7th Annual Human Trafficking Symposium
Fighting Slavery: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Let’s Make it History


Colorado Springs, CO – The Human Trafficking Task Force of Southern Colorado is hosting an anti-human trafficking awareness and advocacy day at the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs (UCCS) on October 25th  8:00 – 3:00 in Berger Hall.  The Symposium will bring together groups and individuals interested in learning more about Modern Day Slavery in Colorado. The event is free and open to the public and lunch will be provided. (but registration required)
Media and the public are encouraged to attend all events.  

The day’s schedule is as follows:

•         0815                     Human Trafficking 101 with JoAnn O’Neil

•         0900                     Kick off and Welcome

•         0920- 0955          History – Slavery and Early Abolitionist  with Dr. Thomas Krannawitter

•         0955-1005           Current Abolitionist Movement

•         1005-1035           CSPD Law Enforcement Update

•         1035-1045           10 Minute Break

•         1045-1115           Colorado Today with AJ Alejano-Steele

•         1115-1145           Local Abolitionists Making A Difference – Panel Discussion

•         1145- 1230          Lunch

•         1230                     Special Video

•         1250 -110            Victim Advocates – A lens in our community with David Shaw

•         110- 130              Legislation Update with Dan O’Bryant

•         130- 150              United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – Iris Halpern

•         150 – 205             Break

•         205 – 230             Advocacy Action

•         230 – 300             Wrap Up /Actions

The mission of the Human Trafficking Task Force of Southern Colorado is to build a collaboration of organizations and individuals to reduce human suffering caused by human trafficking, through advocacy, awareness, rehabilitation, and services for survivors.
We are excited to partner with our sponsors UCCS, Zonta Pikes Peak, Lexis Nexis, and Touching the World.


For more information on the task force, please visit www.ht-colorado.org

To register for the free event  Registration   


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note

Ok today sucked.               (this was written several days ago)

Not in the way the military in general can make things miserable… it is bigger than that I guess.

The actually act of being a soldier was good today. I did what I needed to do to accomplish the task, no major issues, went to the shooting range, cleaned my weapon and pretty much did what I needed to do.

I received confirmation from American University that I can take online classes with them over the summer – no issues. The rate per credit hour is absolutely ridiculous but I think the door opened for a reason. That is all I am saying. More to follow on that.  I have been wanting to do this since the 12th grade. Many moons have passed.

Then internally I started feeling something weird. I had just finished reading some open source articles about the events that had taken place in Kabul. Young girls being in school being “poisoned”. Who poisons girl’s in school?  Later I read an article about a young girl taking refuge in a city because her father had married her off to a 36 year old man that already had one wife and her step father allegedly was abusing her.

Then the punch in the stomach came. Two women were murdered on a bus. Why, you ask? Because they were travelling alone without a husband, brother or uncle. Yes, the crime was immediately punished by death.  If everyone would stop blowing the crap out of one another maybe there would be some men folk left.

One recent revelation is that not only are these women struggling for education and  to survive but so many of this young male population are now addicts over here

.

So, it is complication after complication mixed with extremism mixed with 30 years of war poverty and corruption. A cocktail one cannot constantly consume and survive.

On top of all that this happened.  Attack in Afghanistan

These folks live 3 minutes walking distance from me.  One of the Marines was from Colorado. I never met CPL Sonka but I think I would have eventually. He had a working dog and he actually passed us on the dusty running trail with his 4 wheeler a few days ago with his dog.  I love dogs - you know eventually it might have happened.

So, today I dedicate to you CPL Sonka and your dog.

And tomorrow to the ladies that were just trying to get somewhere for something and to the young girl that walks in fear and goes to school anyway.