College Hosts Event to Stop Human Slavery posted 9/18/07
Adrian’s abolitionist history fits well with national ‘Not For Sale’ campaign

ADRIAN, Mich. – Not everyone thinks of slavery as a big issue anymore. Maybe back in 1859, when Adrian College was founded as an abolitionist college. But now?

Try telling that to the 27 million people currently living in slavery throughout the world.

To raise awareness about the issue, the College will host the “Not for Sale” tour on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. in Dawson Auditorium. This educational presentation focuses upon the continuing presence of slavery in today's world.

The series of events is part of a ministry organized by Dr. David Batstone, author of the 2007 book “Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade – and How We Can Fight It” (HarperOne). A longtime advocate for social justice, Batstone first became aware of slavery today when one of his favorite restaurants ended up on the front page for enslaving illegal immigrants. He was shocked that this could happen right under his nose. He is now an impassioned spokesperson for the cause, and is the founder of the Not for Sale campaign.

In keeping with Adrian College’s abolitionist tradition, the Chaplain's Office and Office of Multicultural Programs at Adrian College have stepped forward to host one of the Not for Sale consciousness-raising events.

The Adrian College event will include:

- Speakers on slavery today, including Dr. David Batstone.

- Clips from Not for Sale’s new film, “Concert to End Slavery” (which features major bands and international leaders who have joined the cause)

- Suggestions and opportunities for action

The event may also include live music by Justin Dillon, singer and producer of the film.

Adrian students are getting involved with the anti-slavery movement in several ways. The campus’ Amnesty International group and the Religious Life organizations are helping to set up for the Sept. 27 event. All freshmen take a class called First Year Experience (FYE), and approximately one third of them are assigned to read Batstone’s book, “Not for Sale.” And FYE students later this semester will run a craft sale on campus to promote fair trade and to benefit artisans from underdeveloped countries.

Carolyn Gibbs, Adrian College senior, was very impressed when Batstone spoke on campus and visited one of her classes last semester. Slavery is an issue she has come to care about deeply.

“Around the world and just outside our doors, people are being bought and sold or even stolen for free labor,” she said. “There is a huge industry worldwide that uses children – sometimes as young as five years old – as sex slaves. It's disgusting.

“This event is an opportunity for this campus to stand up for something that it stood for nearly 150 years ago, to see the injustice of the world and do something about it,” she continued.

CBS News recently aired a three-part series called “Against Their Will” about victims of human trafficking rings. It included interviews with Batstone, who helped explain how it is not only an international problem, but also one that is targeting American youth. One of the show’s producers said that it took some time to accept that slavery existed like this. But the stories she uncovered spoke for themselves.

For more information on the campaign and on modern slavery (including real stories), go to www.notforsalecampaign.org. View a brief “Concert to End Slavery” trailer at www.concerttoendslavery.com/trailer.

Dawson Auditorium is located on Charles Street on the Adrian College campus. Parking is available in the Dawson lot, which is situated on the west side of the building.

Adrian College is located in southeast Michigan. A liberal arts College in the United Methodist tradition, it is committed to the pursuit of truth and to the dignity of all people. Through active and creative learning in a supportive community, students are challenged to achieve excellence in their academic, personal, and professional lives, and to contribute to a more socially just society.

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Note to media: David Batstone is very willing to do interviews and is a dynamic speaker. Chaplain Chris Momany is also available and highly informed about Adrian College’s connections.