Senior Jessica Hill works to raise awareness for slavery

The+End+It+movement+strives+to+raise+awareness+for+slavery.

Carolyn Mason

The End It movement strives to raise awareness for slavery.

Mary Hoyt, Staff Writer

This past week, students had the chance to learn more about the issue of global slavery through Shine a Light on Slavery Day, which promotes awareness about human trafficking. Senior Jessica Hill worked to bring this movement to BSM through her Faith in Action class, giving students the opportunity to stop by her table at lunch that day to draw a red X on their hand in a sign of solidarity with the movement.

The End It Movement is non-profit organization working to bring awareness to human slavery. One of the biggest awareness campaigns is the Shine a Light on Slavery Day, which takes place globally on February 22nd. On this day, people from all over the world write red X’s on their hands to spark conversation about the topic. The red X’s symbolize an end to slavery.

Hill became involved with The End it Movement through her work in Faith in Action, which she was able to use as a catalyst for learning more about the movement and the issue of human trafficking. “Human trafficking is something I am very passionate about, and the work the End It Movement is doing to end slavery is amazing,” Hill said.

The semester long senior class, Faith in Action, is centered around advocacy work and spreading awareness. It is co-taught by Ms. Leah Klister and Ms. Lisa Lenhart-Murphy. Each student is given the semester to study a topic that interests them and use tools, like organizations, to do what they can to help solve the issue. “Faith in Action gives students like Jessica the support and encouragement to engage in advocacy on a global level,” Lenhart-Murphy said

BSM senior Jessica Hill’s project is working to raise awareness in the BSM community about human trafficking. Every student received an email from Hill on Wednesday, February 21st explaining the issue and detailing Shine a Light on Slavery day. This communication served as preparation for the day itself, where Hill set up a lunch booth and invited all of the students to learn more about The End It Movement. “My goal is for as many students as possible to have red X’s and then hopefully people will start talking about it, and soon the whole school will know about it,” Hill said.