A Worthy Walk

I walk.
I like to walk... sometimes.
I try not to be too lazy.

I've never done a Walkathon though. Walking a long distance for a cause. But I did it. I guess I could check that off my bucket list if I had a bucket list to check off.

It started with my Girls Group who decided that doing one together would be fun. We'll be able to catch up with one another; get some exercise; and support a good cause. I am all for good causes and I try to support friends who go out and do a good thing for a cause. But me going out and actually being a part of a cause? Never done it.

So when Sus suggested that we do a 5K Walk to bring awareness to the inhumane problem called human trafficking, my first question was:  how long is 5K? (about 3 miles) and then how long will it take us to walk 3 miles? (my husband said about an hour; a little less if you speed walk)

Three miles in an hour? No running? Not being timed? I guess I can do all of that.  So Sus, Marj, Koreen and I became the Fabulous 4 and registered to Walk the Track in Oakland. To walk with some of my favorite favorite people... oh JOY!

Me, Sus, Koreen & Marj

The fun even doubled when my husband decided that he and the girls will walk too with us. It'll be a family event. Great .. Now it'll be the eight of us. Then on the day of, our friend Willie and his daughter, Shawna (Emily's classmate) also wanted to join us so it became a group of ten. The more the merrier!!

My wonderful family

With Willie and Shawna

What were we walking for? To promote the awareness and passage of a new bill that will be on the ballot this November called CASE 35. This bill will enforce stricter penalties to those who deal with and are involved with human trafficking. Human trafficking is the fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the world, second only to drug trafficking. And it is happening in the United States at an alarming rate.

They encouraged us to try to raise $100 per walker for the cause. Matthew and I decided to raise $400 for our family of four. We ended up raising a whopping $690! Thank you to all of you who supported us. It meant a lot to us and we were thrilled with all the support.

Our Walk the Track actually became a March on International Blvd and 66th where many young girls congregate to 'work'. It wasn't scary during the day but I hear that in the evening the street has a very different feel.

Front of the Line

Walking and Talking

We even got police escorts the whole time we walked

I also want to highlight a few organizations (that I have familiar ties to) that have taken up the fight for this important issue:

BAATC - Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition where my goddaughter, Mandy, is interning this summer. She is helping to spread awareness to the youth in high schools and churches. This non profit organization is headed up by Brian Wo, an old college friend of mine. BAATC helped organize the Freedom Summit in 2011, which stands as the largest anti-trafficking gathering to date in the US. BAATC continues to bring together individuals, churches and anti-trafficking organizations to work effectively together to build a unified response to human trafficking.
For more info check out:  BAATC

With Brian and Sus, us old CIBCers

Slavery Footprint in Oakland is a social media organization which aims to bring awareness to slavery in the modern world. Our pastor's son, Shadd Williams, is deeply involved in this cause in which they even created a documentary, Call & Response, highlighting the horrific modern age slavery that exists in this country and around world.
For more info check out: Slavery Footprint

California Against Slavery: founder Daphne Phung, who attended my old church CIBC, started this non-partisan grassroots human rights organization dedicated to ending human trafficking. They partnered with Safer California Foundation to put Proposition 35 (Californians Against Sexual Exploitation (C.A.S.E.) on the ballot this November.  Please plan to vote YES on Prop 35!! 
For more info check out: CASE Act 35

Check out our Walk on VIDEO (you can see Matthew and the girls at 45 seconds). If you look closely, you can see a part of me, Marj and Sus behind them. We're hidden behind the lady with the huge hat!