She also knew the importance of dignity and people wanting a way to help themselves.

relationships, we have challenges that other retailers don?t have. From product development and technical considerations to communities that lack infrastructure, where rolling blackouts, rainy seasons, and political unrest can all affect production, the commitment and support we provide is costly. In an increasingly competitive retail marketplace, we assume more risk than traditional businesses, because we are devoted to making consistent purchases, providing advance payments, that create sustainable income.

GA J: Wh at w er e t h e f ir st st eps you t ook t o m ak e it a r ealit y?

VS: Byler noticed that many of these women created beautiful embroidery, but had no place to sell it, so she brought the pieces home and sold them to her friends and neighbors. Edna Ruth didn?t let the fact that she didn?t have a store-front stop her!

She sold the beautiful pieces from the trunk of her car and shared the stories of the makers, describing how each purchase meant that a woman gained economic independence and a chance to give her family a brighter future.

GA J: Wh at ar e som e ch allen ges you exper ien ce?

VS: As a nonprofit organization committed to creating opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income through long-term fair trading

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GA J: Wh at is t h e lon g-t er m im pact of t h e w or k Ten Th ou san d Villages is doin g?

VS: We?ve grown a lot since our founder started selling embroidery out of the trunk of her car. Our long-term, fair trade relationships directly impact the lives of 20,000 makers and their families in 30 developing countries.

GA J: Does Ten Th ou san d Villages w or k dir ect ly w it h su r vivor s (i.e. em ployin g t h em , t r ain in g t h em )? If so, w h at does it of f er it s em ployees?

VS: Ten Thousand Villages combats human trafficking in two ways: by helping to prevent it and by working directly with survivors. The best way to prevent human trafficking is to provide parents with reliable sources of income and to keep children, especially girls, in school. We work with artisan groups that specifically focus on training and employing women in regions with high rates of trafficking like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. Some of the artisan groups we partner with operate schools and learning programs with the express intent to keep children in safe places so they are less vulnerable. We also have the privilege of partnering with Sacred Mark, an artisan group that trains and employees participants of a year-long program called Pobitra that helps women rebuild their lives after breaking free from sex work. The project was founded by the

Mennonite Central Committee and offers courses on health, literacy, and human rights. When the women have graduated, they have the opportunity to work in a fair trade workshop and earn a steady income.

GA J: Wh at t ypes of pr odu ct s ar e bein g pr odu ced?

VS: The women of Sacred Mark make recycled sari pillows and throws. Pieces of discarded saris are washed, pieced and patched together with love to make beautiful new creations.

GA J: Wh at is you r vision f or t h e f u t u r e f or Ten Th ou san d Villages?

VS: Our hope is that one day all artisans in developing countries will earn a fair wage, be treated with dignity and respect and be able to live a life of quality.

GA J: Can people get in volved w it h Ten Th ou san d Villages ot h er t h an pu r ch asin g pr odu ct s? If n ot , h ow w ou ld you cou n sel som eon e w h o w an t s t o do t h eir par t in en din g slaver y?

VS: Yes! Because we are a nonprofit, we rely on nearly 1,000 volunteers to help us accomplish our mission. There are many ways to volunteer, whether it?s in our warehouse or at one of our stores. You can also make a financial contribution to our mission of maintaining long-term fair trading relationships that end poverty and prevent human trafficking.

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The Skipping Stone is a free trade business designed to prevent human trafficking and restore those who have suffered and escaped. The name comes from the concept of making a ripple. When one casts a stone into the water, it makes a ripple. A person doesn?t have to make a huge splash to make a big difference. Buying a product at home can change someone?s life across the world.

The Skipping Stone was launched in 2015 and already it has encountered success due to its high quality products and mission.

From 2015 to 2016, the business doubled its sales and took on even more help from formerly trafficked women. Certainly this success wasn?t just because of its compassionate people, high quality products and good cause. It was also due to strategic planning and hard work.

Prior to launching the Skipping Stone, the three partners, Matthew Voss, Person 2, Person 3, spent 8 months doing a business plan. They wanted to be sure they were developing a model that was helping and not hurting those who most needed it. The partners wanted to be sure to be market driven instead of charity-conscience. They wanted high quality products, good promotion and the right way to connect business and ministry.

During the planning and launch, some of the challenges they experienced were needing to work full time alongside the new project. It was also a challenge to find investors. Matthew Voss says: ?We started small and kept growing ? putting back into inventory. It just takes time and patience [and] sacrificing a lot of time.?

