COSTA RICA

Costa Rica: surfing, fishing, jet skiing, sightseeing, and other family outings. That was the summary of my trip in a nutshell. It was amazing and fun, and of course gorgeous. Even the rickety run down looking towns looked historic and rustically beautiful. The food was cheap and delicious. It sounds amazing, and it was. Yet, the entire time I had a few things on my mind that I wanted to ask everyone but truly was afraid of the answer: it had to do with trafficking of humans (mainly children). The first thing I saw when I landed in the city of San Jose, was signs, well one giant sign caught my eye that said “Having sex with someone under 18 will not be tolerated.” I thought TOLERATED, it should punishable and harsher words should be put in its place. My wish was not at all, but if it had to be, then harsher the better. I was happy to find out from the people I did ask though that there is laws put in place to prohibit and punish those who are caught. Was told that drinking and driving was a bigger jail sentence then what those who are caught trafficking (7 years for DUI). Sadly as well they said that tourism is way of life for Costa Rica, with poverty of 20% of the population so some are more in need of US money (the exchange rate is 510.88 CRC = $1.00 USD). This is where trafficking comes in because ‘people travel a long way to find the pimps, and they make really good money.’ I was appalled. People are awful. This needs to stop now.

Knowing Love146 and other organizations like it are helping stop it, makes me even more grateful then I already was to be apart of their wonderful and moving organizations. My hope is and has been for awhile now (once I learned about it) to put an end for human trafficking (among other things). It becomes different reading/seeing it first hand (or gaining more knowledge by going to these places or conferences). http://www.endhumantrafficking.org/about-us/prevention-projects Together let us end and restore those who have been trafficked. One person can make a difference!

3 reasons Tread on Trafficking was so special to me...

I have wanted to write a post about my Tread on Trafficking journey for a while, but I kept getting distracted by work/life. As I reflect on the last two months, there are three reasons why these past 8 weeks will stay with me forever:

1. I treaded for 94 miles. Was this my goal? No, but sometimes it's about the journey and not the destination.  I work about an hour from home, so I spent weeks waking up at 6am, doing my daily work-out, and then going to work. I'd get home at 7pm, eat dinner, and then I'd walk for 2-3 miles in the evening. I felt like I was achieving something so special by pushing myself like this.... It was a really proud moment for me (and a routine I hope I will return to soon). As a girl who has struggled with my weight since I was a young child, I was so proud that I was finally making that change.

2. I convinced 11 people to support me as I treaded and raised $310.00! I was so scared to share this endeavor with my friends and family because I am not fit. I don't run for causes . . . but they did support me! I was SO SO thankful for that. I am also SO SO confident that the money donated is going to a wonderful organization who is doing something AMAZING and INSPIRING to prevent sex trafficking and to rehabilitate the survivors of this horrific industry.

3. As I revealed in my last blog post, my dad died on June 11th. It has basically changed my whole world, and it's left me completely heartbroken. But you know what's so special? The last thing he supported me doing was Treading on Trafficking. He even sponsored me... I sometimes look at my sponsors just to see his name scroll down the list. It comforts me to know just how much he supported me as I tried to spread awareness on the reality of human trafficking. He supported my fitness goals... and he was proud of what I had been doing. That will stay with me forever, and what better final project for him to support?

I wish I could write and say that it has been a great 8 weeks for me because that would be a lie, but I know that when the pain starts to dissipate, I'll be able to look back on these last 8 weeks, and I'll find comfort that it was my dad's last memory of me - a girl who was FINALLY fighting to change her life.

I hope I can find the strength to be that girl again....

Thanks for reading,
Steph

What was so special about your Tread on Trafficking journey? Please share in comments! 

In honour of my father...

I want to preface this post by saying that I am not writing this for your condolences or pity. I am writing this to find a strength and determination that I have recently lost..

Today is Father's Day....

Great...

I lost my father a week go. He died suddenly in our living room, and I felt blindsided by how quick it was. I never got to say what I wished to say. My last memory of him is quite negative. He hadn't been well. His heart and lungs were weak, and he seemed to think he was dying (I didn't believe him). He became self destructive - drinking all day. He became unrecognizable from the father I had grown up with. But he wanted to change.. for me. He loved me. And above all else, that matters the most. The past year of stressful moment after stressful moment no longer matters. It's just a small stain on a perfect white shirt. Stronger than the frustration is love... and I don't think he knew just how much I did love him. How much I always will.

