Volunteers help kids honor civil rights leader

SHANE EVANS STAFF WRITER SME722@CABRINI .EDU

One of the most important and influential men of our time, Martin Luther King, Jr. was honored recently at Cabrini. Volunteers from Cabrini headed by sophomore Krystal Layne organized a day of fun-filled activities that were geared towards the younger generation of six to 12year-olds.

The main focus of the day was to enhance the children's understanding of diversity and promote their education on the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

"It was a very successful day," Layne said. "It was great to see everybody come together and do something good that everybody there could appreciate and learn from. That was the main goal of the event."

Children from the "Big Brother Big Sister" program and "Kids First Now" attended the event and served as the willing minds to learn more about King's legacy and all that he did for society.

achieve equality for all people, and prior to his tragic assassination in 1968 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., King had succeeded in many of those goals. With the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, King and his followers had helped even the playing field with regards to racial issues.

a nation of people who thought too much about color differences," Moglioni said. "He expressed his theories for us to treat with their qualities first, not their color. We each need to do our own part to make this fully happen, because it's on a person by person basis; it can't happen all at once."

With every day that passes, the awareness of human trafficking is growing. Courageous organizations like Catholic Relief Services have spent much time and effort battling to end human trafficlkingd.d"

• • fl • 1 1 b • • h O ah n a 1tton, m uentla ce e nt1es sue as pr Winfrey have captured the minds of the viewing public, relaying the seriousness of the situation. As a result, U.S. politicians in the United States are feeling pressure to act. The wheels of progress are beginning to spin but at an excruciatingly slow pace.

The reason the United States government is moving at such a slow pace in stopping the billion-dollar human trafficking industry is because federal law must be changed to adopt the U.N.'s Convention on the Rights of a Child.

The terms of this convention are crucial to the development of fighting human trafficking. The United States' inability to accept the terms of the Rights of a Child Convention makes them one of only two countries that have yet to adopt it.

The United States and Somalia remain alone in this category.

Not all news is negative for the United States, however. While the U.S. still waits for its legislative process to run its course, it still continues to lead countries of the world fighting human trafficking. Working with non-governmental organizations and churches, the U.S. government has passed a few child protection acts includin~ the Victims of Trafficking Protection Reauthonzation Act of 2006, which protects victims and prevents international trafficking.

In a local effort to combat this worldwide problem, the Wolfington Center of Cabrini College is mobilizing students to advocate the U.S. government to ratify the U .N. Convention on the Rights of a Child.

The battle with human trafficking offenders will not be a quick fight. Just like terrorist cells that hide in the most vile and darkest parts of the globe, human traffickers will scatter like cockroaches and wait for their chance to continue the morbid yet profitable trade. Only awareness and courage in every corner of the iiobe will stop women and children from being stripped of every last shred of dignity they once possessed.

King served as a pastor in Montgomery, Ala., following his father and grandfather as religious leaders. His work with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has been greatly honored, as he was one of the organization's executive board members. Some of his biggest accomplishments came when he organized various boycotts and rallies, all of which were non-violent. His main goals were to

"He was an influential person at a time when equality didn't exist in our country," said freshman English and communication major Vickie Papageorge. "He taught or rather showed us what it means to follow our dreams and do what we believe in. We still remember him today, annually, so that just shows you how much of an impact he had on our country and the people in it."

Elementary education major Christina Moglioni shared that sentiment and said that we each have to play a part in achieving King's limitless goals.

"He was a man that stood up to

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With King's teachings being dispersed amongst the children at the event, the groundwork has been laid for a better future. If everyone who attended the event took something with them and acted upon it as best they could, King would surely be pleased with the events of the day.

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