If you haven’t seen it already, there’s a new activism-inspired hashtag that may start taking over your social media feeds—very soon.
#MyFreedomDay is the anchor for CNN’s first My Freedom Day, an international day focused on human trafficking that takes place Tuesday.
Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International, announced the “student-led day of action against modern-day slavery” in January.
"Children and young people are very often the victims of modern-day slavery, but they are also some of the most energized and engaged activists against it," Maddox said in a news release. "#MyFreedomDay is designed to provide a focal point for their actions, bring attention to their efforts and link them with others fighting this criminal enterprise in every corner of the globe."
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CNN and the CNN Freedom Project, an initiative launched in 2011 that focuses on human trafficking, will "amplify the voices of these young people seeking real social change around the world," the release said. CNN will air live coverage of the anti-trafficking events.
Celebrities including Woody Harrelson, Usain Bolt and Quincy Jones have recorded videos discussing what freedom means to them for the occasion.
The campaign comes on the heels of news that a man allegedly held eight women against their will in a Sandy Springs home. Kenndric Traman Roberts, 33, was arrested Wednesday after a 20-year-old woman called 911 asking for help.
More than 100 schools around the world have committed to participating by holding events, a CNN spokeswoman said. Some of the schools are in the metro Atlanta area. The following events are open to the public.
- A rally with speakers, interactive art and food will take place at the Kessler Campanile, an 80-foot tower on the Georgia Tech campus, from 11:05 to 11:50 a.m. The 45-minute length of the event is to "represent the 45 million victims of slavery in the world today," according to the Stand for Freedom Rally Facebook page.
- The Atlanta International School will hold a human trafficking panel event with speakers including a human trafficking survivor, the head of the FBI squad responsible for investigating human trafficking and an attorney at the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network. It runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
- East Point City Councilwoman Stephanie Gordon has partnered with Tri-Cities High School to hold a garden planting dedicated to trafficking victims across the globe at 9 a.m. The city will later host a panel discussion at 6:30 p.m. at Jefferson Park Recreation Center, 1431 Norman Berry Drive.
