The Kings & Queens Project

The question I get asked the most when I present to a group of people on the topic of human trafficking always goes something like, "I can't see the victims. So does it still go on here, in my community? I can't see it, so I typically don't take notice of the issue." The two parts of my personality fight with how I should answer. One expresses utter dismay, and frustration of how an issue so big (human trafficking is estimated to impact over  27 million people around the world) can go so unnoticed. The other part of my personality wants to turn into a lecturer on how much human trafficking impacts our world and those in it. Despite these urges to answer in a effective and passionate speech many of my answers to this question are composed of a comparatively simple statement that says this: If human trafficking impacts one person on this earth, isn't that one too many people? Added in with this statement is a desperate plea to convince my audience t...

In our rapidly expanding world that is prone to technology use shouldn't we feel more connected, more socially fulfilled than ever before? We unfortunately, we don't. In our world where technology and social media appears to be connecting us all closer together, more people are experiencing extreme loneliness and disconnectedness then ever before.   This lack of connectedness is concerning for both obscure and obvious reasons, especially in the school setting.  What is the impact on student's when they feel that they have a unconnected, and an unfulfilled place in an learning environment, and in their spheres of influence in general, and for that matter what even is school connectedness? Well, The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines school and social connectedness as, " the belief held by students that adults and peers in the school care about their learning as well as about them as individuals"   while also identifying school and social connectedness ...

" No other day of the year brings so many peoples from different cultural backgrounds together in such a vibrant spirit of brother and sisterhood ," writes Coretta Scott King regarding the meaning of the holiday that we celebrate on the third Monday of January each year since 1986.  And ultimately, that is what today is about: celebrating the legacy of Dr. King and all of Civil Rights' heroes both big and small.   Today we celebrate the individuals who faced and endured all means of harassment, discrimination, racism, and in many cases pure unadulterated evil in order "To Form a More Perfect Union" as enumerated in our constitution.  This more perfect Union, according to Dr. King, is a nation that chooses to fight against racism, inequality and fight for the creation of a Beloved Community .  This fight however, is not over and people continue to face and fight injustice in all of its forms across the globe, and the United States. ...

We talk a lot about Awareness and we talk a lot about Education, but what is the connection between them, and why is that connection valuable in combating issues like Human Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation? Well for one thing, it is my personal belief that you cannot combat something, or for that matter,  protect yourself from something you know nothing about.  If we are to apply this belief contextually, you cannot protect yourself or others from trafficking situations, if you choose to believe that trafficking does not happen, and could not happen in your community.  Once you know about something, you can begin to see it and recognize it.  Psychologists put it this way , "How can we process something, if we didn't  consciously, and accurately  perceive the situation or stimulus in the first place?" Awareness Education is a tactic used by organizations all around the world in order to address wide spread public health crises.  If we are ...

Before you turn away because this message will be political, I promise it won't be. Don't believe me? Keep reading, and I'll prove you wrong. Since the beginning of October, the subject of the news has largely surrounded the #MeToo Movement and has begun a discussion of sexual assault and harassment in this county.  Everyday Americans see prominent figures being accused of the most disturbing of crimes.  So how do we take the lessons of this movement and apply them to society, before the movement is long forgotten and press coverage has moved on? More importantly, how can we ensure that the lessons of the movement are not only learned by those in power now but by younger generations so that we can attempt to more effectively fight this issue for the long-term future. I think the answer to that last question is by addressing the issue within the educational environment, by talking to students in pre-school through post-secondary school and giving them the skills to not o...

Most days I feel as if most things go straight over my head and I have a hard time understanding and even carrying out a cohesive, intelligent conversation on some of the most pressing issues our world is facing today.  On those days I desperately wish I had someone next to to give me a quick low down on what we were talking about, the pros and cons, the different positions, the facts; but a lot of times that person that I really need isn't there.  If that's you and you're ever feeling that way about Human Trafficking here (in a blog post) is your Human Trafficking Lesson 101-- information to get you started on a long journey to understanding this large and complex global issue, that is ever evolving and changing. The United Nations  defines Human Trafficking as,  " the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power...

My name is Jacob Boettcher.  I am a senior at Silver Creek High School, in Longmont, Colorado.  I am also a member of my high school's focus program, the  Silver Creek Leadership Academy . A four year program, ending in a capstone project. At first glance,  The Kings & Queen Project   is just my capstone. But, to me, and I hope eventually you, it is so much more.  To the people in my life I am tall, strong headed, loud and on the outside a pretty normal kid.  But in my life I have always felt this burning desire to create change, to make an impact that was bigger than myself.  But the problem was I didn't know what kind of change to make, or for that matter what issue to tackle.  But then being exposed to Human Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation, I was jolted to life with an instant passion to create change, and with absolute certainty I declared that this was the issue I would attempt to make a dent in.  So I started...