Haiti, 1791- The slaves of Saint Domingue rose up against the plantation owners and plunged the country into Civil war. In 1792 the slaves were granted legislative freedoms, the first for blacks under white government.

Russia, 1917- The uprising, dominated by the Bolshevicks, gave power to the local soviets. The act led to the Russian Civil War and the eventual creation of the Soviet Union in 1922.

America, 1776- America severed ties with the British Empire when congress issued the Declaration of Independence. The conflict was decided in 1781 with America on top. The Constitution was ratified in 1788.

France, 1789- The people rose up agains the absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries. The monarchy collapsed in three short years. European society underwent an epic transformation.

What is a revolution, an uprising? Webster kindly defines revolution as a sudden, radical, or complete change. Now that the definition is nailed down, what are the factors and variables that go into a revolution? I believe that the key pieces include two or more parties, a great disgust held by one or more of the parties, people who have the courage to lead and stand for what they believe in and at last a hope that the dreams being born from this disgust and belief can and will be accomplished if pursued relentlessly.

In the world today there are many parties. Many forms of disgust, a smaller number of leaders and even less hope. The established way has taken hold and those brave enough to do anything about it have not the belief of victory. The four revolutions listed above produced radical changes on a macro level not because they just happened but because people, men and women, believed in change and believed in victory. Today is our day. Our time has come to pour fuel on the flame and create hope to foster change.

The slaves we talk about today, those trapped in horrid situations forced to perform acts that are completely degrading, dehumanizing and altogether disgusting in the form of sexual acts or hard labor, have an enemy. They have an incredible amount of disgust that builds every day. They lack people willing to take action but most importantly they lack hope. What is an overarching purpose of MATTOO? To create hope. Together we can begin the revolution and give true life back to those who are currently enslaved.

By investing yourself with MATTOO, by taking action in a vehicle that creates hope and changes the global stigma; you will personally have a hand in creating hope for those who are without hope around the globe. Everyday people set up and begin their resistance against the establishment. The action we are suggesting will upend the establishment and begin to set the world on a better course. Join the Flagship that is MATTOO. Create Hope. Change Hearts. Save Lives.

I have a secret identity, but lets just say I look up to individuals like Harriet Tubman. I am starting my journey to help the enslaved break free from the walls of an interconnected global tunnel. I am in search of restoring the lives of the victims of this sex trade—whether they can hear me underground in that black market or not.  I’m here, and I’m trying to call for the help of the U.S. government to strengthen anti-trafficking laws here within our borders. Please, give these victims a voice within a protected environment, so that traffickers can be punished instead of given a reason to further threaten victims’ families and lives.

The poor—native born to the U.S. and from all over the world—do not deserve to be exploited within the U.S. under such unprotected terms. They are too scared to tell you on their own, their pimps are listening around the corner. A courtroom is not the place to gather these testimonies—this endangers their lives and the well being of their families. Sex trafficked victims should not have to testify against their perpetrators in order to gain a four year temporary visa that leads to permanent legal status.

Human trafficking—modern day slavery—is a threat to the national security of our nation as well as the international community. I fear that if the U.S. does not enforce better laws to punish traffickers, billions of dollars in profit that international organized crime members generate from this market could be used to fund terrorist activity.  Fluid movement within global trafficking routes allows for a person who is trafficked in Eastern Europe to quickly find themselves as sex slaves here at home.

It is assumed that approximately 17,500 victims are yearly trafficked to the United States and the United Nations estimates that 27 million people are trafficked around the world each year. The truth is, whether we like to accept this or not, these numbers are actually much higher. This is because most anti-trafficking laws within each country are all similarly problematic—causing the lack of international data.

Due to the widespread discrepancies found with defining what a crime of “human trafficking” consists of, many traffickers are prosecuted under other terms such as kidnapping, immigration violations, or drug trafficking.

Similarly, victims of sex trafficking are sometimes prosecuted for prostitution instead of offered protection—digging the underground tunnel deeper while also painting the walls slightly darker each time.  The lives of these women, and children are being thrown back into a cycle of fear and coercive activity that they have no say in. So I am asking on behalf of their protection, that the method of gathering their testimony be reevaluated.

