We want to challenge you to trailblaze where only you can go. Maybe it’s side-to-side. But maybe it’s up.
As trailblazers for freedom we want to be trendsetters, mover and shakers, visionaries for a better world. We usually think of someone who is trailblazing as those who move horizontally. They walk, hike, and forge paths forward.
But sometimes trailblazers are so crazy good at blazing their trail, they go up.
Maybe they overcome mountains. Maybe they find ways to journey into space, beyond all rational limitations. Trailblazers have the potential for going above and beyond to create a new direction, and lead others down that path.
We choose the theme of trailblazer because we want to help you go above and beyond.
Sure, over the last nine years you've raised over $93k to help bring freedom to those experiencing injustices. You've donated plenty of material goods, from shoes, to bras, to clothing for survivors. You've become volunteers, mentors, minimalists, committed donors, and lifetime advocates. We've never been a huge group, but we hail from all over the world as we trailblaze a path of freedom in our circles of influence. You've raised awareness of human trafficking into the tens of thousands.
This year, we want to challenge you to trailblaze where only you can go. Maybe it is side-to-side. But maybe it is up. Only you can move down the unique path, with what you have, to bring freedom to modern slaves.
Yes, we'll continue to hold your hand all along the way as you wear your black item this March. We'll give you every tool we can. We'll make it easy for you as possible.
But we can't choose the path for you how you do that. We just hope you trailblaze with courage and we'll be with you all the way.
Maximize Your Blackout Trafficking Challenge
This week, our goal is to help you navigate your influence to the maximum:
Are you mobilized (Week One) as you navigate trailblazing a path for freedom?
Is there another path you can bravely take on climbing? For example, our partner orgs greatly need funding—so fundraising really helps meet a need. Creating awareness is another vital role.
Check out the below “Maximize Your Influence” excercise about leveraging your circles of influence to help you see how to maximize this years Blackout Trafficking Challenge!
Maximizing Your Influence Excercise
If you've been reading the 31 Human Trafficking Facts, you know how large and overwhelming the issue of human trafficking is. One of the best parts of the Blackout Trafficking Challenge is that it helps normal, everyday people like us do something about something as intimidating as human trafficking.
We might not be able to eradicate human trafficking, but we can maximize our efforts by simply looking at what is in our hands. In the renowned book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey guides readers to do a simple exercise to help them respond to the situations around them proactively rather than reactively.
We can approach human trafficking the same way--either reactive, eyes focused on the problem, or proactive, eyes focused on what we can do about it.
Using this exercise when it comes to the issue of human trafficking helps us be intentional firestarters, trailblazers for freedom. Follow the steps below to look at what you have in your hands that you can bring freedom to modern slaves with.
Blackout Trafficking was started by our founder looking at what was in her hands: a little black dress.
Exercise: What's in your circle?
Take a scrap piece of paper and draw a large circle.
On the outside of the circle, on the edges, write "human trafficking." This is outside area is called the Circle of Concern, and essentially represents the problem.
Feel free to put more things in this area around your large circle that bother you about modern slavery, but don't spend too long on it. When we focus on the problem we become overwhelmed and it makes the Circle of Concern feel more prominent.
Inside the large circle write "Circle of Influence." This is what we want to focus on! These are areas you have some control or influence over.
Within the large circle, make a list of for people who you are connected with. These might include your family, friends, co-workers, networking relationships, faith community, God, teammates, playdate group, classmates, etc...
Also with the larger circle, make a list of the resources you have. This can include money you can budget to give, business you own, house you have, time you can dedicate, skills you have, etc...
Now look your Circle of Influence and consider (or if you are a person of faith, pray) about what you can do with it to help bring freedom to modern slaves.
Is there a way you can leverage any relationships or resources you have to create awareness for human trafficking? To fundraise? To advocate? To support our organizations?
Where have you already been proactive with your Circle of Influence and it worked well? Can you do something like that again with what you have to help bring freedom to modern slaves?
Have you seen other people do something about human trafficking who have similar relationships and resources? Can you replicate that? (Note: You already are, simply by participating this year with Blackout Trafficking!)
Draw arrows from the outside of your Circle of Influence through your Circle of Concern to the edge of the paper. These arrows remind us that as we leverage what we already have, our Circle of Influence grows and affects change, reducing (even if just a little) human trafficking.
