Freedom for the Weekend: Bet Tzedek

Published October 30, 2009 @ 12:00PM PT

Well, it's Friday afternoon, and that means the weekend is almost here! W00t! Perhaps you're reading this blog because you're bored at work or school and you're thinking about what you want to do this weekend. How about spending part of your weekend fighting slavery? Each week I'll profile a different anti-trafficking nonprofit who you can connect with to help free slaves and prevent slavery around the world. So, spend a couple hours this weekend getting to know this nonprofit through their website, and then get involved!

This Week's Profile: Bet Tzedek

The Bottom Line: Bet Tzedek is one of the nation’s premier legal services organizations, providing free assistance to more than 10,000 people of every racial and religious background at its headquarters in the Fairfax area and its office in North Hollywood and at more than 30 senior centers throughout Los Angeles County. They serve everyone from human trafficking victims to holocaust survivors to victims of consumer fraud.

What They Do: Through their employment rights program, Bet Tzedek helps ensure workers get the wages that are owed to them and prevent human trafficking. They represent workers regardless of immigration status who have been illegally denied wages.

What Can I Do?: If you're a law student, you can apply for a summer externship or clerkship. If you aren't but live in the Los Angeles area, you can volunteer. You can also donate through their website.

Why They Rock: Immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants, are extremely vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking. Groups like Bet Tzedek protect their legal rights.

So now that you've got some basic information on Bet Tzedek, visit their website this weekend and get involved. And on Monday morning when everyone else is talking about sleeping in and watching tv over the weekend, you can say, "What did I do this weekend? Oh, just the usual -- abolition of slavery."

Do you have a favorite nonprofit you'd like to see featured here? If so, let me know!

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Author

Amanda has been a full-time abolitionist for six years. During that time, she has created reports, documentaries and training materials on human trafficking in the United States and around the world.