Human Rights
Conference
The
theme of this year's 14th Annual Human Rights Conference
was “Strength in Harmony.”
The keynote speaker, Maria Minkova, described modern-day
slavery and how it affects us in Washington State.
Human trafficking, as this type of slavery is called, is
different from smuggling. In smuggling, there’s no
coercion, the person is entering the country illegally,
and is treated as a criminal to be deported. In
human trafficking the person may be entering the country
legally, but there is ensuing exploitation and forced
labor, there is coercion, and the people are victims and
are eligible for assistance.
In Washington, Korean women fly into Canada and then are
taken across the border into Idaho or other rural areas
and enter the sex industry. Southeast Asian
victims often have valid visas but are exploited and put
into slave-like conditions, and of course many migrant
workers are never able to pay off their loans and work
in servitude-like conditions.
Albert Mensah, who grew up in a village in Ghana, was an
extraordinarily motivating and inspiring speaker.
His rules for life are:
-
Preparation
- Keep raising the bar, and continue your education;
-
Cultivate relationships - Be a mentor and have a
mentor;
-
Muster your courage, take risks, sacrifice;
-
Conquer your old negative self-talk; and
-
Have an attitude of gratitude - Take nothing for
granted.
Sarah van
Gelder was selected for the Kitsap County Council for
Human Rights Wall of Fame for her work with Suquamish
Olalla Neighbors to have Old Man House Park returned to
the tribe and for her work with YES Magazine.
Our own Jerry Hebert was selected for the 2003 Wall of
Fame.
The conference was a rewarding experience. I encourage
everyone to consider attending next year.
