What is Human Trafficking and how can I make a difference? TMBC + A21

January 24, 2018 1 Comment

The Mailroom Barber Co has taken a stance in the fight against human trafficking since day one. When we first learned about the massive reach of slavery in the world and how it affected us and the products we use every day, we were compelled to get involved. We started making ethically sourced products in 2014 that have clean supply chains in order to join the fight and offer an ethical buying option for consumers in the hair and beard market.

Over the years, we have donated regularly to nonprofits, fundraisers, and charities that have a hand in the fight, and we are proud to announce that we have partnered financially with A21, a group of modern abolitionists, giving a portion of our profit to them to further their incredible work.

What is human trafficking?

“It’s the illegal trade of human beings. It’s the recruitment, control, and use of people for their bodies and for their labor. Through force, fraud, and coercion, people everywhere are being bought and sold against their will–right now in the 21st century.

But phrases like ‘slavery’ and ‘human trafficking’ can still feel ambiguous. This is the reality: slavery is violence. It’s physical, verbal, and sexual abuse. It’s forced prostitution. It’s barbaric working conditions.

Slavery is more stoppable than ever, and that’s why we’re here, rallying around the world and doing the work together.”

A21

How does this affect me?

One of the main ways we encounter slavery is with the products we use. Everything we own and consume is made by people. When people are exploited for their labor, they are forced to make products that end up in our supply chains and on the shelves… at Target, Walmart, on Amazon, in the grocery store, in places that you wouldn’t expect to find slavery.

When we blindly and quietly consume products that have corrupt supply chains, we are directly contributing to the problem because we are voting with our dollars and saying we support the unethical treatment of humans.

How can I make a difference?

Conscious Consumption - Purchase ethically sourced products
Report Suspicious Activity - Click here to learn which signs to watch for
Donate - Click here to donate to A21

We are talking about a global issue and the scale of it is staggering, but if each of us starts with small improvements, we can make a real impact in the long run.

Conscious Consumption can start one product at a time. Being aware of who made your clothes, food, and household items is a great place to begin forming the habit of purchasing ethically made goods. It only takes a bit of digging into companies policies to find out whether they care about the humans in their supply chain or not.

A21

A21 is a non-profit organization fuelled by the radical hope–that human beings everywhere will be rescued from bondage and completely restored. By supporting A21, we are joining them as the new abolitionists of the 21st century. Slavery is often talked about in numbers.

Millions of slaves.

A $150 billion industry.

1% ever rescued.

Those statistics are daunting—and they lose the human element. The heart of A21 is for the one. The one woman, the one man, the one child trapped and exploited, unable to see another end to their story. But A21 sees the one, and fights for the one.

We support A21 so that survivors of human trafficking can be given freedom, independence, and the chance at a better story.

Visit A21.org to learn more about human trafficking, find resources, and get involved.