Commentary: Walk by human-trafficking opponents makes statement

On Oct. 17, over 1,000 people gathered together in the heart of Downtown Disney to turn their stand for justice into a Walk For Freedom.

Men, women, and children began lining up at 6:30 a.m. to join in the fight against modern-day slavery in Anaheim.

Led by A21, a global anti-human trafficking organization, the second annual walk was just one of 200 in 28 countries around the world.

The 1,000 participants walked in a single-file line with black attire and black tape across their mouths. Representing the silence of the estimated 27 million slaves in the world, the participants walked for three miles around the perimeter of Disneyland, and even crossed Harbor Boulevard, which is a known hot spot for sex trafficking.

Through the Walk For Freedom, A21’s goal was to generate conversations that will lead to improvements in global victim assistance and the prosecution of traffickers worldwide.

Modern day slavery is a reality that affects every continent and economic structure. Human trafficking is prevalent in Orange County, according to the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force.

A21 hopes to eradicate slavery on both a local and global scale through prevention and awareness initiatives, as well as partnerships with organizations and law enforcement.

Along with the 98 other walks in the United States, there were walks under the iconic opera house in Australia, the Eiffel Tower in France, and Table Mountain in South Africa. However, the true multiplication of the freedom message was seen on major social media platforms as the #WalkForFreedom hashtag began to trend.

Next year, on Oct. 15, the Walk For Freedom is set to have an even larger impact.

JOSHUA HNERY is the lead copywriter for A21, an organization opposed to human trafficking.