223 – Live2Free Models Just Choices with a Fashion Show

This episode is brought to you by Vanguard University and the Global Center for Women and Justice, who offer an incredible anti-human trafficking certificate. Whether you're a frontline responder, a social worker, in the ministry, a healthcare provider, or simply a community member who wants to help, this program is built for you. Head over to gcwj.org/ahtc to take the next step and apply today. ---Dr. Sandie Morgan and Dave Stachowiak are joined again by the Live2Free coach, Ruthi Hanchett, along with Live2Free President, Kaleigh Lawrence. Live2Free is a student-led, campus club that stands against the injustice of human trafficking that started at Vanguard University but has expanded to other high schools and colleges throughout the world. On this podcast, they discuss how they focus on justice through their annual Fashion Show event, and how you can be a part of it! Key Points Live2Free exists to challenge our generation to make personal choices that recognize the dignity of the individual, the responsibility of consumers to slow the demand that drives modern-day slavery, and to network with others to rescue, rebuild and restore broken lives of victims worldwide. Through this model and toolkit, you can replicate this opportunity to collaborate, to mentor, and to make a difference right where you are. Resources Live2Free Fair-Trade Fashion Show Community Tool Kit Fair-Trade Fashion Show Blog Post 96 – Coaching Live2free Peer Educators Are you enjoying the show?-fashion-show-toolkit/ If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to subscribe or rate the podcast on iTunes by clicking here. Click here for FAQs about podcasts and how to subscribe. Haven’t been receiving our newsletter? Visit our homepage to join today. Contact us with questions, comments, or suggestions at [email protected]. Transcript Dave [00:00:00] You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking Podcast. This is episode number 223 – Live2Free Models Just Choices with a Fashion Show. Production Credits [00:00:10] Produced by Innovate Learning, Maximizing Human Potential. Dave [00:00:31] Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. My name is Dave Stachowiak. Sandie [00:00:37] And my name is Sandie Morgan. Dave [00:00:39] And this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. And today we have a special episode featuring the wonderful work of Live2Free. You’ve heard about Live2Free many times on the podcast, but today we’re just thrilled to have a couple of our close friends and collaborators with us and to teach us more about what Live2Free is up to today. And for those who have not heard about Live2Free before. Two things I wanted to mention here upfront is the who we are a statement from Live2Free and also the mission. So, Live2Free is a student-led campus club that stands against the injustice of human trafficking that takes place here in the United States and around the world. Live2Free started at Vanguard University but has expanded to other high schools and colleges throughout the world, including places like Argentina. We feel the responsibility as college students to not only make sure we ourselves are educated about human trafficking but to take it one step further and educate our peers, youth, and our community. And the mission is Live2Free exists to challenge our generation to make personal choices that recognize the dignity of the individual, the responsibility of consumers to slow the demand that drives modern-day slavery and to network with others to rescue, rebuild, and restore broken lives of victims worldwide. And Sandie, two friends with us today, they’re going to help us to discover even more. Sandie [00:02:14] I am so excited to welcome to this podcast, Ruthi Hanchett and Kaleigh Lawrence. Ruthi is an adjunct at Vanguard University in the Women and Justice Minor. She is also a former guest on this show, so you can go back and read her very extensive bio. But her focus on empowering children and youth has made her the perfect Live2Free coach. And then our president for this year is Kaleigh Lawrence, who is a senior at Vanguard University. She has completed everything for her Women and Justice minor. She’s been interning on the ground in front line services to at-risk and trafficked youth because she has a solid knowledge base and she has gained so much and done so much, made so much ground in leading Live2Free that I’m really happy to welcome her to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. Ruthi and Kaylie! Ruthi [00:03:26] Thanks for having us. Kaleigh [00:03:27] Thanks, Sandie and Dave. Sandie [00:03:29] So let’s start with you, Ruthi. Tell us what is a Live2Free coach? Ruthi [00:03:34] Well, my job is really to empower the students that are part of the Live2Free club to make a difference, to study the issues of human trafficking, and to act on those issues in their community right now. A big part of the way that we do that is through peer to peer education. So, the students learn about human trafficking and then go out and teach others and they teach fellow students at Vanguard University through events, through fun activities, through social media, all kinds of creative ways. But we also go out to the local high schools and even junior highs to teach them about human trafficking. So, I love being a coach because I get to pass on what I’m learning and what I’ve learned over the years, the experiences I have, to the next generation of abolitionists. And it’s really an exciting process to watch them grow and mature and see the power they have to make a difference in this fight. Sandie [00:04:29] I loved that you said what I’m learning because this is an emerging issue. And every month I’m reading a new article, new research. I’m trying to find ways forward that work better. And I have learned a lot from you as well. The idea of coaching our peers, you do that really well to all of us at the center, Ruthi, so thank you so much. Kaleigh, what about being the president of Live2Free? How long have you been a Live2Free member? Kaleigh [00:05:06] So I became a Live2Free member as soon as I came onto campus. I was at our first meeting and I’ve loved it ever since. Sandie [00:05:14] So how long have you been president? Kaleigh [00:05:17] I’ve been president since May 2019 Sandie [00:05:21] Can you tell me one of the most exciting things that you’ve done this year was the Fair-Trade Fair show. And when I think about the mission statement to challenge a generation, there are so many times when someone wants me to do something that is justice-oriented, and they start with guilt. They stand in front of my grocery store with signs and I found that you and your team found a way to model making just choices in a way that was really comfortable and natural for my peers in my generation, for people in our comm...