Stopping traffic
Local humanitarian group marches with hopes of ending modern slavery
By André Coleman , Kevin Uhrich 01/07/2010
Roughly 27 million people worldwide are being held in slavery due to human trafficking, according to the Pasadena-based nonprofit abolitionist group Oasis USA.
Many of these unsuspecting victims — which include children — are forced into prostitution, jobs with no pay or militias.
To make people aware of the issue, the group will march one block for every million persons held in bondage Wednesday as part of its 27 Blocks Campaign, which will take place in communities across greater Los Angeles.
“It’s a walk of awareness in solidarity with those who are in slavery,” campaign manager Jo Coles told the Weekly. “We really walk and hand out fliers and make people aware. We hope there will be thousands marching across Los Angeles. We have some Boy Scout troops and church groups that have told us they will be bringing out a lot of people.”
According to Altadena resident and local volunteer Ruthi Hanchett, there is work to be done in Pasadena.
“Many of the victims here in Pasadena are children who are being sexually exploited for profit. These are often teens [that] have run away from abusive or foster homes and end up being pimped to adults that might have no idea,” Hanchett said in a prepared statement. “All you have to do is walk certain streets or open up the newspapers to see sex for sale in our community.”
Participants are encouraged to meet at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Oasis offices at 195 S. Hill Ave.
To learn more about human trafficking visit stopthetraffik.org or call the national Human Trafficking Hotline, (888) 373-7888.
Time out
City officials cancel meetings scheduled during BCS week at the Rose Bowl
With all the remnant hoopla from last Friday’s Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game, plus all the tourists still in town for the BCS Championship Bowl Game between Alabama’s Crimson Tide and the Texas Longhorns tonight at the Rose Bowl, who could blame Pasadena’s elected and appointed officials for taking the week off — which every citizen’s board with a meeting scheduled for this week did.
Monday’s City Council meeting: Canceled.
The same went for the Historic Preservation Commission, Urban Forestry Advisory Committee and the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, which were also supposed to meet Monday.
Tuesday’s meeting of the Human Relations Commission was shelved, as was Wednesday’s session of the council’s Economic Development and Technology Committee.
The city Code Enforcement Commission, which was set to meet just a few hours before tonight’s kickoff, was set to discuss such weighty matters as incomplete construction at 1941 E. Colorado Blvd.; overgrown weeds and grass at 790 Sunset Ave., a building left in state of incomplete construction at 31 Yale St., peeling paint at 95 Yale St., occupancy of a building without a certificate of occupancy at 356 Ashtabula St., accumulation of trash, junk and debris at 780 N. Allen Ave., operating a business without required licenses at 1870 E. Walnut St., prohibited commercial/industrial use (firewood business) at 1870 E. Walnut St., and nuisance dog at 1495 Sunset Ave., according to a New Year’s Day communiqué from city spokeswoman Ann Erdman.
But apparently wiser heads prevailed, and that meeting was canceled as well.
Although one was scheduled, “There typically is not a council meeting immediately after New Year,” said Public Information Officer Ann Erdman. “I don’t know why the other ones canceled. I am not sure if the game is a factor or if it was an issue of holiday schedules.”
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