Talk is good. Action is better.





It is amazing how much the anti-trafficking movement has spread in the last few years. It is not hard to remember that only a few years ago,  the phrase "human trafficking" would draw blank stares.  Now more than ever there are many different groups dedicated to discussing the issue of human trafficking spreading awareness about the issue to people who do not know. 

Though such awareness work is excellent and definitely needed, it can become easy for individuals to just stop there and think that the issue of modern day slavery will go away. 

The truth of the matter is that words, if not followed by actions, are useless.  If you have made the choice to be an abolitionist, great! Scream from the roof tops about the injustice of slavery! But don't just stop there.  Sit down with your friends and brainstorm ways that you can make a difference beyond spreading awareness. 

One of the easiest ways to make a direct contribution to the anti-trafficking movement is to raise funds for organizations that are actually out there right now making a difference. There are a lot of groups raising awareness. There are much fewer actually helping slaves. Find the groups that are doing hands on work with anti-trafficking and support them cause they need funds! 

Don't let your vision end just with awareness and fundraising however. There is no monopoly, no formula on how to end slavery.  Look objectively at the issue and find creative ways that you can fight it. If no one else is doing it, do it on your own (being safe of course).  Necessity is the catalyst of invention. We have great necessity right now! Where are the inventors? 

 

Thinking back, looking forward: Project Exodus' First Year

By Mike Masten
Co-Founder

It was about a year ago that I approached Blake McAllister about the idea of starting an abolitionist group that would give normal citizens the opportunity to directly participate in abolitionist activities. Our hope was to create an organization that filled the gap between activism and professional abolitionism, making the fight against human trafficking readily available to everyone.  The two of us sat down together and started brainstorming and within a few days had come up with the idea for Project Exodus. I remember how excited both of us were to be taking the next step in the abolitionist fight; our heads were filled with images of justice and it brought eternal smiles to our faces.  We had been given a God given dream and we were about to make it a reality. 

Today, a year later, we are so pleased to say that we did not dream in vain!  From its conception 12 months ago, Project Exodus has been growing ceaselessly, constantly being pushed forward and being blessed at every turn.  From only an idea a year ago, today the LA Metro Task Force on Human Trafficking  recognizes Project Exodus as a legitimate anti-trafficking group in Los Angeles and has offered to work with us. Almost weekly now we get emails and messages from around the world of people wanting to know more about our work or wanting to work with us. Most importantly,  a child rape area in Los Angeles is now under investigation and the lives of almost 50 girls in massage and hostess bars may be changed because of the work we have done in the last year. 

The success of Project Exodus over the last year continues to be a true testiment of God's passion for justice.  To us it is clear that God has blessed our organization and is giving us the strength and the means to tackle one of the darkest injustices on Earth.  In the book of Psalms we are told, "Blessed are they who maintain justice" (Psalms 106:3a). How true this has been! We unapologitically believe that it is only under Christ that the evil of human trafficking will be conquered and after a year of amazing blessings and encouragement, we know this to be true! 

In addition to reflecting, we have also been looking to the future of Project Exodus and what we would like to accomplish over the next few years.  For the immediate year, Project Exodus hopes to further its reach by establishing additional PX teams that would conduct internal and extrenal observation operations throughout Los Angeles multiple times a week. By extending our reach we hope not only to be able to investigate more trafficking locations but actually liberate more victims. 

 In addition to our own operations, we hope to continue to reach out to other local and international abolitionist groups and see how our combined experiences can help further anti-trafficking efforts,not only talking about ending trafficking but actually freeing slaves in Los Angeles and the world. 

Finally, though still a dream, Project Exodus is looking beyond the borders of the United States to Ghana where we would like to eventually establish a rehabilitation center for African trafficking victims. 

All told, the last year has been bright and the future is looking to be even brighter. With Christ as our champion we were able to achieve things that were only in our dreams a year ago. Today we look forward with encouragement and hope, not only because of the successes of the past, but also because of the promise we have been given about the future: that through the power of Christ conquer human trafficking! We look forward to this journey and openly welcome anyone who is willing to join Project Exodus in our pursuit of justice.  

Project Exodus to present at Starfish Benefit

23 April 2009
LOS ANGELES, CA--- This Saturday Project Exodus will be at the Starfish Project Benefit Party at Blankspaces in Los Angeles. 

The night is being held to help raise funds to support the Starfish Project, a China-based anti-trafficking group that seeks to give alternative employement to girls trapped in the Chinese sex trade. 

Representing US anti-trafficking efforts, Project Exodus will be speaking about its operations locally in Santa Monica and the LA area, its raison d'être,  as well as ways that the average citizen can get involved in the modern day abolitionist movement. 

The night will feature musical performances by Che Bellman and Scott Tang as well, live painting by Janet Hyun, and French cooking lessons by CLART.  The night will end with an art raffle.

The night will go from 7:30pm to 11:30pm. Entrance is free but donations are strongly suggested. 

This will be an excellent opportunity for invidividuals to get connected with the global anti-trafficking movement so be sure to check it out! 

Venue Address:
Blankspaces
5405 Wilshire Blvd. 
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Senate Foreign Relations Committee to Confirm "Anti-Trafficking Czar" in Three Days

WASHINGTON DC- On March 24th, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Luis C. de Baca as Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the State Department. The Ambassador-at-Large position is arguably the most powerful anti-trafficking post in the country, a position sometimes called "America's Anti-Slavery Czar".  Up to this point Lou de Baca has served as a prosecutor who has put away a LOT of traffickers.  You can read about his credentials HERE.