I haven't treaded on trafficking this week. I have eaten every comfort food imaginable. I have stopped taking care of myself as I try to accept one of life's greatest tragedies. And worst of all? Today is Father's Day... It's f*cking Father's Day. And I just said goodbye to mine.

So as I struggle to accept his absence in my life, I want to celebrate his life tomorrow. He sponsored me to tread on trafficking. He supported me and was proud of the life changes that I had recently made. So tomorrow, instead of letting the pain consume me, I am going to channel this energy and do something positive. I am going to walk six miles in honour of my Father.

This experience has taught me once again how precious life is. How we only have ONE life... and to spend that life as a slave is unacceptable. Life is a gift. To take advantage and abuse one's gift is one of life's greatest crimes.

So I will walk. I will remember my father. And I will continue to fight for the children sold into sex trafficking.

Happy Father's Day everyone.

xo,
Steph

My Love 146 Experience

As summer slowly but surely approaches, I made a list of things that I wanted to accomplish within the next year. My list grew to a few things that I've never done before, some being small/short-term goals but with lasting affects.

Amongst all the things my heart desires to do I'd like to share one of them with you. About a year ago, I was introduced to a really great organization called Love 146. They are based in New Haven, CT and their main focus is to raise awareness and help end child sex slavery and human trafficking. Their founders created this non-profit after going undercover in another country heavily stricken with the exploitation of children and women. They walked besides men who were there to buy these girls as commodities for an hour or so, playing the role just to get an inside look of how horrible this trading really is. When they got back home to the US, Love 146 was birthed and today they have rehabilitated hundred's of young children and women. A lot of those women are now married and are able to cope and move on with life.

When I was introduced to this non-profit org, I sat in front of my computer drowning in my tears after listening and reading stories of these rehabilitated children and women. Immediately something had sparked inside of me. Many of those emotions were sadness and grief and my heart went out to these people. But most of all, it was mostly righteous anger that ignited this certain passion to help...even if only from my own home. My safe home on my comfortable safe couch on a beautiful island. That's when I knew I could do something whether it be by monetary donations or getting Love 146's name out.

All I knew right then was that I wanted to help. I wanted to join the fight.

So throughout 2010, I donated a few times, engaged in Twitter campaigns and continued to share with my friends and family (if I hadn't shared it with you yet, I'm sorry) about Love 146, making sure people knew what was going on out there. Yes, I was so oblivious to the fact that sex slavery and exploitation was happening here in Hawai'i (where I'm from)...here in the US. And when I finally learned of that, my fight got bigger and I really wanted to DO something more.

A few weeks ago I learned that Love 146 was doing another campaign called "Tread on Trafficking". It's a campaign where anyone can join and walk, run, hike, bike, swim...even dance to raise money for L146 and their rehab centers (Round Homes). It's also a way for it's "participants" to get healthy and get active! Each mile you walk/run, hike, bike or swim can be worth something. Sure for me, it means I get to lose weight (YAY!) and help put my feet down to end child sex slavery and human trafficking. How cool is that?! It's awesome.

There is an actress that I admire and her name is Bethany Joy Galeotti (One Tree Hill) and two days ago she started a Tread on Trafficking team with a goal to raise $2000+ and in one day the team (who is mostly everyday people) has raised close to $900. She just raised the $$ goal to $15,000.

Let's do this!

-Che'Lyssa - a Love Warrior

Remember the Love, Remember the Child

All little ones need love.

Ever since I learned about Love146, I have been thinking much about my childhood and I do it which so much fondness and glee. I remember the games I played with my friends -- the stories we so creatively made up, the places we so loosely imagined and the dreams we so freely dreamt. All these we were able to do because we had parents and families who had encouraged us to do so. Who nourished and protected us with their love and told us that "we can be whoever we want to be, if we believed enough in it." Who allowed us to be who we were supposed to be at the time -- to be just "kids". Those were incredible years and its not because I got everything I wanted (I didn't) but because I got all that I need. I had food, water, clothes, shelter, education and love; all so easily enough and all for FREE.

It is with these thoughts that I also began to wonder how hard it must be for children without parents to look out for love and to seek for protection. And how much worst it is to have to work so hard for what they need and yet to be refused by the world from having it. It is disturbing to grasp the thought that I may only be one of the few exceptions who so loosely sauntered childhood -- not abused in any form. And it's nerving to think that I may be lucky enough to escape slavery but my future children wouldn't.

