Photos: (Getty)
If you had been around at the time, would you have protested in Tiananmen Square? Would you have watched the Berlin Wall come down? Thanks to a new video campaign, Be Here Now, you can stand on the winning side of history in one of today's biggest battles: modern-day slavery.
You've probably heard of modern-day slavery and human trafficking, but did you know that there are more people enslaved today than there have been at any other point in history? Thanks to a grant from Google, Made In A Free World has partnered with Polaris Project and International Justice Mission to produce the three-part video collaboration entitled Be Here Now.
The videos feature three significant moments in human rights history: the fall of the Berlin Wall, MLK's March on Washington, and protests in Tiananmen Square. The idea for the campaign is simple: if you would have been there then, you should be here now.
So how do you get involved in the fight against modern-day slavery? Below are four examples of how you can make sure you're standing on the winning side of history:
+ Insert Yourself into the Historical Footage
Thanks to some fun technology, you have the option to insert yourself into the historical moments. All you have to do is upload your picture; your image will be used in the video, which you can then send to all of your friends. Your friends will see that you're pledging your support to free the 27 million people who are enslaved today, which will make them want to join in on the action. Because who doesn't want to be a modern-day freedom fighter?
+ Ask Your Senators to Double the Funding
When you click on the button that directs you to "Ask your Senators to double the funding," you are redirected to the Made In A Free World site. The site features a video and campaign, #ImWithLincoln, which urges users to tell their Senators to double the spending to fight domestic. If you're wondering where Honest Abe comes in, asking your Senators to ask is exactly what Lincoln did; he moved Congress to act on domestic slavery all those years ago.
+ Advocate for Kids, Not Criminals
Scroll down and you'll be asked to "Advocate for Kids, Not Criminals;" when you click on the button, you'll be directed to a change.org petition on behalf of Polaris Project. As the petition explains, "Polaris Project is trying to make 2013 the last year a 15-year-old can be tossed into jail and treated like a criminal despite being a victim of commercial sexual exploitation."
+ Ask the President to Fight for Freedom
Finally, you'll find your way to the Freedom Commons, created by the International Justice Mission. There, you can use your voice to ask President Obama to use his second term to "help make freedom real for children and families around the world waiting for rescue."
Outside of this amazing campaign, you can also learn more about fighting slavery on each of the organization's sites. Made In A Free World produces "innovative campaigns, front line projects, consumer engagement tools, and marketable business solutions to get slavery out of our system once and for all." Polaris Project pushes for "stronger federal and state laws, operates the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (1-888-373-7888), conducting trainings, and provides vital services to victims of trafficking." International Justice Mission lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals "work with local officials to secure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to ensure that public justice systems - police, courts and laws - effectively protect the poor."
Once you insert yourself into the Be Here Now videos, make sure to send us the link via Twitter! Do your part to be a modern-day freedom fighter.
