Diamond Bar High School students will take their first steps on The Walk Against Human Trafficking, an awareness event planned for Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Chino Hills Shoppes. Aside from the contributions of Calliope Poetry Club, National Honors Society has also helped with the event by having its members make encouraging signs for the event participants and volunteer at the event.
Organized by La Veda Drvol, one of the founders of the Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (CASE), the event consists of a 2.8 mile walk, live performers, and a candlelight vigil with speeches from congressman Ed Royce, assemblyman Curt Hagman, and the Chino Hills Mayor, Ed Graham. A DBHS student will also give a speech introducing Calliope Poetry Club, which has held a poetry contest and published poetry books in honor of the event. At the event, winning poems will be read and organizations including Faces of Slavery, CASE, Traffick Free Pomona will be setting up exhibitions for more awareness of the issue.
The walk is primarily focused on raising awareness of human trafficking, or slavery, and raising funds through the various exhibitors, who will offer opportunities to donate to organizations that help victims of the trade. Human trafficking includes forced labor, sexual exploitation, and organ harvesting from victims who are mostly children and teenagers.
Many people have limited knowledge of this global issue, even though illegal slave trade is everywhere in the United States, even in suburban communities. One human trafficking hot spot is nearby in San Bernardino County. The Walk Against Human Trafficking is a small step to increase awareness and potentially save lives.