San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Michael Fermin, a guest speaker, stressed the importance of creating awareness of this modern-day slavery as a means of eradicating it.
At the gathering, attendees were treated to “LOUDER THAN WORDS,” a play written by Nicole Dumaguindin and performed by young adult leaders from local Catholic, Methodist, and Adventist churches.
The play is about a church ministry uniting with undocumented Filipino and Latino migrants to overcome fear, stigma, and apathy of human trafficking to save a missing teenager. It highlighted the relative ease with which traffickers circumvent federal and state laws.
“I wrote the play so that those who are undocumented may be inspired to be unashamed and unafraid to expose what is happening to them,” said Dumaguindin.
The audience was urged to take a stance in this ongoing fight by participating in organizations in the Inland Empire that work to halt human trafficking including: the Diocesan Office of Social Concerns, the Justice for Immigrants and Global Solidarity committees, Pastoral Juvenil, and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON). The group received a standing ovation and is already receiving requests to tour in the Inland Empire.
With dissipating international attention on those still rebuilding their lives after Typhoon Haiyan, the Global Solidarity Ministry in partnership with NAFCON seeks to revive momentum for sustained relief and rehabilitation. Although $1,500 is a huge victory, we continue reminding people that there is still much work to be done and we will not abandon the victims of Typhoon Haiyan. Many involved in the show are going on the mission to devastated communities in Samar, Bohol, and Mindoro.
Anilu Carillo, lead actress of the play, says “a big reason why I’m doing this play is because I cannot go on the mission, but want to do all I can to support those who are able to go.”
Isabel Cruz is a missioner of the Global Solidarity Committee at St. George Parish in Fontana.