Writing today feels different. Today I live into a dream, an intentional plan and purpose for the next step in the progression of developing my online home. I’ve written a book, hosted giveaways and prayerfully helped others achieve their individual goals. But today is pretty special…today I lend my voice and heart to the world of social media driven fund-raising efforts that bring awareness to commercial exploitation inherently linked to racism, poverty, gender-based violence, and the criminalization of under age youth. Today was a good day.
Sex-trafficking, human trafficking is a first world reality. Human trafficking is a common danger around every sporting event. It happens in my neighborhood. Two years ago a sex-trafficking ring was busted just blocks away from where I live.
I learned that within 72 hours, a girl or boy who is homeless will be approached for a sexual situation. And that there are currently over 30 million people trapped in slavery. What we view as an outdated institution is thriving.
It’s happening in New York.
And in every other major city in the United States.
I’m learning more about trafficking and doing what little I can to help by partnering with the 2015 #Dressember campaign. DRESSEMBER is a collaborative movement leveraging fashion and creativity to restore dignity to all women.
Last year I watched Deidra Riggs put her faith on the line for humanity by taking part in #Dressember. I watched as her timeline filled with creative ways of wearing a dress each day in December. It spoke so beautifully of the truth embedded in her book’s title – Every Little Thing.
I promised myself that I’d do something this year. My penchant for fashion, combined with a natural inclination for dresses (the longer the better), made this challenge a perfect fit. This year instead of just liking her Facebook photos, I clicked through to read more about the work of the Interrnational justice mission and the A21 campaign. I joined her team.
Partnering with this organization is one of my little things. Aligning myself with a cause makes my blog work – for good.
Attending seminary sealed the deal, giving me the final boost I needed to make a commitment. I’ve spent the last few months of 2015 studying the work of theologians and scholars who believe vehemently in a preferential option for the poor. Women in the margins fill this category. Poverty is lack of opportunity and circumstance we all know the impact of a wrong choice. Some choices are life altering.
I read about the work of Delores Williams and womanist theology. I learned about Ana Maria Asasi-Diaz and Rosemary Radford Reuther whose works I studied for a midterm paper. Feminism came to life.
While I wouldn’t call myself one (I’ll save that for another post), I stand in solidarity with and for the womanists, the mujerustas, the oppressed. I stand for justice.
I’ve used my blog to share my faith journey, to share my views on hard topics and to offer a different perspective in conversations gods invited me into on race in America, particularly within the Christian community. I’ve felt Gods grace in those offerings.
What was missing was a tangible way to do God’s work by publicly supporting causes I believe in – using this space to draw attention to them. So while I’ve committed this space online – as sacred and holy today’s post is all the more meaningful. Today I uncover a new level of intention with my writing and it feels good.
Today I step in with humility and grace to write my most important blog post. I write it with trembling fingers and a heart held radically fast to what God will make of my offering.
Won’t you join me in this effort?
Follow this link to my 2015 #Dressember campaign page.
and support my friends who’ve jumped into this challenge – Marcy Hanson, Kim Hyland and Melissa Aldrich
