Survivors of Local Human Trafficking to Speak at World Fair Trade Day Festival & Fundraiser May 13th to Prevent Child Exploitation

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin will make a surprise announcement at the event. 

LOS ALTOS, Calif., May 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising Worldwide, a non-profit organization dedicated to economic justice for all, is hosting the Rising in Solidarity Global Festival and Fundraiser in celebration of World Fair Trade Day on Saturday, May 13th, from 12:00 - 4:00 PM at Hidden Villa in Los Altos, California. The event will feature program speakers, a global fair trade marketplace, a silent auction as well as food, wine and live music. Assemblymember Gail Pellerin has been a longtime supporter of Rising Worldwide; she plans to make a surprise announcement related to the organization's human trafficking prevention programs.

This event will benefit Rising Worldwide's Safe and Sound program, which works to prevent human trafficking amongst young people. "I created Safe and Sound to teach youth what I wished I had learned when I was younger," says Catie Hart, the program co-founder and a survivor of seven years of trafficking throughout California, pictured at right. Safe and Sound provides training to identify, understand and navigate potential human trafficking situations. Hart will speak at the Solidarity Global Festival and Fundraiser with four other survivors of local trafficking who are a part of the Rising Safe and Sound prevention training team. Every $50 event ticket purchased will enable one youth to attend the Safe and Sound training.

Over 4,000 youth and 35 middle and high schools and organizations in Northern California have participated in the Rising Safe and Sound program. The organization hopes to reach another 3,000 youth in the next year.

World Fair Trade Day celebrates how fair trade enterprises have made it possible for trade to thrive without propagating global poverty and exploitation. Rising Worldwide is rooted in the fair trade movement, originating in Afghanistan 21 years ago through solidarity efforts with local women artisans. The organization currently supports the economic empowerment of women artisans in over 20 countries. Many of their handmade goods will be for sale at the Rising in Solidarity Global Festival and Fundraiser — just in time for Mother's Day.

About Rising Worldwide

Rising Worldwide was launched with 10 Afghan widows in a basement in Afghanistan in 2002. These Afghan women made dolls to sell to Rising Worldwide and the income was primarily used to keep their families safe from various forms of human trafficking. Across the globe in California, local women sold the dolls at Rising Fair Trade Home Parties. These Rising Reps were able to empower their families and futures in solidarity with the women in Afghanistan, a reciprocal model for economic justice. The Fair Trade Federation and the World Federation of Direct Sellers recognized Rising Worldwide in 2002 as the first non-profit organization to use the direct sales, or home party business model, to promote fair trade.

Over the years, Rising Worldwide has hosted hundreds of fair trade events supporting 36 artisan groups from over 20 countries. Many of these groups will have their beautiful handcrafted goods for sale at the Rising in Solidarity Global Festival and Fundraiser on May 13th. Sales of global goods support human trafficking prevention education in over 20 countries including Ukraine, Afghanistan, India, and the U.S.

Free admission is available for those who want to shop the marketplace and learn more about Rising Worldwide. Ticket information and other event details can be found at: risingworldwide.org/solidarity.

Rising Worldwide has several other ongoing empowerment programs, such as the Ukrainian bracelet initiative and the Rising United Survivor Leadership Program. We're happy to provide more information about this exciting work.

SOURCE Rising Worldwide