Local organizations host Red Sand Project in Chattanooga
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Organizations across Tennessee came together to participate in the Red Sand Project on Thursday.
“We partnered with the Tennessee Department of Health to bring awareness to human trafficking all across the state of Tennessee,” said Sarah McKinnis, CEO of WIllowbend Farms. “We partnered with Hamilton County and Chattanooga health department to bring awareness here to Chattanooga.”
The Hamilton County Health Department, WillowBend Farms, and Vision Hospitality Group have hosted the Red Sand Project in Chattanooga for more than 3 years.
McKinnis considers the Red Sand Project a way to end modern slavery and exploitation.
“We want to wake up the community to what is happening and then awaken possibility to survivors. And so it is really important that we are coming together as a community, as businesses, as leaders, and as survivors to move the work forward,” said McKinnis.
As a part of this event, each individual was given red sand.
By pouring the sand in the sidewalk, it symbolizes human trafficking victims that fell through the cracks of society.
Inza Haginas-Dyer, with Love’s Arm Outreach explains why the Red Sand Project is so special in Chattanooga.
“Yesterday was the world celebration for survivors of trafficking. And this brings it home, right here to our community where we can give a message to the people that are in our community,” said Haginas-Dyer. “We see them, we hear them and there are people who love and care about them.”
According to the TBI human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country,
Janelle Hawkins with Vision Hospitality Group hopes to provide resources and support for local survivors.
“The hotel industry is putting forth a huge commitment. We have been working towards training, We are going to shift that to continue training, but now let us talk about how we train survivors, how we give them gainful employment, how we give them financial freedom,” said Hawkins.
