Group of Kean Students and Faculty collaborate with Anti-Human Trafficking Organization

By Anthony Reyna | Published by December 22, 2021

Human Trafficking has become one of the most concerning issues in the world today, where millions are forced into slavery or sexual exploitation annually. 

Recently, Kean Professor Robin Landa and a group of students from the Robert Busch School of Design (RBSD) collaborated with Free For Life International to offer their creative expertise in creating a project that the organization could use going forward. 

Free for Life International is a non-profit organization based in Nashville, Tennessee that focuses on saving lives and fighting back against the epidemic of Human Trafficking.

Through spreading awareness, providing shelter for rescued victims, monitoring borders, and providing education to those who are unaware of the severity of this issue, Free For Life International has saved thousands of lives by pulling them away from the grips of the underground world of Human Trafficking and guiding them on a path towards a better tomorrow. 

“Contrary to popular belief, human trafficking is blind to background, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality. People from any part of the world can fall victim to human trafficking.,” Landa said. 

She added that the most at-risk populations however were runaway, foster, and homeless youth, as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Landa, along with Professors Denise Anderson and Deborah Ceballos from the RBSD assigned the project to approximately 90 of their students who were both Graphic Design and Advertising students. 

Free for Life International selected the work of Mara Reyes, an Advertising Major, to use for their fundraising campaigns and on their organization’s official website, something Mara was very proud of. 

“It feels amazing knowing I’m achieving my goal of designing for the greater good. It was more than just a project, it was something that can change the lives of victims who have been suffering for years and whose voices aren’t heard,” said Reyes.

 She, like many others, was particularly saddened by some of the harsh realities of human trafficking, especially after being provided with some additional perspective. 

“Kean University students were shocked and horrified by the statistics and devastating stories of the victims. For example, poverty-stricken families sell their children into slavery for the equivalent of $29. However, our students also felt that by conceiving and designing promotional solutions for Free for Life International, they were being proactive and contributing to a solution.” said Landa. 

Though the subject of Human Trafficking is still shrouded in mystery, the first step to solving any problem is educating and involving as many minds as possible and the Kean community seems to be actively involved in working with Free For Life International to ensure that they continue to grow their outreach. 

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