WHS race against human trafficking

Sponsors can donate based on the number of times their supported runner will circle the field. Thus, if someone pledges $1 for a runner, and the runner completes three laps, the sponsor will donate $3.

The marathon came about due to the concern of Westmount High students about the prevalence of the crime of human trafficking, the world’s fastest-growing criminal activity. “Right now, we have more slaves in the world than we’ve ever had before,” said teacher Dina Vourdousis. Some estimates suggest there are over 27 million people held in slavery around the world. ACTAWARE, consisting of students from Secondary Three, Four, and Five, was created to raise awareness of this issue.

The inspiration for ACTAWARE began last year with a field trip to Concordia University to see filmmaker Michael Cory Davis present his films about human trafficking. “I took 20 kids,” said Vourdousis. “They were mesmerised. I’ve never seen 14- to 16-year-olds sit for two hours straight with not a word.”

Davis is a writer, director, and actor engaged in the fight against human trafficking. In 2005, his movie Svetlana’s Journey, a film based on the true story of a 13-year-old sold into slavery, won an award for “Best Short Subject” at the Hollywood Film Festival. His 2006 documentary, Cargo: Innocence Lost, examined sex trafficking within the United States through interviews with law enforcement officials as well as victims and victims’ advocates. “He’s the only activist we’re aware of who really motivates our students,” said Vourdousis. Davis’s effect was so strong that the students who took part in the Concordia field trip were inspired to create ACTAWARE. The group’s first fund-raising effort was a car wash on June 28 of last year. According to Vourdousis, the student turn-out for the activity was phenomenal. “All the kids showed up, nice and early and ready to go,” she said. “And school was over!”

Another car wash in August was followed by a bake sale. “Through these efforts, we hired Michael Cory Davis to speak to 400 students on April 3,” said Vourdousis. Davis’s presentation was so strong that other area schools are considering hiring him to speak to their students as well. “We’re setting the trend!” said Vourdousis.

ACTAWARE has continued its efforts, taking part in a conference about human trafficking at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in April. The group has created an eight-minute short film about the issue, and plans to continue its efforts in the future; it has already designed and sold stickers to raise funds. “I don’t know where this is going to go,” said Vourdousis. “It’s just huge.”