A walk for freedom: Locals walk to raise awareness for the 27 million slaves in the world – today

By Jeff Dawsey
| 8:00 a.m. October 19, 2016

Jenni Allen and others wore tape across their mouths to represent all of the voiceless human trafficking victims. Photos by Jeff Dawsey

Kendra Cabral

A21 supporters were instructed to wear only black for the walk.

Kristina Jackson, James Allen, Wendy Cruikshank, Shawn Gui, Kendra Cabral and Sarah Miranda were stationed during the walk, holding up these facts about human trafficking.

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

With mouths taped and dressed in black, a group of locals circled Veterans Park – due to not being able to walk alongside A1A – to raise awareness for human trafficking awareness on Saturday, Oct. 15, in Flagler Beach.

A staunch supporter of non-profit organization A21 – abolishing injustice in the 21^st century – organizer Jenni Allen put together Flagler County’s first walk for freedom for reasons she says locals and U.S. Citizens cannot ignore.

“I was in shock when I found out that human trafficking happened all around the world,” she said. “It’s not just some third-world problem; it happens in our own backyard. I have a friend who is a human trafficking survivor, and it’s very dear to hear also.”

Allen’s walk was one of 270 organized walks that occurred on Oct. 15, all around the world. A21’s goal in raising awareness is to not only raise enough funds to to rescue, restore and rebuild the lives of human trafficking victims and bring awareness to those most at risk, but it also seeks to prosecute the traffickers.

For more information, visit www.a21.org.

DID YOU KNOW? Every 30 seconds, someone becomes a victim of modern-day slavery. The average age of a victim is 12 years old.