Unlikely student coalition works to increase awareness of human trafficking
San Jose, CA, October 17, 2009 - During the week of November 9th, 2009, San Jose State University students will raise $5000 for recovering sex slaves in Cambodia. Calling themselves the ‘SJSU Response Coalition’, a wide variety of student organizations have banded together to raise awareness and funds for the global issue of human trafficking.
The coalition was founded last semester by a handful of leaders including senior Business Finance major Robby Valderrama. “After learning that there are 27 million slaves in the world today, a group of us felt compelled to take action, and did,” said Valderrama. The coalition’s first event brought in Justin Dillon (producer/director) of human trafficking film’ Call+Response’ to speak live and share his award-winning film at SJSU. According to Valderrama, the event drew over 400 students and supplied the
group with momentum to continue this semester.
This November 9-12th, Human Trafficking Awareness Week will include multiple attention-grabbing events and exploits. Monday and Tuesday brings ‘Silence for Slavery’, where coalition members will walk campus with tape over their mouths, and distribute educational pamphlets encouraging peers to donate. On Tuesday, November 10th, the group will host the ‘Human Trafficking Awareness Week Variety Show’ in the Student Union Ballroom at 6pm. Showcasing talented SJSU students and raising funds, the variety show will be followed by a fundraiser the next day at 4th Street Pizza on Wednesday, November 11th from 5pm-midnight. Finally, on Thursday, November 12th at 7pm in Campus Village B’s Resident Activity Center, there will be a free showing of ‘At The End Of Slavery’, featuring Danny Glover, Gary Haugen, and more.
Inspired to make a change, this unlikely coalition of SJSU student organizations put aside their differences to address this problem. “If an issue like human slavery is not big enough to bring us together, I don’t know what is,” stated Valderrama.
SJSU Response Coalition is:
- Alpha Phi Omega
- Campus Crusade for Christ
- Campus Pregnancy Support Team
- Global Studies Club
- Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
- Muslim Student Association
- Men Creating Change
- Pulse
- Resident Hall Association
- Sigma Lambda Beta
For additional information or to schedule an interview with Robby
Valderrama, email him at robby@sjsuresponse.com.
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