A group of students and professors is in the beginning stages of starting a new chapter of The FREE Project at the University of St. Thomas in order to raise awareness of historical and modern forms of slavery.
The FREE (freedom, restoration, emancipation, empowerment) Project is a nationwide movement of college students working to educate people on all forms of slavery. History professor David Williard heard about the project and thought it was an important issue for St. Thomas students to address.
“The purpose is not to just spit out definitions, but to help us as a community and help people more generally to see a way to do this better. To live a better, more free life so that others may live more free lives,” Williard said.
Williard also emphasized that the FREE Project is careful not to oversimplify the issue of slavery in both historical and modern contexts. Rather, it will explore the connection between the two.
“Part of our big challenge, and part of what I think makes FREE Project important, is to very carefully think about the ways in which modern slavery, that is, slavery without the sanction of the law…is similar to and is structured around the same things as what you might call historical or conventional slavery,” he said.
Theology professor Kimberly Vrudny is a faculty participant in the FREE Project, and believes modern slavery is “one of the most pressing social issues of our day.” She thinks working to combat this issue is a good way for students to live out St. Thomas’ mission: to think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good.
“The mission is grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition, which maintains that all persons have equal dignity because all are created in the image of God,” she said. “This raises important questions about how we treat the vulnerable ones in our midst. Often the ones who are susceptible to the deception of those involved in the trafficking of humans, as well as the ones who are abusing them.”
Vrudny thinks it is important to consider that certain forms of modern slavery aren’t too far away from home.
“I think we need to raise awareness that people are being deceived and exploited into service in the United States … Minnesota sadly has one of this country’s largest concentrations of children, especially girls, being coerced into trading sex for money,” Vrudny said.
Leah Miller is a first-year graduate student in St. Thomas’ School of Law. She originally became interested in the FREE Project as a way to address the problem of those whose human dignity is being overlooked.
“This is a very explicit call to participate in humanity because your dignity is ensured and you have the right to ensure the other’s as well,” she said. “We are responsible.”
Sophomore Maddie Balm is a marketing major at St. Thomas and thinks that The FREE Project will help to give students a better understanding of what modern slavery actually is.
“I think it will raise awareness to the students that don’t know a lot about it,” Balm said. “I’ve heard of modern day slavery, but I haven’t really been more knowledgeable about it, so I think this will really help people not have stereotypes against it.”
This semester St. Thomas students can expect to see a variety of events organized by those involved in the FREE Project. The group plans to screen films on the subject, host panel discussions and support other student and faculty research and writing on the issue.
The St. Thomas chapter of the FREE Project hopes to see more people get involved in their mission; anyone is welcome to join and help to support the cause.
Margaret Galush can be reached at galu4637@stthomas.edu.