First student chapter of American Anti-Slavery Group formed at Emerson
Jonathan Terbush
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The first campus chapter of the American Anti-Slavery Group (AASG) was recently formed at Emerson College, and held its initial meeting Wednesday night.
The AASG is a Boston based non-profit organization that works to eliminate slavery worldwide. Emerson's chapter will work to raise funds and support at Emerson and in the Boston community for the parent organization.
Emerson junior Kate Donnelly, founder and president of the Emerson chapter, has worked as an intern for the AASG for almost a year. Through her involvement there, she found that no campus chapters existed, and thought Emerson would be the perfect place to form the first one.
"Emerson seems to be pretty involved in social advocacy in many issues, and I thought this was an important issue to bring into Emerson," she said.
The chapter, which has about 10 members so far, is not recognized by the Student Government Association (SGA) as an official Emerson organization because the chapter is affiliated with a non-profit group outside of Emerson. Instead, the Emerson chapter will be incorporated into Imagine Students Reaching Out, an Emerson club dedicated to promoting community service among students. Funds for the Emerson chapter will also come from Imagine's budget.
Donnelly said the organization will aim to raise awareness that slavery did not simply vanish in the 1800s, even in the United States. The CIA estimates that as many as 17,000 slaves are trafficked into the U.S. every year, with many sold into sexual or debt slavery.
"Slavery is all over the world, and most definitely in the U.S," Donnelly said. "It just isn't reported on, and it's ignored widely."
While the AASG aims to eradicate slavery worldwide, its primary focus is on areas such as Sudan, where slavery coupled with genocide leads to even greater consequences. The AASG works with groups on the ground in these areas, such as Christian Solidarity International, to provide aid and in some cases purchase the freedom of enslaved people. Freed slaves are then aided with rehabilitation programs, and can be relocated to other areas where they have family members and can restart their lives.
The first major event to be held by the Emerson chapter of the AASG will be a Freedom Festival April 21 on the Boston Common. The event is still being planned, but Donnelly said it will probably include speeches from freed slaves, a raffle, live music, and games to attract families who may be on the Common at the time. The Emerson chapter hopes to raise money for the rally from local businesses.
"I think people will listen to what we have to say at Emerson," Donnelly said. "It's just a matter of having someone to say it."