Kendis Paris, Founder of Truckers Against Trafficking, discusses mobilizing the trucking industry to fight human trafficking. She talks about building alliances with policy makers, training drivers, and advocating for policy changes. The episode explores the role of social entrepreneurs in promoting policy changes, supporting administrators, and turning people into changemakers.
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Quick takeaways
Training truck drivers to recognize and report human trafficking significantly aids in victim identification and law enforcement involvement.
Social entrepreneurs can drive policy changes by building alliances with policymakers and administrators and turning people into changemakers.
Deep dives
Truckers Against Trafficking: Mobilizing Transportation Professionals to Fight Human Trafficking
Truckers Against Trafficking aims to build the largest mobile army of transportation professionals to combat human trafficking. By educating truck and bus drivers on recognizing and reporting human trafficking, the organization has facilitated over 2,000 calls leading to the identification of 1,200 victims. Highlighting the impact of training in mobilizing drivers and engaging law enforcement, the organization enhances anti-trafficking efforts nationwide.
Systems Approach in State Initiatives against Human Trafficking
Truckers Against Trafficking collaborates with state agencies in implementing the Iowa MVE model, which enhances the interception of human trafficking activities. Through partnerships with multiple state departments, including DMV, law enforcement, and transportation agencies, the model facilitates the engagement of over 3.5 million commercial drivers in the fight against human trafficking.
Engaging the Energy Sector in Anti-Trafficking Efforts
Expanding its reach, Truckers Against Trafficking aims to involve the energy industry in anti-trafficking initiatives. By training workers in oil, gas, wind, and solar sectors on recognizing and reporting trafficking, the organization broadens its impact beyond transportation. This strategic move aligns with its goal to enlist various industries in the fight against human trafficking.
Funding Challenges and Strategies for System Change Organizations
Truckers Against Trafficking relies on corporate sponsorships, private donors, and foundation support for funding. Despite challenges in fitting traditional funding models and the lack of focus on human trafficking in philanthropy, the organization sustains its operations through diverse funding sources. Adaptation and stakeholder engagement play key roles in securing financial support for system change initiatives.
Kendis Paris founded Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), an organization that mobilizes the US trucking industry to fight human trafficking. TAT has registered and trained more than 850,000 professional drivers. TAT also played a key role in getting new policies approved that in many US states make spotting and reporting human trafficking activities a component of the mandatory professional driver's license trainings. In the interview, Kendis explains how she found allies early on by making herself available to policy makers and administrators, traveling to spread her ideas, and being a bridge between administrators and the transportation industry. She also talks about the power of turning people into changemakers -- a core feature of many successful social entrepreneurs.
Key questions addressed in this episode include: What do social entrepreneurs have to do to promote policy changes? How can they support policy makers and administrators even without a big organization?
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