A simple how-to guide for advocating on your college campus
Publicly advocating for a cause on a college campus can feel intimidating. It requires time, effort, vulnerability and often a process of trial and error. You might be held back by questions like, Where do I even start? What if I don’t get much of a response? What if no one else cares?
Fighting human trafficking can pose an even greater challenge in the context of a college campus. Students may eat at on-campus venues every single day that may or may not source their food ethically. They may frequently shop at stores that may or may not have upstanding manufacturing practices. Generally speaking, college students do not have an abundance of financial resources to put towards a cause, no matter how necessary or noble. And they are almost guaranteed to feel too busy and hurried to add “fight human trafficking” to their to-do list.
Given these challenges, how can you be an effective advocate on your college campus?
Perhaps you have never publicly advocated against trafficking on your campus before, or perhaps you are already a confident advocate and want to take your advocacy skills to the next level. Wherever you are in this process as a college advocate, here are some ideas to make your advocacy more efficient, productive and impactful.
1. Work past your advocacy anxieties.
If you are nervous about speaking out against trafficking, start with baby steps. Add one of Dressember’s social media posts or blog articles to your Instagram story. If you have Dressember dresses or buttons from past years, wear them and tell people where you got them when they ask. Add an informative link about human trafficking to the bio on your social media pages. Prepare a 30-second “elevator pitch” that helps others understand the definition of human trafficking and why you care about this topic. The critical first step to eradicating human trafficking is helping others recognize that there is a problem, and these baby steps help get the ball rolling.
2. Find venues to educate and fundraise.
College campuses are full of opportunities to bring anti-trafficking efforts to the front burner. If you’re attending school in person, you can print off Dressember’s graphics and statistics and place them around busy spaces on campus (like the restrooms, dorm hallways or library). You might also invite anti-trafficking advocates to speak at a campus convocation event, a club meeting or even in one of your classes! Or, invite friends to an informal documentary-watching party. Dressember’s blog contains several articles that feature reviews for accurate and engaging films that focus on human trafficking. Check out this article for tips on hosting your own COVID-safe watch party.
3. Start or join a Campus Chapter with International Justice Mission.
IJM is the largest international anti-trafficking organization and a member of the Dressember Network. It has excellent resources to educate and empower students right where they are. Head over to their website to find resources for your college community, including information on how to host documentary screenings or start a formal Campus Chapter.
4. Host a secondhand clothing and ethical food event.
If there’s anything college students love, it’s fun events and good food! Advertise your event among friends and classmates. You can host the event in a friend’s backyard, at a park or in a public space on campus where students can learn more about trafficking… and have fun doing it! Attendees could bring old clothes to exchange. Print off infographics and other easy-to-understand resources that provide an introduction to the problem of human trafficking or tips on ethical consumerism. Consider suggesting a $5 donation from attendees that could be put towards providing ethically and sustainably-sourced snacks during the event. If you have excess contributions, you could even donate them to Dressember! Of course, safety comes first, so if it won’t be plausible to host a socially distanced event, you can always host a Zoom happy hour or start a Facebook group for swapping clothes online.
5. Talk with professors and administrators about ethical practices.
Creating positive change on a broader, university-wide level takes creativity and persistence. By talking with professors and administrators about how much ethical consumption and anti-trafficking efforts matter to you and to other students, your college can become a more mindful and ethical institution. All colleges that strive to create a better future should be concerned with several key social issues, including reducing food waste, operating sustainably, upholding workers’ rights and providing a quality education for all people. All of these concerns are interconnected with the problem of human trafficking. Challenge those who influence the trajectory of your campus to speak and act in ways that help your institution do its part to end human trafficking.
Being a 20-something does not mean that your influence is limited.
In fact, being a part of a college community means that your network is likely to be much wider than you think. College campuses are filled with individuals who enjoy learning, who are striving to create a better world for the next generation and who hope to make a meaningful difference. Bringing these five ideas into conversation with your network of roommates, classmates, professors and mentors can create a powerful change in the fight against human trafficking.
About the Author
Holland Freeman is a Pacific Northwest native and pine tree enthusiast studying Religion and Conflict Management at Pepperdine University. She is keen on exploring this lovely earth by lacing up her running shoes, backpacking through the forest, and journaling on a European train heading who-knows-where. She plans to continue in her passion for advocacy and human rights through graduate studies in the field of Theology and Peace Studies.