Why I Chose to Work Against Human Trafficking
For me, growing up in a war-torn Colombia meant turning the TV on every night at 7 p.m. to find out how many children were abducted and forcibly enlisted by military groups, or how many people had been killed in rural communities simply for being born in regions where external forces determined their fate. After years of listening to this devastating news play over and over again, the sheer number of victims of these atrocities was impressed on my mind; particularly children kidnapped from their families forced to fight an unnecessary war. The displacement of millions, the death of thousands, and the abduction of hundreds kept growing and there was little I could do from the comfort of my urban lifestyle.
While applying to BYU, I stumbled upon the Ballard Center website. In it they claimed to have programs to help students “Do Good. Better.” The idea of a place where I could make an impact in society while earning my education sounded too good to be true, but I was determined to test it. Since I felt inadequate and incapable of solving such important social problems, it took two semesters after being admitted to BYU to finally step into the center. The student advisor who talked with me mentioned Social Innovation Projects (SIP), an on-campus internship, as a way to get involved. This looked like the perfect opportunity to give back in a meaningful way.
Because of the atrocity of child abduction that was impressed on my mind growing up, I asked to intern with Truckers against Trafficking (TAT), a U.S. based nonprofit that has trained 700,282 truck drivers to recognize and report instances of human trafficking. To date, they have identified 1,183 victims in the U.S. My team was tasked with helping TAT extend its model to Mexico. My determination to stop trafficking led to months of research and interviews with individuals in the field. As a team, we developed a detailed report of the Mexican trucking industry with specific in-country recommendations . On 5 December 2017 our team was excited to see news coverage of TAT and a Mexican non-profit signing an agreement to start the program in Mexico City.
For years I had felt powerless in combating social problems as big as the ones I saw daily in the news growing up. But being involved with SIP and the Ballard Center has helped me find training and resources to make an impact. It was remarkable to make a difference in Mexico without stepping foot off campus. I no longer have to sit and watch as people throughout the world suffer. I am empowered to make a difference, and, moreover, have gained the skills to Do Good. Better.