Student Activist Chinny Fights Human Trafficking In Her Backyard

act.mtv.com

Posted 9/29/11 7:31 pm EST by Lauren Grillo in Interview

Photo: Chinny Law (Against Our Will PSA)

What would you do if you found out that your favorite go-to restaurant was using slave labor? For student activist Chinny Law, this discovery led to one phone call that impacted her entire community and ignited her passion for social change. Chinny took action--and is encouraging other college students to do the same!

What started off as a senior project turned into something much bigger after Chinny and fellow classmates observed a suspicious restaurant in town. They reported their observations to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and an entire human trafficking ring was uncovered blocks away from her college campus.
“I researched everything I could about my community. Georgia is a large hub for trafficking because we have a big international airport. Finding out that this huge issue was happening in my hometown, literally in my backyard, was a really big shock,” said Chinny.
Now a law student, she is making it her mission to “prosecute the bad guys!” and is urging other students to do their part as well. College students are in a unique position to learn about the issues surrounding human trafficking by incorporating it into their studies (like Chinny did!) and to spread the word by Facebooking, tweeting, and blogging about it.
Explained Chinny: “College students can do so many things! Knowledge is power so do as much research as you can. Trafficking happens in all 50 states – find out what people are already doing about it and see if you can work together. Try to be socially conscious. If you’re buying a t-shirt for three bucks--someone somewhere isn’t making a profit. I know it doesn’t seem like much but if we’re ALL concentrating on buying free trade products, free of slave labor, then we can really make a difference.”
Chinny continues to make an impact outside of the classroom by running a donation drive -- collecting items such as clothes and toiletries for Atlanta’s rehabilitation centers. By working with her friends, family, and community she is raising awareness about human trafficking and helping to change the lives of those affected by it. As she told Act, “Human trafficking is a human issue. The Dalai Lama says respect life, spread love, be kind, be compassionate. Behind that mindset is just respect for life--that’s what we need to be doing.”