Sunday, November 10, 2013

Update - a reminder of why we do what we do

An update on what we at Stone in Shoe have been up to in the last few weeks.

stone in shoe
Stone in Shoe
Hello, everyone! Jess here again. Just wanted to give you all an update on what we've been up to. Our marketing director, Peter, arrived about a month ago now and it's been great having him dive right in. As an avid blogger, he's been invaluable in tweaking our site to make it more functional and user-friendly. As someone who knows next to nothing about these things, I for one am very thankful to have him on board. It's exciting to see things come together and get the ball rolling at Stone in Shoe.

One of the main things we are still working on as a team is gathering content and searching for like-minded photographers to partner with us. We are fortunate to have at this point two very talented photographers willing to join our cause and share their art with Stone in Shoe. I am very excited to post their work on our site in the near future.

We had a chance last week to go out into the city as a team and snap some shots for ourselves. None of us are professional photographers, so it wasn't the most fruitful expedition, but it was great to spend some time out of the office together and get to know our city a little better. We are hoping to go out again soon at night on a weekend to capture a different side of the city. The image below is one we captured on our expedition. It's a sticker that was posted on the wall outside a local go-go bar.

Our team recently had the privilege of speaking with anti-trafficking workers based in a different part of Asia. They shared with us the horrible conditions they had personally witnessed that countless trafficking victims are forced to live in. There are brothels where underage girls are forced to live and work as prostitutes in facilities so unsanitary and decrepit that the area right outside of the building is completely littered with used condoms and soiled toilet paper. Dear friends, no one should have to live this way. It is never pleasant to hear of these accounts, but I am grateful that it was shared with us. It served as a reminder of why we're doing what we're doing. It made me excited again to work for a business that is not simply selling a product to turn up a profit, but is raising awareness and much-needed funding to make a difference in the world.

Perhaps you have heard of similar accounts of injustice. Perhaps you've seen a documentary or read a book that opened your eyes to the horrors people around the world are living every day. I encourage you to not write these accounts off as "far away tales," but instead be painfully reminded that these are real people. Real women. Real children. They have likes and dislikes. They have friends and family and favorite songs. And they are bearing a burden alone.

The path to change starts with awareness. With awareness comes knowledge, and with knowledge comes responsibility. I encourage you to take up that responsibility. As written before, we definitely cannot all be anti-trafficking undercover investigators who personally set the captive free, but we can all do something. Take some time to think about what you can do. What if it was your mother? Your sister? Your daughter? Your friend or neighbor? Do some research. Find a way.

Stone in Shoe is one entity. If you believe in what we stand for, join us. Submit a photo. Spread the word. We would love for as many people as possible to partner with us, whether they be photographers, customers, or advocates, but at the end of the day, we want nothing more than to see slavery come to an end. We don't want to manipulate or pressure anyone into joining us. We do, however, want to see people take action. For you, reader, if that means partnering with Stone in Shoe, wonderful. If that means partnering with another organization, great. Give the voiceless a voice. Ease the burden of the heavy-laden. Take action. Make a difference.

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