The interconnectivity of criminal enterprises seem to be extending their arms further into our borders, outsmarting both immigration laws and poorly enforced anti-trafficking laws. I fear that if the U.S. does not change the basis for which traffickers are prosecuted and are more strictly convicted of the crimes they commit that contribute to the modern slave trade, then we will find ourselves watching slavery creep back into our society.

I also fear that if the basis for which victims are offered protection by the U.S. government does not change, then we will watch this underground black market transform into an above ground reality. This will become truer the more power international organized crime members gain within our border.  Instead, anti-trafficking laws should empower those who are silenced underground and give them the opportunity to speak. They have been down there waiting for a long time now, and I have been given the incentive to speak in their name. So I am calling on the U.S. government to help those who are modernly exploited down below.

Video link: Create Hope  |  This video was created by Anne – a current G42 intern.  I feel that this video is a good visual to the short story I wrote below. [*denotes name change]

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Sandra* is a women from Brazil.  She always greets me with a smile and big hug.  “Estoy feliz a verte!”  she says as we embrace.  I reply, “I’m happy to see you too!”

Then our conversation bounces back and forth between family, work and our faith.  I find out that Sandra has been here for two years, she loves taking photos, married a guy from Malaga who is currently out of work due to Spain’s economic downfall and that she often prays to Mary and other saints & goddesses for help in these tough times.  She is a strong women and natural leader.

We are quickly becoming friends.  I’ve offered to teach her English and she has invited me into her home.

She desires to switch professions.

Sandra is a prostitute in Guadalhorce.

She loves the journal that we gave her a few weeks back.  While she cooks and cleans and works she thinks of things that she wants to write in it…yet words fail to fall upon the page.  They remain in her head, her heart, her spirit…  “Voy a escribir. Voy a escribir” (I’m going to write), she tells me with a serious, yet playful smile upon her lips.

The gap between words and action becomes clearer to me as nighttime ever so stealthily sets around me.  Empty hope and desire fill her heart.

She was put on this earth for more than this. Create Hope.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SANDRA’S LIFE.  SIGN OUR MATTOO GLOBAL BANNER THAT WILL TRAVEL THE WORLD, INSPIRE HOPE & CREATE CHANGE!

This is a foreign thought in our society where you seldom hear an individual say anything along the lines of, You’re right- I really messed up. I exploited the situation. I made a mistake. I need to work on that. I accept the full responsibility of my actions. In all honesty if you could not read the previous 28 words I wouldn’t blame you (except I would) because these phrases are altogether abnormal in our world today.

Now comes the part where I really begin to struggle. When confronted with an issue people LOVE the phrase IT’S NOT MY FAULT. Why were you late? There was a ton of traffic, my child was running late, the lights took too long… Johnson!  You need a cover on the TPS Report- whats with the screw up? I wasn’t trained well, You didn’t give me enough time, the repair man never fixed the printer, ect… Disgusting.

Big picture. One of our worlds most fundamental issues is a person’s unwillingness to accept responsibility for their current situation and the actions they take. Governments, magistrates, communities, families and individuals all turn a blind eye to many injustices that go way beyond a commute or a work report. Drug Trafficking, Human Trafficking- Sexual and Labor; just to name a couple.

Now I do not want to be one who raises problems without presenting a solution because there are way too many professionals in that field already and I know that saying “Something must be done” never does anything, the solution lies in the comment, “I must do something”. So what can I do to transform the responsibility culture of the world. Immerse myself in the worlds fastest growing industry- Human Trafficking.

Human Trafficking is the epitome of this ITS NOT MY FAULT epidemic. Parents sell their children to buy appliances, people give false job offers to kidnap women, illusions of stable romantic relationships trap individuals in a world of violence, rape and eventually death. The main culprit: Those who know but continue to take no action, all of us. There’s a reason this is the fastest growing criminal market- people have only pretended to care  or, dared not to learn. But beware, Ignorance is no excuse for inaction. Men, we need to step up and  help leadset the example. Accept responsibility for your life and grow a pair already. What are you going to do, wait for your girlfriend to do it?