by David Miller
LOVELAND, OHIO - On June 28, fifteen men and women left Mobile Alabama on bicycles to ride the path of the Underground Railroad.
They will end their ride on July 30 in Buffalo, New York. Last Wednesday night, they celebrated “Freedom Night” with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park when the Washington Nationals were in town. The riders were featured throughout the game and in opening ceremonies. And last Thursday, they were at Cincinnati’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for a reception in their honor, to participate in a panel discussion, and for a screening of International Justice Mission’s documentary At the End of Slavery.
They rode into Loveland last Friday around noon on a day with the heat index above 100 degrees.
The purpose of the 1,800 mile ride is to raise awareness, money, and “Give a voice to victims of modern-day slavery and other forms of injustice and violent oppression.” At major cities along the route they were hosted by local community groups and churches such as the Crossroads Community Church in Oakley. Many stops included concerts by national recording artists.The riders live as far away as Florida, California, Minnesota, Anchorage, and Ontario. Amy Roth, Chief Media and Public Affairs Coordinator for International Justice Mission, who is traveling with the riders in a support van, and occasionally bicycling as well, said, “All in order to spread the word about modern-day slavery as far and wide as possible.” Actually the group started and will end in Washington, DC. Their route has been: Washington to Mobile, Birmingham, Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Buffalo and back to Washington. “5 Weeks for Freedom is an awareness and advocacy campaign to support the work of International Justice Mission (IJM) which brings rescue and relief to victims of modern-day slavery, human trafficking and other forms of violent oppression,” said Roth.
The campaign numbers: 15 riders, 5 weeks, 1800 miles, “Stopping in eight key cities which played an important role along the Underground Railroad,” said Roth. IJM is a human rights agency based in Washington, DC, working in 13 countries in the developing world partnering with local governments. She said, “To build capacity for public justice systems so that they can protect the people they were created for – the weakest and most vulnerable, the global poor.” She said that there are an estimated 27-40 million slaves in the world – more than during 4 centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. She said 50% of the slaves are young girls and women and that nearly 2 million children are exploited in the global sex industry. Roth said that 4 billion of the world’s poor aren’t effectively protected by their countries’ laws against violent oppression. “It’s hard to believe that slavery exists in 2010. But slavery is real, and it even exists in Ohio.”
Loveland Residents Urged be Part of the Modern-Day Abolition Movement
Roth describes the freedom riders as fifteen ordinary people who are doing an extraordinary thing by sacrificing five weeks to cycle 1800 miles along the Underground Railroad to serve as testament to the fact that change happens when people do what they can to stop injustice. She said, for the residents of Loveland, “Whether you have five weeks, five hours or five minutes, there is something everyone can do to be a part of a modern-day abolition movement. Whatever gift you have, it can be put to use to advance the movement for freedom.”“IJM has brought rescue and relief to more than 14,000 people; but there is much more work to be done and real rescue costs real money. So, we’re asking 100,000 people to care enough about this issue to donate $10 to International Justice Mission’s work by texting FREEDOM to 20222.”
Other ways to support IJM's work can be found at this link.
In this exclusive LOVELAND MAGAZINE HD VIDEO shot at Loveland’s Nisbet Park, Austin Graff talks about the 1,800 mile ride, and introduces the 15 riders. Graff is a Program Assistant with the IJM's Church Mobilization Team, and like Roth, occasionally bikes along the route. Graff had left downtown Cincinnati Friday morning and rode the Loveland Bike Trail to Xenia along with the Freedom Riders - where they spent the night before heading to Columbus.
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Along their journey, the freedom riders are showing, At the End of Slavery: The Battle for Justice in our Time a documentary narrated by Danny Glover.
The Battle for Justice in our Time takes you inside the violent and ugly business of modern-day slavery — the buying and selling of human beings — from the brothels of the Philippines to the brick kilns of India. Undercover footage and first-person testimony from former slaves and respected experts expose the enormity of the crime — but a remarkable strategy and the courage of today's abolitionists offer hope for a final end to this brutal trade.
At The End Of Slavery - Extended Trailer from International Justice Mission on Vimeo.
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