Although the Skipping Stone is a relatively new business, their progress has already been measurable. At it?s beginning, the company started helping 12 women in India leave the red-light district and get on their feet to become self-sustaining. One such story comes from a woman named Neruta. She had been working in the district for over thirteen years and wanted out. However, she needed money to support her children, so Skipping Stone came alongside her and gave her the tools to get out. Today, the company now helps 30 women; offers part time work; and

Not her real name

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works to prevent as well as to rescue. In addition to working with specific women, the Skipping Stone creates relationships with other companies in India that can help the women move from the initial work they find with Skipping Stone and into self-sufficiency. This is one of the last parts of the program in place that the company offers its employs. At present the four-step program starts with relationship; offers a 6-month training; either offers a job or helps the individual find one; and then helps move the woman into being self-sustaining.

Although the product line is growing, and readers can check the website for updates, some of the products offered include the Jubilee Line. This lines sells necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Products from Fair Trade Free Trade in India are sold as well. In fact, most leather products are purchased from them. The Skipping Stone also uses local Indian artisans and watches the

market to see what they can have their employees create in a competitive market.

The Skipping Stone?s vision is to continue to mature and grow within the U.S. market.

Their opinion is that the more they can sell, they more they can hire. While this might be counterintuitive for many business practices, they believe it is the only way to combine business and ministry.

Additionally, they wish to hire more women in India, even setting a huge target of 2,000 as their ultimate goal.

Matthew encourages people to reach out to local agencies and to The Skipping Stone to get involved with ending human trafficking. He suggests partnering with various organizations locally. Individuals can volunteer with the company by hosting an event at church or at home to sell products, heighten awareness and give exposure to businesses making a difference.

Matt and Corrie/Greg and Abhineeta have partnered together to help create The Skipping Stone.

Greg and Abhineeta Matney lived and worked in India starting Vikas Mission, an organization that helps people in vulnerable positions be freed through vocational training and has a deep partnership with CICM church planters.

Matt and Corrie Voss lived in Ecuador before moving back to the United States to help launch The Skipping Stone. Previously, Matt was a director of christian retail stores with a desire to help create sales channels for people in vulnerable positions.

Corrie was a teacher and speaker.

The Matney and Voss families found the most vulnerable are those in sex and human trafficking that could be freed if provided economic freedom.

Fin d ou t m or e abou t t h e Sk ippin g St on e 33

Zoey James has pimp trouble. And even though he doesn?t know it, her pimp has Zoey trouble. Big Zoey trouble.

In a dark world of meth addiction, trailer parks and abuse, Zoey has seen it all. But when she and her disabled sister are forced into a small-town sex ring, the teenage girls find out just how brutal the world can be. And when someone kills her mother as retaliation for a failed escape attempt, Zoey decides to fight back.

Teaming up with a photojournalist, Zoey exposes wealthy and powerful men who play in the dirty, back-alley world of modern slavery. The price for her cooperation is freedom. The cost of failure is her life.

More than 100 readers, reporters and bloggers have reviewed or rated The Black Lens on both Amazon and Goodreads with a 4-star average, but the following two reviews are from actual survivors of sex trafficking: ?As a survivor of sex trafficking myself, I went in with concerns that this fiction book wouldn?t accurately portray the reality of trafficking. Society has so many misconceptions about human trafficking

because of movies like Taken and false imagery of girls with chains ? With that being said, my concern of this book adding to those misconceptions diminished more and more as I read. This book is not only an engaging page turner but also accurately portrays how some young girls get pulled into this horrific life. I highly recommend this book.? ? Jennifer Kempton, survivor of sex trafficking and founder of Survivor ?s Ink, a nonprofit organization that funds cover-up tattoos to replace slavery brands ?The Black Lens is both compelling and heart wrenching. It shows the realistic, complex components of human trafficking in the United States. I know only too well how easily this can happen and how hard it is to escape.

Excellent writing!? ? Theresa Flores, trafficking survivor, founder of TraffickFree and best-selling author of The Slave Across the Street * Please note that the Black Lens does portray accurate images and uses common language for people being trafficked. As such, the reader should be aware of strong images and language in the text.

Christopher Stollar is a former reporter with a master ?s degree in journalism and author of The Black Lens, a dark literary thriller that exposes the underbelly of sex trafficking in rural America. The author won Grand Prize in the 2016 Writer ?s Digest Self-Published e-Book Awards and became a 2016 Liberator Awards Finalist for his debut novel and anti-trafficking work. Stollar conducted more than three years of research on sex trafficking for The Black Lens, including interviews with survivors, social workers and police officers. He is donating 10 percent of his earnings from this book to organizations that battle modern slavery.

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