FREE TO CREATE
...Not for Sale is a campaign of students, entrepreneurs, artists, people of faith, athletes, law enforcement officers, politicians, social workers, skilled professionals, and all justice seekers, united to fight the global slave trade.
Every single person has a skill that they can give to free an individual living in bondage.
ARTISTS USING THEIR MEDIUM TO COMBAT SLAVERY
Artists all over are getting creative to stop slavery. In American and abroad,
talented abolitionists are inspiring activism and building community awareness through
poetry, dance, theatre, music, and other visual arts. Here are their stories.
ABOLITIONIST ARTISTS:
ANTI-SLAVERY INSPIRED SENIOR THESIS:
Communication Arts student Renee D'Amour, from Gordon College in Massachusetts,
has joined the fight to end slavery. Using her senior thesis as a platform, Renee
is creating a visually communicative art piece merging design and literature to
inspire her community, while raising consciousness about the realities of human trafficking.
T-SHIRT DISTRIBUTION:
Young artist Gavin Lord and filmmaker Giselle Kennedy, from the University of San
Francisco, are designing and distributing t-shirts to help fight slavery. Using
their creative talents with printmaking and stenciling, these abolitionists want
to build community responsiveness to this global problem and raise money for the
Not for Sale Campaign. In the future these t-shirts will be available to purchase
at the freedom store.
CHELSEA BAY WILLS - Graphic Artist for Change:
It was my dream to combine my gifts with my passion. I've always been an "artist"
of some sort, but never could just make art for art's sake-- my way of making art
was with a purpose-- for something or someone. I also grew up with a strong sense
of faith and love for the outdoors. At one point it clicked that I could combine
these things by being a graphic artist and working for environmentally and socially
responsible companies and movements. I feel blessed to be doing just that now, working
as the Design Director for THE CHANGE a company that provides strategy and design
for good-for-the-world businesses and causes. I met David Batstone last November
at a conference about combining faith and work. Days later, I left for Tanzania
with a few friends of mine to help an orphanage get on its feet. On my return, I
was left with such emotion and thoughts about the joy, faith, and community I saw
there, as well as the injustice and deceit that goes on. I asked God what I was
supposed to do from here with this conviction. David called the next day and asked
if I would do the design for the NFS campaign and join him in fighting slavery.
Absolutely! Confirmation that I am on the path I was meant to be on and just had
to keep running with it. It is such a joy and honor to use my gifts to fight this
battle, and I am humbled by all the strong people standing up for freedom. I knew
in starting the design that it had to be more than just an information site or a
"branded" logo-- something larger inviting EVERYONE to join in.
LILY BEACHAM - Artist, surfer, model, married, 31, San Clemete, CA
I have been a professional model since I was 18 and have selfishly spent most of
my time seeking what life could offer me. There has always been an unsatisfactory
tug at the core of my heart in this self-seeking lifestyle, though all I seemed
to be able to do was constantly read about those living in Africa and places where
there were millions in need, unable to ever know even one percent of the opportunity
I had been handed.
This tug has now turned into my life, my whole being knows it was made to somehow
bring relief and freedom to those suffering. Funny, but I found a place here in
Southern California, where I can use my resources from modeling and my true heart
for those in need by throwing well rounded, educational fundraisers to raise awareness
here and provide funding to people suffering in places like Sudan, Kenya, and India.
Through film, art, and music, we give a voice and a face to those that would otherwise
never be heard or seen.
Last October we were able to raise $25,000 for Love Mercy, an organization that
drills fresh water wells, allowing them to continue farming projects in the remote
mountainous areas of Kenya and Sudan. Recently I have studied the far-reaching problems
of human trafficking and slavery and am proud to be a part of the Not for Sale Campaign.
I feel that of all the humanitarian issues that exist, slavery and sex trafficking
are the worst and most largely ignored. I believe that once you become aware of
these atrocities, you take on a responsibility to act--no matter if you are a surfer
or an accountant, there are ways to help.
Terri Carter
Terri Carter, a visual artist in Tennesse currently working on an exhibit to raise
awareness for modern day slavery issues, first heard about Human Trafficking several
years ago while doing research for a series of paintings she did. A victim of abuse
herself, these issues are very close to her heart and it has only been through faith
that she was able to restore herself.
She tells us about her painting:
"Rescue Me" was born out of a strong desire to tell a story ala Manga style that would be compelling and send a strong anti Human Trafficking message. Each box represents a part of the story. I like to leave specific interpretation up to the viewer. Often times people see in the work things I didn't even consider when creating it, but my hope is that people will read the symbolism in the raw red bleeding through, the fierceness of the dragon, the fragility of humanity in the broken eggshell, the tsunami wave crashing over the triangles of monetary greed and the price tag cord at the crossroads of brokeness and monetary exchange, not to mention Benjamin Franklin's disapproving stare. Underlying all of that is the cross, subtle yet present in the format and the only hope for victims of such heinous dehumanizing violence. Email us [info@notforsalecampaign.org] if you'd like to buy a signed copy of Terry's work.
JOINING THE MOVEMENT:
Calling all painters, poets, fashion designers, sculptors, and all other creative types” combine your talents and your abolitionist ideals. Free To Create is assembling a network of abolitionists at the forefront of dance, literature, music and every art form imaginable. We're seeking contributions of work from everyone who makes things. Got a story? Got a creation? Got an idea? Contact info@notforsalecampaign.org.