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."
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