Run for a Revolution – Students Take Their Cause to the Streets of Beacon Falls, CT

Students in Beacon Falls, Connecticut have taken on human trafficking in a big way – by creating their own grassroots group, Woodland for Women Worldwide.

The group originated in a social studies class called Contemporary World Issues, which was going into its very first semester when Woodland Regional High School teacher Deb Flaherty decided to take a risk: instead of focusing on a less controversial issue like global warming, or globalization, she would teach the class on human trafficking. As she told the Connecticut newspaper Citizen-Times, “It was a little nerve-racking to start with something as difficult to learn about as human trafficking…it’s something that you have to tread on carefully to teach, but at the same time, you can only sugarcoat so much. And I’ll tell you the response I got from students…it blew me away.” The class became so popular, and students were so eager to do something about what they learned, that Flaherty and another social studies faculty member, Lisa Olivere, co-founded Woodland for Women Worldwide. Now, the group has a highly active, passionate membership of students, faculty, and community members working together to improve opportunities for women everywhere.

The mission of Woodland for Women Worldwide (WWW) is “to provide support to non-profit organizations that work to free women from oppression.” This year, they have chosen to raise funds for The Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF) and CAMFED, The Campaign for Female Education. In addition, WWW has founded two scholarships for Woodland students: one for any female student attending a leadership conference, and one for any student who wants to volunteer in a developing country.

Olivere and Flaherty chose to support SMF and CAMFED after reading Half the Sky, by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Somaly Mam is one of the women profiled in the book, and after reading her story and the stories of other women who have devoted their lives to creating change, they say, “We knew at that point that Woodland for Women Worldwide would devote its efforts to the Somaly Mam Foundation and the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), as well as establishing a scholarship fund at our school to empower girls to become leaders of change and graduates to volunteer in developing countries.” Olivere and Flaherty later had the opportunity to meet Somaly Mam at The Bay Path College Women’s Leadership Conference:

“Somaly Mam, to us, has supernatural powers. Surely it takes strength and courage beyond what is humanly possible to return to Cambodia to face the same people that tortured, raped, and abused her in order to save others. This is exactly what Somaly Mam does. After escaping slavery herself, she risks her life and freedom to save others. So when we met Somaly Mam we wrapped our arms around her, as if to affirm for us that she was in fact real, that she was not a myth-like superhero and that her courage was true.”

Read their full account about how it all came together

The young people at Woodland call WWW “an opportunity to put into action the concepts discussed in the classroom.” One student leader, Sarah Hughes, said “Woodland is filled with students that want to do something…This organization actually gave us a way to do that.”

One way that they are taking action is by hosting the first Woodland for Women Worldwide Run for a Revolution. The members’ enthusiasm attracted not only a great number of runners, but also the support of 90210 star AnnaLynne McCord, who has worked for years as a modern abolitionist. McCord attended the race as spokesperson and was awarded Woodland for Women’s very first Heroine Award for her work to end human trafficking. She even ran the 5K with Woodland students. Proceeds from this year’s Run for a Revolution benefited SMF and CAMFED.

Through events like this one and its ongoing awareness campaign, this inspiring group of students and teachers is working to bring about a day when all women are free from oppression and empowered to succeed.

To learn more about Woodland for Women Worldwide, visit their website.