Meet Morgan!
Morgan Wiersma is new to this whole Dressember thing. Back in November, she was on Chicago’s Blue Line heading back from the airport when she clicked on a Facebook link that eventually took her to Blythe Hill’s TED Talk. She had seen a few friends here and there participate over the years, but this was her first time looking into what Dressember actually was. The video surprised Morgan, who was shocked to find how little she knew about the issue. She cried right there on the train and became passionate about the cause very quickly. She says that it’s typical of her to become very involved in something that so strongly touches her heart.
2017 was her first year participating in Dressember, and with the help of her family and friends she raised over $700! She loved being able to make a small choice that impacted the lives of human trafficking victims, and will be sure to keep participating in the years to come.
In the midst of advocating, Morgan found out about the editorial internship opportunities and knew she had to apply. You see, she has wanted to be a writer for a long time and is also passionate about social issues, and it took this opportunity for her to realize that she could combine her two loves! “Everything just clicked,” she claimed.
“Everything just clicked.”
As she was finishing up assignments and applying for the internship, Morgan looked around her and realized that half of the things in her apartment were likely produced as a result labor exploitation. “It hit me, and I decided to apply to the internship and get involved as much as possible.” While she claims she isn’t big on shopping and does not need to have new clothes all the time, Morgan feels a very strong need for coffee, which is known as a product with common slave labor and unsustainable sourcing issues. She hopes that her own advocacy will change her and others’ coffee habits, over time.
What she loves about the Dressember blog is that it raises awareness, makes a point to cover everything, brings up lots of different areas of human trafficking, is a resource, and most importantly sounds like a real person explaining it to you. Morgan’s absolute favorite thing about the blog is that everybody who writes for it takes big, convoluted issues and breaks them down into more digestible pieces.
So far, Morgan has had the pleasure to write on a variety of topics, including app reviews for buying clothes second-hand and discussing how to support communities that are vulnerable to human trafficking. While it is easy to focus on fighting the industry, our primary job as advocates is to support the survivors and those susceptible to human trafficking entry.
Morgan’s absolute favorite thing about the blog is that everybody who writes for it takes big, convoluted issues and breaks them down into more digestible pieces.
Even though a lot of Morgan’s writing time goes to school assignments and the blog, she makes time to journal every morning. She enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones, including her boyfriend who is going to school in Milwaukee. When she has the time to do so, she makes small art projects, and she is always drinking coffee - she even had to make herself another pour-over while I was talking to her!
Originally from the suburbs of Minneapolis, Morgan currently lives in downtown Chicago with her bunny, Lola. She is finishing up her Associate’s Degree this spring at Chicago City Colleges and hopes to transfer to a four-year college to continue studying Sociology and English. Her dream job is advocacy writing for a nonprofit, so this internship really is the perfect fit.
I am encouraged by Morgan’s success as a first-time Dressember advocate and excited to see what she continues to do for this cause. I also look forward to reading her blog pieces, as I hope you are too, now that you know her a little better.
Are you interested in joining the Dressember team? Intern Applications are now open! Apply by June 18th to be considered for our Fall internships starting in September 2018.
XO
About the Author
Rae Rohm is an avid baker, an enthusiastic storyteller, and a thoughtful writer who hails from Delaware. She is a graduate of Biola University, where she studied journalism. When she is not teaching people about the glories of her home state, she can be found enjoying nature with her sweet but mischievous puppy, singing along to music while running on the treadmill, and making gifts for her family and friends. Rae loves using her skills and talents to bring all people - past and present, near and far - into fellowship with one another.