[Close To Home]
A great start to raise awareness of human trafficking through the public eye is in your neighborhood. You don’t have to do grand things to affect others when the same affect can still be achieved with the people within your proximity.
Raising awareness on an issue that requires timely sacrifice from your own busy life, are only unrealistic expectations held in your limited beliefs. Starting simple is enough. I think many of us assume otherwise that such an effect would not startle extreme measures towards a finished goal. But we don’t realize the ripple effect in this case can make that difference. We don’t need to worry and complain how long it will take to tackle the end of a cause.
All that useless energy can be invested into the present moment to take some measure of action. Imagine everyone becoming aligned with this thought. The ripple effect will cause a tsunami effect, and in no time more women and young children enslaved within the sex trade will be able to roam free. But for now a step by step action from all of us could help achieve that ultimate goal.
[Making Flyers]
The neighborhood I live in is very multi-cultural with an area filled with many families, some with young children. There is a day-care center in the middle of it all. One way to reach out to your neighborhood is creating a simple flyer, like the ones I created in the photo. Before creating flyers, I wanted something the neighborhood could relate to, something that could really get their attention instead of stating general facts about the issue. It made sense to base the flyers around the issues of children in sex trades.
As a designer in love with infographic design, I thought why not use my passion into this cause. This was something I was excited about because I was able to use my typography skills to stir people’s minds about a serious issue. It’s just amazing what information can do, once presented in a structured and appealing manner. I also used different colored paper and mailed them a little after the mailman came. Just so it could be presented a little more distinguished. To end off the flyer I added website links to human trafficking sites if people decide to be further informed.
[Learning Through The Process]
When reading some online research to add to my flyer, I learned more facts along the way. The first paragraph explains some definition of Domestic Trafficking which I was not aware of until recently. I realized this would be perfect to add to the flyer coming from a government site. It needed some credibility from a reliable source.
[Concerns]
This has nothing to do with manipulating others to take action, even for a good cause. Since we get bombarded with so many flyers in the mail that eventually get chucked away, there needed to be a reason why this flyer was deserving of their attention. The intention was to at least get people’s minds stirring about the issue. Most importantly, have parents take more caution towards their children using the internet. As I’ve recently found, children/young girls and online chatting could lead to Domestic Trafficking.
When making flyers, I was aware that paper will do no justice to the environment but I plan to do more online awareness as well. I find that mailing flyers can still be effective for some of those who are less virtually cyber-space-inclined, and thought it would help to set apart from the endless bombardment of online awareness. That way when people receive the flyer in their hand, it’s more personal. Most likely people could take time to read it, and enough time so they can scan the info as quickly as it reaches their hearts. I was happy to get out myself and mail out 87 flyers. That was a good feeling.
With some basic facts, and how a simple flyer can connect a cause to the general public, I hope the issue will educate others on what is still held unknown by many. Onto another little mission!
