IWC Presentation at Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice

The Immigrant Women and Children Project’s Equal Justice Works fellow, Laura Matthews-Jolly, today spoke about human trafficking at the Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice.

The panel discussion, in recognition of Law Day, was titled, “Realizing the Dream: Equality for All,” and was attended by  the school’s ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students. Matthews-Jolly was asked to speak about many different aspects of human trafficking, including how it’s defined, why it’s hard to prevent, and how to advocate for change to prevent it. The presentation was interactive and students were able to ask questions on a variety of topics, such as the kind of evidence required to prove that someone is a victim of human trafficking, if boys are victims of human trafficking, and whether a victim must report their experience to law enforcement.

“Because of its often hidden nature, identifying victims of human trafficking remains a challenge,” said Matthews-Jolly. “Opportunities to do outreach as I did today are crucial to raising awareness about human trafficking, particularly among New York City’s youth.”

The other panelists were Jason Petri, a Bronx Assistant District Attorney; Alicia White, an LCSW at The Legal Aid Society, and Alicia White of Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS).

The Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice, located near Yankee Stadium, has a unique curriculum that allows students to explore careers in law and government. Matthews-Jolly is in the second year of her Equal Justice Works fellowship at the City Bar Justice Center, supported by the law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP, to provide legal services to young immigrant survivors of labor and sex trafficking.