Within the next few days, Lou will be facing confirmation from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  If you think prosecuting traffickers is something we need more of, please email the members of this committee NOW to express your support of Lou de Baca and the issue at large. Oh, and we have made it so easy for you.

 All of the Senators names and email addresses are below.  Simply click the email link below, place CONFIRM LOU DE BACA in the subject line, and  copy the email text we have provided below or use you own).  We need him positioned and working asap.

############################################ 
 
HERE IS THE TEXT FOR THE EMAIL

Dear Senator:
 
Human slavery is the fastest growing crime on the planet, destroying the lives of 27 million people. I am astonished that in 2007, Human Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.  Fortunately, you have an opportunity to take action against human slavery by confirming Lou de Baca as the federal government's antislavery czar.
 
Lou is a strong leader in the response to human slavery, inspiring a whole generation of young abolitionists to action.  He has put away more than 100 human traffickers, and freed more than 600 victims-a record unmatched by anyone.  Lou's track record gives confidence to thousands of NGOs, non-profits and citizens like me, who are eager for the US government to take bold steps to combat the most horrifying crime on the planet.
 
The confirmation of Lou De Baca is the first step in ending human slavery in our lifetime.  I urge you to vote "yes" to confirm Lou De Baca as the new antislavery czar.  
 
Thank you,  YOUR NAME
 
#############################################

Here is the list of emails for the Senators on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:















*Original story from Justin Dillion @Call and Response

Shifting Modes

Project Exodus Begins Internal Investigations
by Mike Masten

Last night's internal investigation of a Thai hostess bar in Los Angeles marked the first of hopefully many internal investigations into potential trafficking locations throughout Los Angeles.

Over the course of the last eight months Project Exodus has been going out weekly into Los Angeles and investigating massage parlors that are suspect for human trafficking. Each week a group of volunteers would meet at Pepperdine University and then make the drive into LA, ending the night in a lonely Jack in the Box and sharing stories of what they had seen.

Through doing this we have compiled pages of notes marking over 160 hours of observation time at these parlors (as compared to the 25 hours of a LAPD investigation), have prayed intensely over a very specific area and have learned and followed up on a child prostitution area. Overall the last 8 months has been extremely successful, but now with the school year ending and the volunteer base lessening with it, it is time that Project Exodus switch into a more specialized field of operation: internal investigation.

Over the last eight months we have learned that though you can tell a lot from watching the activity of a prostitution place, it is very hard to be totally sure about anything taking place unless you actually speak directly with the girls. It is only once you can get direct contact with the girls that the all important questions like, "Where are you from?" "How long have you worked here?", "is this what you thought you would be doing?", "are you able to move freely" can be asked.

Therefore this summer Project Exodus will be shifting its focus from external observation to internal observation in hopes of truly discovering the nature of the work being done in Los Angeles. Hopefully through this type of investigation, we will be able to correctly identify where human trafficking is taking place and then put the gears in motion for a proper investigation and take down of the trafficking cell.


Project Exodus Hosts Awareness Week at Pepperdine Univeristy

Originally reported in "The Graphic" on 3/25/09
By Graham Picard 
Tonight's abolitionist outreach and prayer walk concludes Project Exodus and International Justice Mission's third annual Pepperdine human trafficking awareness week.

Rather than trying to eradicate slavery in faraway developing nations, the week focuses on slavery in Los Angeles. Beginning Monday, various nightly events have aimed to empower students to take a stand on the horrors of modern-day slavery occurring in Pepperdine's backyard.

"This is quite an opportunity for us," said sophomore Blake McAllister, a student leader of Project Exodus. "Human trafficking is going to be the moral issue of our generation in terms of injustice."

After Wednesday's 10 a.m. convocation, Project Exodus staged a mock slave auction amid a bustling Waves Café. The organizers said their goal was to achieve maximum shock value. Project Exodus members positioned throughout the cafeteria to bid on five "slaves," who volunteered to dress with fake wounds. A student auctioneer sold the slaves to the highest bidder. Students' reactions differed, but some said the event personalized a seemingly distant issue.

"It really brings your awareness to a different level," said freshman Elliott Taylor, who observed the slave auction.

Project Exodus leaders said they hope the slave auction encouraged students to participate tonight in the abolitionist outreach and prayer walk, during which they will educate Los Angeles businesses and residents about human trafficking. The group will depart Special Programs at 7 p.m.

For the first half of the week, Project Exodus and IJM worked to familiarize the campus with slavery by hosting convocation events.

"People can't do anything about an issue they don't know about," said Mike Masten, a 2007 Pepperdine alumnus and founder of Project Exodus. "By raising awareness and activism we're hoping that public officials will ramp up efforts to hold traffickers accountable."

New Project Exodus site in progress!


Project Exodus is currently undergoing a major rehaul in its website in order to not only make it more visually appealing but more relevant and informative to those seeking to be updated on anti-trafficking news. 

The goal of the new website, beyond giving information about Project Exodus and it's mission, is to be a place where abolitionist can come together and get collective information about what is going on in regards to anti-human trafficking around the world and to learn of events and ways to get involved in stopping trafficking. 

Furthermore, as is evident by this first posting, Project Exodus will be hosting a blog called the "Exodus Feed" which will feature articles regarding not only Project Exodus and it's activities but also stories regarding human trafficking in general. 
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