Social Justice

#IamANIMMIGRANT

Over the past several weeks, we’ve all watched Hamilton over and over again, singing the songs ad nauseam.  We’re collectively “not throwing away our shot…” And we all want to be “in the room where it happens.”  We rejoice in the energy and spirit of a young nation built on the beliefs and ideals of immigrants.  At the…
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Fighting Human Trafficking during the Racial Reckoning

August was another unprecedented month in the timeline of sports this year. The NBA protest which followed in the footsteps of the Milwaukee Bucks’ refusal to play their scheduled game in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting in their home state, has once again drawn worldwide attention to the ongoing racial injustices which plague…
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Fighting Human Trafficking in the Midst of the Pandemic and the Racial Reckoning

July saw the return of several sporting leagues across the nation and across the world. As the US and the world continues to grapple with the ongoing pandemic, it is a welcome feeling to see sports creating a sense of hope for the community. In addition to safely returning to play with strong testing and…
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Human Trafficking in America as we Start College and Pro Football

This past Labor Day, I found myself thinking about those individuals who have become victims of unjust labor practices across the country and around the world. Many people assume that human trafficking is not an issue in the United States, but they are wrong. Human trafficking is happening almost everywhere. I have listed the 34…
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We need to Fight Against Human Trafficking

I hope all of the Institute’s friends had a good time celebrating Independence Day with family and friends. As we enjoy time with family, it is important to remember those people who do not have that luxury, as human trafficking is a growing problem in our society. Large sporting events are always targeted by human…
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Women are still excluded in sport

Historically, women have been shut out of many professions and sport is no different. “In many ways, sport remains one of the final frontiers where women are excluded, not because of interest, not because of ability, but simply because they are women.” Listen as ISSJ Executive Director, Delise O’Meally, speaks about the lack of opportunities…
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This year, Mother’s Day falls on June 10th…

No, not the second Sunday in May that has come to represent an interesting mix of sentimentalism and commercialism, with just the right dose of “call your mother” guilt, but rather, the day that working mothers finally catch up with working fathers, as it relates to the gender pay gap. Equal Pay Day raises awareness…
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The state of human trafficking and sports

Our biggest sports events have joy and compelling stories but also have a dark side, as they are major targets for potential human trafficking threats. The U.N.-backed International Labour Organization estimates that there are more than 40 million current victims of the various forms of human trafficking globally. For perspective, in the 240-year history of…
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Fighting Human Trafficking

With each new year, we create goals and resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more or spend less money. However, it isn’t common for people to set goals of fighting human trafficking, homelessness or any of the other disparities we see in society today.  We need to do that. December rounded out a year in which…
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2018 Human Trafficking Victims

It was exciting to see the UCF Knights beat Memphis for the second time this season to take home the AAC Championship two years in a row. However, looking ahead to the 40 upcoming FBS Bowl Games to be played around the country over the next month, remember that in addition to the many fans…
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