Just as our ancestral abolitionists in past centuries worked to create equality and earn freedom for all peoples, modern abolitionists are continuing to do the same.

Slavery is still a global issue today, and affects more than 30 million people worldwide. However, like-minded people have banded together to tackle this crisis: the Modern Abolitionist Movement, or MAM.

The modern abolitionist’s cause is to completely end the ancient crime of slavery once and for all, and to free the millions of people captured by its torment. Modern slavery is a global issue, and as such, the global community is working together to end it. Groups such as Anti-Slavery International, the American Anti-Slavery Group, International Justice Mission and Free the Slaves all work to spread awareness around the globe and get funding to help enslaved peoples.

There are also local organizations all over the United States that deal with the issue on a provincial level. Cincinnati has multiple modern abolitionist group such as End Slavery Cincinnati, but there is a group even closer to home: Walnut Hills High School’s very own MAM club.

“Our main [purpose] is advocacy, we make sure that people know about [modern slavery] because that’s one of the biggest issues, is that not many people know it exists,” SENIOR Jessica Kavinsky, head of the MAM club, said.

The MAM club hosts screenings, discussion panels and speakers from different organizations around Cincinnati to increase awareness of the subject and helps raise funds that they donate to End Slavery Cincinnati. End Slavery Cincinnati also helps the MAM club in organizing events.

MAM spreads awareness on every type of modern slavery, but heavy focus is put onto sex slavery and forced labor, as those are the most common types. On Jan. 18th, MAM is hosting a discussion panel on sex slavery at WHHS to help inform more people around the issue.

Ohio is also one of the largest trafficking areas in the country.

“It happens in your own backyard. Cincinnati is one of the biggest traffickers and [I-71] is really bad with picking up students and young girls,” Kavinsky said.

High school students can help the abolitionist cause as well. By educating themselves about the issue, being aware of it and spreading that awareness and recognizing it is a real problem that exists,  they can “bring information to their leaders and petition and get legislation passed and fundraiser and work with other organizations.” Kavinsky said.

Although slavery was legally abolished around the world many years ago, it is still a global issue that many are unaware of. MAM works to teach people about this issue and how they can help finally rid this crime from the rest of history.