the back of the house... "hall hotel" - and egc to the right
Tremont St.
art is always around the corner... sometimes it is in places least expected. take notice. enjoy.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
sunset in the south end
the back of the house... "hall hotel" - and egc to the rightTremont St.
art is always around the corner... sometimes it is in places least expected. take notice. enjoy.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
musings...
I want to write more - I need to - to spread awareness, to process, to share. I'm just having trouble finding the words... the right way to untangle all that is swirling around in my brain... but I'll attempt...
obviously the issue of slavery is first to jump into my mind when i try to process... i'm thinking about the issue in some way, seemingly always. I am realizing - when someone asks me what i'm doing now after college, I can't even help but share about the issue of human trafficking - because that IS what i am doing and focusing on. I feel bad though sometimes, because people are not expecting it, and often have never heard about it - and it just changes the mood ... but then, really it is merely taking away the layer of "everything is fine" from our outlook on our world and our place in it... sometimes it takes that splash of cold water - to get our perspective back on things that matter. (but there are moments i feel bad being the bearer of cold water ...and there are moments i'm most happy to)
Human Trafficking - Slavery - Child Sexual Exploitation - Prostitution - Domestic House Servants - Labour Trafficking - Debt Bondage - Sex Trafficking - Child Soldiers... all names of this attrocity - capturing, buying and selling - coersion, oppression, rape, dehuminization - stripping away every scrapp of dignity and sense of self worth - telling lies, forcing druggs, capturing, tricking, tempting... the games are evil and sick, and happen far too often! young children, girls and women and men too... are undergoing a living hell... right here, right now, as we are sitting in front of our computers.
We talk about the importance of education, awareness, research, data collection, legislation, trainings... and yes, we need all of that -but what about the victims? how much longer are they going to be stuck? trapped in this, the "land of the free" ?! we can't lose sight of their stories, their struggles, their pain.
that feels overwhelming - yet it is necessary.
I'm learning the universal shortcomings of humans... even in the midst of helping combat an issue like human trafficking, people get caught up in their own agendas - their own dislikes, and steryotyping judgements of others. We are trying to work together - to bring the community together around this issue, and yet there are people here who say "she just ruffles my feathers" or " i don't like working with them" ... it has been called a "political game" like "hearding cats" - trying to network with the law enforcement, and the social services, the students, churches... trying to set up housing, and support for victims. I don't really see it as that bad - at least not yet. Perhaps its just because i'm new on the scene. But, i do see many challenges - I think a huge thing we need is a big picture - a plann as we move a head - some common goal that we aim towards, and get on similar footing with others. Also, it helps everyone to keep moving forward, and not backslide. We need to set goals, and then reach them, and set new goals.
Boston has a very advanced task force - which has been trying to do this networking already - perhaps more from the top down aproach. Lacking the grassroots student and faith based communities -but now those peices are being added. The task force meetings need to be productive. They need to have clear concise agendas, and get things moving. Karen is seen as the "matriarch" of the situation here in Boston - yet, she has been sholdering way too much over the last five years. She is going to burn out! We all need to figure out a way to share the burdans, and have the Task force spread out responsibilities -I'm dreaming up an idea for something, might be called the "Task Force Community Support Network" - or something like that. And we can help to regulate/coordinate volunteers and awareness/trainings/funding... because right now Karen is doing most of that - and that is just too much, on top of everything else she has going on.
There are already some good networks going between the social services - such as the TVOS network, and the SEEN coalition - and the Asian Taskforce against DV. Then there are random groups and NGOs who are doing work with the issue of trafficking, including IIB. The social serves are needed for a variety of things - and we all need to be talking and working together to provide this - Housing, leagal advocacy and help with visas, and all kinds of things. Also trauma care/ counsiling, and reintegration - job alternatives, training, and maybe english classes, if they rae internationals staying - or helping them return home - if it is safe for them to do so.
The students, churches, and other community members are also incredibly important though - awareness, and education - for prevention of the problem - also academic knowlede and study of the issue - and data collection.
there's a bit of the picture...
obviously the issue of slavery is first to jump into my mind when i try to process... i'm thinking about the issue in some way, seemingly always. I am realizing - when someone asks me what i'm doing now after college, I can't even help but share about the issue of human trafficking - because that IS what i am doing and focusing on. I feel bad though sometimes, because people are not expecting it, and often have never heard about it - and it just changes the mood ... but then, really it is merely taking away the layer of "everything is fine" from our outlook on our world and our place in it... sometimes it takes that splash of cold water - to get our perspective back on things that matter. (but there are moments i feel bad being the bearer of cold water ...and there are moments i'm most happy to)
Human Trafficking - Slavery - Child Sexual Exploitation - Prostitution - Domestic House Servants - Labour Trafficking - Debt Bondage - Sex Trafficking - Child Soldiers... all names of this attrocity - capturing, buying and selling - coersion, oppression, rape, dehuminization - stripping away every scrapp of dignity and sense of self worth - telling lies, forcing druggs, capturing, tricking, tempting... the games are evil and sick, and happen far too often! young children, girls and women and men too... are undergoing a living hell... right here, right now, as we are sitting in front of our computers.
We talk about the importance of education, awareness, research, data collection, legislation, trainings... and yes, we need all of that -but what about the victims? how much longer are they going to be stuck? trapped in this, the "land of the free" ?! we can't lose sight of their stories, their struggles, their pain.
that feels overwhelming - yet it is necessary.
I'm learning the universal shortcomings of humans... even in the midst of helping combat an issue like human trafficking, people get caught up in their own agendas - their own dislikes, and steryotyping judgements of others. We are trying to work together - to bring the community together around this issue, and yet there are people here who say "she just ruffles my feathers" or " i don't like working with them" ... it has been called a "political game" like "hearding cats" - trying to network with the law enforcement, and the social services, the students, churches... trying to set up housing, and support for victims. I don't really see it as that bad - at least not yet. Perhaps its just because i'm new on the scene. But, i do see many challenges - I think a huge thing we need is a big picture - a plann as we move a head - some common goal that we aim towards, and get on similar footing with others. Also, it helps everyone to keep moving forward, and not backslide. We need to set goals, and then reach them, and set new goals.
Boston has a very advanced task force - which has been trying to do this networking already - perhaps more from the top down aproach. Lacking the grassroots student and faith based communities -but now those peices are being added. The task force meetings need to be productive. They need to have clear concise agendas, and get things moving. Karen is seen as the "matriarch" of the situation here in Boston - yet, she has been sholdering way too much over the last five years. She is going to burn out! We all need to figure out a way to share the burdans, and have the Task force spread out responsibilities -I'm dreaming up an idea for something, might be called the "Task Force Community Support Network" - or something like that. And we can help to regulate/coordinate volunteers and awareness/trainings/funding... because right now Karen is doing most of that - and that is just too much, on top of everything else she has going on.
There are already some good networks going between the social services - such as the TVOS network, and the SEEN coalition - and the Asian Taskforce against DV. Then there are random groups and NGOs who are doing work with the issue of trafficking, including IIB. The social serves are needed for a variety of things - and we all need to be talking and working together to provide this - Housing, leagal advocacy and help with visas, and all kinds of things. Also trauma care/ counsiling, and reintegration - job alternatives, training, and maybe english classes, if they rae internationals staying - or helping them return home - if it is safe for them to do so.
The students, churches, and other community members are also incredibly important though - awareness, and education - for prevention of the problem - also academic knowlede and study of the issue - and data collection.
there's a bit of the picture...
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