“If your heart is broken, make art with the pieces.” ― Shane Koyczan
Human Trafficking is a plight on humanity that has plagued civilization for centuries upon centuries. The practice of it has not gone away… no, it has not. It has been exposed more than ever before, however. You have seen all of the viral stories that scare parents to their core. The stories of uneasy mothers in stores who notice strange people following them a little too closely. Taking a little too much interest in what their children are doing. Standing a little too closely to their car in the parking lot.
The reality is that human trafficking looks quite different than the horror stories that go viral on social media.
Dr. Lucy Steinitz, Catholic Relief Services senior technical advisor for protection says, “They are hidden from view. You don’t recognize them in the back kitchens, shops, gas stations and in hospitality. They are also tucked away in fields. They don’t come out and ask for help. It’s a different kind of slavery than long ago…They are not in shackles or on plantations. People are coerced into harsh employment under horrible conditions, and then have no freedom to leave. They are beaten, violated and told they are worthless—that no one else wants them anymore”. www.crs.org/stories/stop-human-trafficking
It is hard not to feel scared and helpless when I read such stories, but it is important to also remember the stories of hope, resilience, and courage.
Several months ago, I was invited to join a global network of artists to help breathe life into the stories of trafficking survivors. The Painted Dress project, conceived in pain, but re-birthed as artistic vision for justice and hope, is a worldwide collaboration.
An incredibly talented textile artist designed and sent 3 unique dresses all around the world to be photographed. There was a dress for the western part of the US, the eastern part of the US, one that would travel internationally. Each photographer would receive the dress after the one before, and we were instructed to use the dress “as is”, no matter the rips, tears, or stains. The dresses were symbolic of the pain and damage inflicted on human beings as they are passed around from abuser to abuser. We were instructed to use our creative vision to breathe life into the very real story of human trafficking.
I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented network of artists, grateful for my model, Mary, who trusted me enough to participate in this project, and humbled and moved by the incredible strength and resilience of survivors.
.jpg)