5 Celebrities Working to End Modern-Day Slavery

[http://endslaverynow.org/learn/slavery-today]. For some it is
domestic servitude, while others are victims of sex trafficking or forced
labor. Whether there are chains or not, slavery today exists in every part of
the world and often preys on the fears, isolation, and vulnerable status of its
victims.

Restavek Freedom is dedicated to ending child slavery in
Haiti in our lifetime. We applaud and salute all those raising awareness of the
issue of modern-day slavery, and that includes a number of celebrities who have
given their platform to this issue.

Fighting slavery is something that can unite us as humans…
who will admit to being “for” slavery (besides those directly benefiting from
it)? It certainly is something that unites this diverse collection of
celebrities, and we hope more will lend their voice to this cause!

1.  Ashley Judd

Ashley Tyler Ciminella (a.k.a. Ashley Judd) is an actress
who has starred in such films as Divergent,
Heat, and Double Jeopardy, and she is very well known for her humanitarian
efforts and activism. Her family members Naomi and Wynonna are popular country
artists, and she is often found at Kentucky Wildcats’ basketball games. She is
set to star in the film Trafficked,
which was inspired by the lives of real women, and follows the story of three
women trafficked to a brothel in Texas and their daring escape. She hosted a
segment in A Path Appears, focusing
on human trafficking occurring right here in the U.S., and she has teamed up
with Half the Sky Movement to support its work against human sex trafficking.

2. Common

The only one on this list who has won both a Grammy and an
Oscar, Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr (a.k.a. Common) is a hip hop artist, actor and
poet. He appeared in movies such as Smokin’
Aces and Selma, and has authored
his memoir, One Day It’ll Make Sense.
With all that creative activity, how has he had time for anything else? Not
sure, but he appeared in the Freedom Project documentary “Common Dreams”, aired
on CNN,
which focuses on the plight of restaveks and features Restavek Freedom. This form of modern-day slavery affects as many as
300,000 children in Haiti.

3. Natalie Grant

Natalie Grant (a.k.a. Natalie Grant… the only one of these
five to use her birth name) is a singer-songwriter who has won multiple Dove
awards and has been nominated for a Grammy. The Gospel Music Association named
her Female Vocalist of the Year four years in a row. She is also an actress and
author, and has used much of her platform to campaign against human
trafficking. She founded the Home Foundation, which became Abolition
International and recently merged with a few other anti-trafficking groups to
re-form Hope for Justice as a worldwide organization.
They identify and rescue victims and
work in areas such as after-care to rebuild lives affected by trafficking.

4. Ricky Martin

We all know Enrique Martin Morales (a.k.a. Ricky Martin)
loves to be Livin’ la Vida Loca, but what you might not know is that can often
entail fighting against human trafficking. He not only helped make America
aware of Latin pop music, but has also helped raise awareness on the evils of
modern-day slavery. He is the founder of the Ricky Martin Foundation, which
educates the public about the existence of human trafficking, “through research
and community initiatives, anchored in the defense of children and youth
rights.” In fact, the United States
Department of State awarded him as being one of their Heroes in Ending
Modern-Day Slavery.

5.  Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook (a.k.a. Alicia Keys) has won a bunch of
Grammy awards, released multiple number one hits, and sold millions of albums.
She is also an actress, appearing in TV shows and movies like Smokin’ Aces (a connection to Common).  In the philanthropic world, she is best known
for advocating on the HIV/AIDS issue as the co-founder of Keep a Child Alive.
However, she has also leant her voice to speak up for victims of slavery.  She has read poetry written by human
trafficking survivors, and has
mobilized her followers to participate in a protest organized by the Coalition
Against Trafficking Women.

What other celebrities do you know who are engaged in ending
modern day slavery?  Your submission
could be part of our next blog!