Brewing change, saving lives
Freedom 4/24 club hosts coffee event to inform public of human trafficking
Freedom 4/24 partnered with Bean Tree and local performers Atlas Rhoads and John Shirely Feb. 17 to host A Night of Freedom, an event created to raise awareness for the issue of human trafficking.
Bean Tree gave 15 percent of its proceeds made during A Night of Freedom to Freedom 4/24 which will be distributed among partner organizations in helping to aid them in the fight against human trafficking.
“Imagine having a sister or your mother, people that directly impact your life, being sold to human trafficking,” Vice President of Freedom 4/24 David Johnston said.
“That may be invasive to think and say, but the level of invasiveness in this industry is real and degrading to the individuals involved.”
PIANO SOLO — Performer John Shirley played music at the “Night of Freedom” event hosted by Freedom 4/24 and the Bean Tree Coffee Shop.
Photo Provided
Johnston has been a part of Freedom 4/24 since his freshman year and has participated with the club’s efforts in bringing campus awareness to human trafficking.
In planning A Night of Freedom, Johnston and the members of Freedom 4/24 worked to expand the event into the Lynchburg community to help increase awareness and efforts against human trafficking.
Johnston considered the night to be a huge success as there was a large interaction from the Lynchburg community
gathered at Bean Tree.
Freedom 4/24 used this night to speak to individuals about the realness and largeness of human trafficking and why it is important to be involved in efforts against this industry.
“We are made in the image of God, and to ignore something like human trafficking is viewing the people involved as if they are nothing,” Johnson said.
“We need to get out of the mentality of what we’re going to do and actually act.”
Johnston said many individuals feel like they need to be on the front lines to make an impact on someone else’s life.
However, Johnston said the mission of Freedom 4/24 is to get everyone involved, regardless of their location.
“Freedom 4/24 gives the college students a platform to join actively in this fight against human slavery,” Grace Dial, a member of Freedom 4/24, said.
Dial, now a junior, has been a member of Freedom of 4/24 since her freshman year.
Since Dial’s junior year of high school she has had a desire to become involved in anti-human trafficking efforts.
An important factor to Dial when looking at universities to attend was what anti-human trafficking clubs and programs they had.
“In the 21st century, we look at statistics showing that there are more slaves today than any other time in history,” Dial said.
“With this knowledge, how can I not use the platform the Lord has given me, to be a voice for the voiceless.”
Freedom 4/24 will have three more events this semester in April to raise awareness against human trafficking.
A prayer vigil outside the new student center will kick off their week of events April 23, followed by a documentary spotlighting the process and dangers of human trafficking April 27 and the Freedom 4/24 5k April 29.
McIntosh is a news reporter.