If you're looking for a hot new summer read that plugs into your passion for ending human trafficking, check out the new comic book Borderland. Borderland uses graphic art to tell the story of seven different human trafficking victims in a fresh, unique way. And you can help get copies of Borderland into the hands of teens at-risk for human trafficking.Borderland is the first comic book based on multiple human trafficking story lines intended to edu-tain teens and young people about the dangers of human trafficking and how to protect themselves. It was created as a joint project by Olga Trusova, a Fulbright Fellow from Stanford University and Dan Archer, a comic artists/journalist. Trusova spent her fellowship researching human trafficking and collecting victims' stories in Eastern Europe. Borderland is the result of their combined talents.
The International Organization for Migration recently announced they would fund the distribution of Borderland to 136 schools in the Ukraine. But Trusova and Archer want to be able to distribute it here in the U.S. as well. If you'd like to help get Borderland to American teens, you can contribute to the Kickstart campaign (which, incidentally, also has a great video explaining the process of making the book). They need $8,000 by Sept. 28 in order to make their goal, and anyone pledging at least $5 will get a free PDF copy of the comic.
As someone who enjoys comics, graphic novels, and abolition, I think this is just about the best idea since the invention of the Nutella smore. Comics are a great way to communicate the stories of trafficked people — the art and graphics naturally lend themselves to the emotional and physical drama often involved in trafficking. Plus, illustrations can be a good tool to communicate heavy ideas to young people.
If you're interested in more human rights-themed comics, check out the rest of what Dan Archer has to offer, including The Honduran Coup: A Graphic History. Move over Action Philosophers, I've found an even cooler way to stretch my comic and graphic novel collection: human rights heroes.
Photo credit: Riptheskull
Amanda Kloer has been a full-time abolitionist for six years. She currently develops trainings and educational materials for civil attorneys representing victims of human trafficking and gender-based violence. Borderland: A Human Trafficking Comic Book | End Human Trafficking | Change.org
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