Dear Friend,
Does human trafficking seem to be an impossible problem? You may wonder how you, or anyone, can go up against an illicit enterprise that generates over $150 billion profit per year worldwide. Especially as this criminal business is all around us, at work not only through sexual exploitation ($99 billion), but also in such familiar industries as construction, mining, manufacturing and utilities ($34 billion); agriculture, forestry and fishing ($9 billion); and domestic servitude ($8 billion) (International Labour Organization 2014 Report).
Its only natural to feel overwhelmed when considering the scale and complexity. ALIGHT is here to remind you that there are real people with real stories who are impacted by these large forces — and we can do better with better tools.
Through the ALIGHT Legal Needs Matching Pilot (with 4Bells app), we are launching a Colorado-based pilot of innovative needs-matching mobile technology that aims to improve access to under-utilized legal resources for human trafficking survivors. Survivors’ problems are often basic and crucial to resolve — issues like housing, child custody and sealing criminal records. The Pilot is advancing through our technology partnership with Caravan Studios (a division of TechSoup and pioneer in community-drive solutions), collaboration with local service providers and lawyers, as well as the knowledgeable advice of distinguished lawyers on our Legal Advisory Council. Likewise, we are grateful for assistance provided by the Freedom Collaborative and Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence to raise awareness of our anti-trafficking efforts.
Be part of the solution with us! To participate in the ALIGHT Legal Needs Matching Pilot (with 4Bells app), read the Call for Pilot Participants and Call for ALIGHT Legal Advisory Council Members below, and get in touch with us at connect@alightnet.org.
In Full Light,
The ALIGHT Team
ALIGHT ENVISIONS a world where anti-trafficking professionals have the resources to achieve justice and restitution for victims of human trafficking. Our MISSION is to enable anti-trafficking advocates and legal providers to connect across borders and build solutions together.
ALIGHT LEGAL NEEDS MATCHING PILOT (WITH 4BELLS APP)
The Pilot uses real-time, mobile technology to match Need to relevant and available Expertise. With direct and easy access to legal resources and knowledge, precious time is not wasted on coordination, and more of the survivors’ diverse, nuts-and-bolts problems can be expediently resolved.
CALL FOR PILOT PARTICIPANTS!
ALIGHT is seeking additional Need and Expertise. To participate in the Pilot visit alightnet.org/our-solution and write to connect@alightnet.org for more information.
Need: service providers and advocates who work directly with human trafficking survivors and have a need for legal expertise
- human trafficking community organizations
- youth, LGBTQI and immigrant community-based services
- nonprofit legal providers
- public defenders
- victim’s assistance organizations
- domestic violence and sexual assault organizations
- Expertise: lawyers with expertise in different areas of law who are matched to need based on their availability and skills
(e.g., attorneys in law firms or private practice, corporate counsel, pro bono attorneys and legal service providers)
- immigration law
- family law
- civil litigation
- criminal law
- tax law
- general, commercial and contract law
Benefits
- IMPROVE SERVICE on client’s complex, diverse legal needs
- ACCESS PRO BONO EXPERTISE in multiple legal areas
- SAVE TIME
- STRENGTHEN anti-trafficking resource network
- EXPLORE innovative needs-matching mobile technology
CALL FOR ALIGHT LEGAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS!
ALIGHT is seeking additional lawyers for the Council. Please write to connect@alightnet.org for more information.
The ALIGHT Legal Advisory Council supports ALIGHT as we encounter new and key issues related to extending technological innovation to the legal representation of trafficking survivors.
The Council is composed of leaders in the legal community with expertise in areas including human and civil rights, intellectual property and technology law, cybersecurity, criminal law and finance/business law. Council members contribute their skills and expertise to advise on law and technology, and other issues related to the Pilot.
ALIGHT is honored to have Michael Cheroutes, Counsel at Hogan Lovells, Stephen Jewett, Counsel at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, Edward Ramey, Partner at Tierney Lawrence, and Bob Connelly, former Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at US WEST join the Council.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS BORDERS
JUNE 21, 2016 ALIGHT PRESENTATION AT STATE DEPARTMENT “COMBATTING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS” FOREIGN DELEGATE MEETING
ALIGHT was pleased to engage with 20 international trafficking experts from over 15 countries on barriers to collaboration and their solutions. Our discussion was enriched by breadth of knowledge that encompassed on-the-ground experience of government officials, gender specialists, police and border control officers, researchers and advocates, and situations as varied as New Zealand, Slovakia and Timor-Leste. Many offered insights into the painstaking process of network-building. Our team’s Marianna Kosharovsky, Molly McClurg, Jill Cruickshank and Sophia McDonald Bennett presented on ALIGHT’s innovations in this area through needs matching, and provided social media ideas for translating public awareness into engagement. Special thanks to eLiberare for sharing their examples from Romania.
Our ongoing interactions with valued partners across borders continue to help ALIGHT grow our global network and strengthen resources. Thank you to our guests, and to Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC for graciously hosting the event.
UPCOMING 2016 ANTI-TRAFFICKING EVENTS
SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 FREEDOM FORUM, CHICAGO, IL
SEPTEMBER 22-23, 2016 13TH ANNUAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING & SOCIAL JUSTICE CONFERENCE, TOLEDO, OH
OCTOBER 23-26, 2016 28TH ANNUAL COLORADO VICTIM’S ASSISTANCE CONFERENCE, KEYSTONE, CO
NOVEMBER 4-5, 2016 REGIS UNIVERSITY 2016 CSI CONFERENCE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, DENVER, CO
NOVEMBER 17-18, 2016 BREAKING THE CYCLE CONFERENCE, DAR ES SALAMN, TANZANIA
CHAMPIONS OF LIGHT
Congratulations to Colleen Abdoulah, ALIGHT’s first Champion of Light! The Champion of Light Program is an opportunity for individuals, professional services firms or corporations whose values and mission are consistent with ALIGHT to support our work through sponsorship. Champions of Light play an early, critical role in supporting our innovative anti-human trafficking endeavor to ensure that lawyers and advocates have the tools to collaborate across borders and provide justice for victims of human trafficking.
CHAMPION OF LIGHT COLLEEN ABDOULAH
Colleen Abdoulah is the Board Chair of WorldPulse, and former CEO and Board Chair of WOW! Internet, Cable and Phone. As the CEO of WOW!, Ms. Abdoulah was the only female to lead a top-ten cable operating company. Under her leadership, WOW! has earned an unprecedented 19 JD Power and Associates awards for customer satisfaction, multiple top-provider awards from Consumer Reports, the PC Magazine Readers’ Choice Award for top cable Internet service provider.
INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAMPION OF LIGHT?
You, too, can participate. Learn about the different ways Champions of Light support ALIGHT here, then email our Executive Director Marianna Kosharovsky.
TO LEARN MORE
To learn more about human trafficking, we invite you to visit our Resources page, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. These recent posts were popular in our community:
Carmen, an inspiring example of life after trafficking
Trafficking survivors in Nepal share stories with photographer
Memex search tools seek traffickers on hidden internet
SUSPECT HUMAN TRAFFICKING NEAR YOU?
If you are anywhere in the US:
Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
If you are specifically in Colorado:
Call the CoNEHT Hotline: 1-866-455-5075
