Greetings CAST Friends,
It has been a long held vision for CAST to take our groundbreaking national work to end slavery and trafficking and expand our outreach internationally in partnership with our neighbors to the South. With the help of your donor dollars and our partners at the Department of State, we have started broad new initiatives to help victims in Mexico and Guatemala. At times, this is precarious work for CAST and fo r our partners because of the ever present and growing climate of terror and violence brought about by traffickers and the competing drug cartels.
CAST Mexico is a project designed to build the capacity of NGO’s (Non Governmental Organizations) across Mexico to respond to human trafficking and to strengthen local multi-agency response networks. CAST is providing funding, technical assistance (T/A) and training to six NGO’s in Mexico to establish and develop areas of service; and additional training of law enforcement and governmental agencies in collaboration with USAID and the US Department of State; and to establish and/or strengthened multi-agency response networks in Mexico City, Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, as well as other key border regions along known trafficking routes into the U.S. In 2012, CAST will be launching a one-of-a-kind exchange program that will bring NGO representatives from Mexico to CAST to gain hands on experience. CAST is honored to be singled out as the organization to provide these services to our neighbor’s networks in Mexico and Guatemala.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a nonprofit policy institute, reported that narco traffickers are increasing their role in migrant smuggling networks as they diversify their illicit activities. Human trafficking in Mexico is estimated to be a $15–20 billion industry second only to drug trafficking. In 2010, 22% of CAST’s clients were Mexican nationals; 25% of all CAST clients were trafficked through Mexico from other Latin, South American and Asian countries.
We are gearing up for another gala event in the Spring of 2012. View the photos from last year’s gala at the Skirball Cultural Center, which was Co-chaired by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. Soon, you will be able to pre-register for the CAST 2012 Gala.
CAST Survivor Caucus
As you know, CAST is a pioneer in developing survivor leadership programs such as the CAST Survivor Caucus, which provides survivors with a platform for social action against slavery. The prospect of taking this program to a national level has come to fruition this year, as CAST partners with NGO’s in other parts of the country to build a national network of trafficking survivorswho are coming together to share and mentor each other and eventually connect with survivors around the world. . The National Network of Survivors is designed to scale up the Caucus survivor leadership model and create a space where survivors are able to organize with the vision of eventually developing into a global survivor network. The impact of survivors’ voices and messages has led to the development of stronger protections for victims in both California and Federal anti-trafficking laws.
Over the last year, the Survivor Caucus worked intensively with the Skirball Center to prepare for the opening of the "Women Hold up Half the Sky" exhibit in October, which is based on Nickolas Kristof and Sheryl Wu Dunn's book, Half the Sky. One member of the Caucus was selected by the exhibit curator to sit on the Skirball’s exhibit advisory board. CAST's collaboration with the installation team and the Skirball Center has great potential to raise awareness locally and nationally. The exhibit will travel nationally next spring.
Finally, the Caucus was invited to record interviews with NPR’s Story Corps, in which several caucus members interviewed one another or asked their CAST social worker to do so. Still others had their Good Samaritans who helped to liberate them interview them for these heart-wrenching and heart-warming recordings. Clips of these interviews have been incorporated into an audio installation that is on display at the Skirball exhibit.
Reauthorization of Trafficking Victims Protection Act |
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Since December of last year CAST has been leading the domestic policy advocacy for both of its national coalitions: The Alliance to End Slavery & Trafficking (ATEST) and The Freedom Network, USA, to ensure the passage of the Trafficking Victims Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2011. Both the House and Senate have introduced this bill, and CAST expects this bill to be reauthorized prior to the end of the year. The TVPRA provides funding for the majority of CAST’s programs as well as creates the statutory framework to better protect survivors and prosecute human trafficking cases. CAST’s California District Representative Karen Bass has also partnered with CAST to champion human trafficking issues. She recently introduced two pieces of legislation: H.R.2801 - Eliminate and Stop Abuse, Frequent Exploitation, and Trafficking on the Internet Task Force Act, which establishes a taskforce for the purpose of studying and making recommendations to prevent and combat internet-facilitated human trafficking. H.R. 2730, Strengthening the Child Welfare Response to Human Trafficking Act of 2011, better enables State welfare agencies to prevent human trafficking of children. CAST has been actively advocating that these stand-alone bills be attached to the TVPRA of 2011. |
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As part of our advocacy efforts, CAST organized a trip for two members of the growing National Survivor Network, who travelled to Washington DC to provide stirring testimony before the U.S. Congress about their experiences as former slaves and now survivors in the US. Together they advocated for the US government to sustain support services for victims as part of the Trafficking Protection Act, which is up for renewal in Congress.  |
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As friends of CAST, you know that CAST was pivotal in helping to get this cutting edge legislation passed in 2000. CAST is proud to be supporting survivor leadership, and ensuring that their voices are front and center in this important national dialogue |
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Honors and Awards
In September, Alexandria House a local women’s transitional living shelter, honored CAST for 13 years of community partnership and for serving women from all walks of life who have been victimized by human trafficking.
Also in September, United Nations Association of Southern California honored CAST with its Global Citizens Award for our shared fight for global justice.
Screening "The Whistleblower,” starring Rachel Weisz |
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| In August, CAST took part in the opening of a dramatic feature film about trafficking in Bosnia starring Rachel Weisz. “Whistleblower” tells the story of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex trafficking scandal. CAST Executive Director Kay Buck headed up a panel discussion after the movie was screened to a full house of film lovers and guests. |  |
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Thanks for all your support,
Kay Buck
CEO & Executive Director