I admit, I have no personal experience regarding this grueling topic of child slavery and exploitation enough to fully understand the pain and struggle of each survivor of abuse. I can only imagine it. But I think I have so much love built in my heart courtesy of my loved ones, that I am moved to do something. It is also in gratitude of my wonderful past and in remembrance that I was once I child that I began to support Love 146.

And It is also perhaps Love that brought all of us together here at "We are All Human." It is because of our overflowing love that what started as a small tribute to the lovely Bethany Joy Galeotti turn to be huge impacter in the lives of the children at Love146. It's amazing how each of began as loving individuals and became a big group, standing and moving together to end child-sex slavery and exploitation. It's riveting what love can do.

Perhaps it's best that we constantly remind ourselves that we were all once children and that we are capable of loving. That in any case, we are asked the questions "Who could fight for the vulnerable and for those who cannot fight for themselves?", "Who could encouraged the children without parents to dream their dreams?" or "Who could give these children the love they need?"' We can firmly say "I could, you could... WE COULD."

I'll end with a reminder of who we are:

Love Warriors ~n. Fans of BJG brought together out of love.Soldiers of
Love...Defenders of Human Rights.

"We fight because of love,for love,through love. Love is simply what were made of."

And a poem:

Child's Play

If you had been a child like me
You would know how it is to be free
To see all things with innocence and glee
To have a heart as gentle as it can be
And you would grasp how it is to flee

And now with child-like wonder
And loving eyes,
Let's wish all children these,

Wish them peace
Wish them love
And a freedom to enjoy

We wish them glee,
We wish them free,
We wish them to flee,
And to be whoever they want to be.

Happy Easter everyone.

xo,

Charisse

Blindfold

When you think of wearing a blindfold most of the time it is associated with fun activities such as covering your eyes so you can hit a piñata filled with candy, or to pin a cloth tail on a picture of a donkey. All in all, we use blindfolds to keep our eyes from seeing something right in front of us and protecting us from seeing something we choose to be blind to. Once we decide to take off our blindfold, we usually do so with the utmost care and only if we feel confident that what we will see with our new found sight is what we pictured in our heads, perfection.

I have no desire to protect you from the imperfection that will come from taking off the blindfold when it comes to Human Sex Trafficking. There is no perfection when it comes to facing the blinding truth that at any point worldwide 2.5 million victims are trafficked each year. If that in itself isn’t a harsh enough reality let me shine the light even brighter and add that 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. The blinding details don’t stop there. 70% of female victims are trafficked into the commercial sex trade, a trade that’s annual revenue generated by sex trafficking is over 32 billion.

If you are reading these words you can no longer claim ignorance. These facts as blinding as they may be have been passed on to you in the form of a torch. You can hide these facts and these truths in your darkness and in turn blow out your torch and put your blindfold back on. Or you can choose to take your torch and light the torches of others until we are no longer hiding in the dark and in turn no longer have need for our blindfolds. I know what path I have chosen, so the question is now what path will you choose?

If you’d like more information be sure to follow @weareallhumann on twitter

Also my inspiration in part came from the amazing music video done by the band The Click Five you can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_08BBIGkwA8

I'll do it later...

I said almost 3 months ago that I'd contribute to this blog, but this is only my first post. I was too busy, I didn't know what to write, I forgot, had no inspiration, other things were more important... And then I realised - this is so stupid! Why aren't I just writing anything and doing my small bit to promote Love146 and end human trafficking and exploitation?? - it's not that difficult to write a blog entry.

The principal of not putting things off is definitely one that should be applied to fighting human trafficking. There's no time we can waste when people are being treated in ways too hard to imagine. I thought to myself, if i can't even be bothered to write a blog post, I'm certainly not helping in any way. So right now I'm going to do something, anything, to help; starting with this blog. And I urge you to do something too, especially as it's #CharityTuesday. I'll either tell someone about Love146, open someone's eyes to the harsh reality of human trafficking, or donate what I can to this more than worthwhile cause. Do something now, it won't take much, just STOP PUTTING IT OFF. Every second we tell ourselves "I'll do it later" or "They don't want to hear about that..." is a second wasted in the fight to end the suffering and help the victims of this atrocious trade.

So with this short post, all I want to say is Do Something. Now.

-Hallie.