Happy Wednesday! We hope everyone is staying warm! If you’d like to see your anti-human trafficking news or event promoted in this weekly newsletter, send all information to [address removed] and/or [address removed] by Tuesday at noon.

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GET OUT THERE

NEW - This Saturday, March 14, at 6pm, Thomas Sligh, a semi-famous Gospel band leader, will give a free concert to raise awareness about modern slavery. The event is  co-sponsored by Thomas Sligh, Cherrydale Baptist Church, and James 2 Association, a Christian nonprofit with a mission to unite churches across racial/ethnic lines for Christian community transformation and serving people in need. The concert will be at Cherrydale Baptist Church, 3910 Lorcom Lane, Arlington, VA 22207. For more info call[masked].

GET INFORMED

NEW - Yesterday United States Senator Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) introduced the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act of 2015 to allocate $1.5 billion in funding to various anti-trafficking initiatives. Read the one-pager here and follow up from the hearing here.

REMINDER - Have you heard of the "Dark Web", the vast part of the internet that does not show up on regular search engines like Google?  The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the arm of the military tasked with creating breakthrough technologies for national security is taking the fight to human traffickers in the U.S. who use these back channels, using a powerful new search tool called Memex, that goes well beyond the realm of Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Click here for the full 60 minutes feature.

REMINDER - According to the U.S. Trafficking In Persons Report, there may be more than 20 million trafficking victims at any time in the world, but only about 40,000 victims are identified each year. To connect victims of human trafficking to the organizations who can help them, Google launched a new feature last July, that displays human trafficking hotline numbers when users type in relevant keywords in search, click here for an example.  In January 2015 Google expanded the service to include 9 more countries and 14 languages. Read the full story here.

REMINDER - Our very own DC SMS board member and SMS WalkFest leader, Caitlyn Ryan is author of two eye-raising articles that show that we all can use our purchasing power to promote better trade practices that do not rely on trafficked labor.  Right on time for the Valentine’s Day season and the “50 Shades” movie; “This Valentine's Day: Show Your Love, No Chains Attached”. And the second article, a great read throughout the year “How Consumers Can Help End Slavery”.

REMINDER - First President, George Washington, used legal loopholes to avoid freeing his slaves in the late 1700s, even as Northern states worked to abolish slavery.  Read the full story here.

NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES

REMINDER - DEADLINE TODAY! Have you been involved in the movement against human trafficking for some time and are looking to dig deeper? Are you new to this work and want to take on a bigger role? DCSMS is looking for talented and passionate individuals to join our leadership team! Right now we’re in search of a Co-Lead Organizer, whose responsibilities include to : Be a Liaison with Board of Directors, Help facilitate monthly Leadership Team meetings, Respond to media inquiries, Organize monthly awareness events, Collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, including volunteers and partner organizations, Attend and support monthly action team meetings, as necessary. For the full description and to learn how to apply go here. Don’t wait--applications are due by 5pm today!

REMINDER - Passionate about human trafficking? Have a serious case of wanderlust? Don’t miss an opportunity to combine the two through Prevent Human Trafficking’s summer program in Thailand! Prevent Human Trafficking is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization working to build a bridge between South East Asia and the United States to prevent human trafficking. Running since 1999, this intensive, highly competitive program offers participants concerned with human trafficking unique access to some of Southeast Asia's preeminent scholars, activists, organizers and government officials at the forefront of the global anti-trafficking movement. Participants will travel extensively to gain local insights and perspectives on effective strategy, while benefiting from direct exposure to the surroundings which often propel trafficking. For more details and how to apply click here. Don’t wait, spots are filling up fast!

REMINDER - Job opportunity! Do you have experience in fundraising and development? How about a passion for social justice, Haiti, ending child slavery or all of the above? Beyond Borders is looking for an Assistant or Associate Director for Donor Relations to expand the organization’s mission and support base. Beyond Borders is a DC-based non-profit that helps people build the following movements for liberation in Haiti:  The movement to end child slavery, The movement for universal access to primary education, the movement to end violence against women and girls, and the movement for sustainable livelihoods and economic justice. The organization has more than twenty years of experience working with a variety of grassroots partners and organizations in Haiti. For the full description and how to apply click here.

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