National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Hosts Voices of the Voiceless
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Glavic
(513) 333-7511
(513) 802-7355
jglavic@nurfc.org
Assia Johnson
(513) 333-7555
(513) 787-2110
asjohnson@nurfc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CINCINNATI, OH (July 1, 2016) – The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, in partnership with YWCA Greater Cincinnati, will host Voices of the Voiceless – a discussion addressing the harsh realities associated with the exploitation of innocent children involved in slavery. The community conversation will begin at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 14 in the Harriet Tubman Theater. The program will include a self-guided tour of the permanent exhibit, INVISIBLE: SLAVERY TODAY, and the special exhibition, ENSLAVED: A Visual Story of Modern Day Slavery. Following the tours, guests are invited to engage in a powerful discussion with Barbara Condo, the executive director of One Way Farm Children’s Home. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.
Each year, millions of children are abused, forced into marriage, trapped in the global sex trade or used for bonded labor. Condo, with One Way Farm Children’s Home, a non-profit organization in Fairfield, Ohio, helps care for abused, abandoned, neglected and troubled youth. Those enrolled in the program are trained to care for children with disabilities and developmental disabilities in the State of Ohio without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin.
“Many people go about their daily lives completely unaware that slavery is still an issue we face in contemporary society,” says Brooke Hathaway, director of strategic initiatives at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “Just as slavery can go unnoticed, so can the real, everyday heroes who deserve recognition for their work in combating a global ill. We need people like Barbara Condo to shine a light on these stories and inspire people to get involved in the modern freedom movement."
ENSLAVED: A Visual Story of Modern Day Slavery, is a moving exhibit that documents the lives endured by slaves and celebrates the freedom they never dreamed possible. Humanitarian photographer Lisa Kristine's powerful and compelling images reflect two undeniable truths – the extreme brutality of the statement and the resilience of the human spirit.
“We look forward to the conversation that Voices of the Voiceless will begin in the community.” says Dr. Michael Battle, executive vice president and provost of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “Through collaborative efforts with our community partner, the YWCA, this discussion will educate the public on the suffering of our most vulnerable members—the youth—and the steps we can take in combating modern day slavery.”
Voices of the Voiceless is begins Thursday, July 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the Harriet Tubman Theater and is free and open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, visit freedomcenter.org.
###
ABOUT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at freedomcenter.org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, endslaverynow.org.
