SUNY Canton International Student Activist Organization Launches 'Human Wrong Campaign' in April

CANTON, NY (03/31/2014)(readMedia)-- Students from SUNY Canton have orchestrated a series of speakers in April to increase knowledge and understanding for Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

The "Human Wrong Campaign" was the brainstorm of the International Student Activist Organization (ISAO), according to Sabel Bong, an Educational Opportunity Program counselor and the club's advisor.

"Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery," Bong said. "It does not discriminate against race, religion or socioeconomic background. We are holding an awareness campaign to help people learn about the dangers of human trafficking, the role of human trafficking in funding organized criminal enterprises and what can be done to address this global epidemic."

Speakers for the event will be presenting at 5:30 p.m. each Monday from April 7 to April 28, in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center's Kingston Theater. Presentations will include, in order of appearance:

• David Bugg, Ph.D., SUNY Potsdam, and Bong will discuss the study abroad experience in Cambodia.
• Peter Ladd, Ph.D., St. Lawrence University, will be speaking about trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in victims and soldiers.
• Harinda Vidanage, Ph.D., St. Lawrence University, will be talking about cyber security and the rise of cyber crime.
• Geraldine Forbes, Ph.D., Distinguished Teaching Professor at SUNY Oswego, will be presenting the history of slavery and human trafficking in India.

Maleek C. McKenzie, ISAO president and an Electrical Engineering Technology student said he hopes to encourage open discussion about human trafficking and how it has been plaguing the world for centuries.

"Human Trafficking is a topic not normally talked about," McKenzie said. "It affects all of us in our daily lives, down to the clothes we wear and the food we eat."

This is the second year that the ISAO has held events at SUNY Canton coinciding with Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier College for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The College delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management, and public service to students in the North Country, New York State, and beyond. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to their academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as eight exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The College's 14 athletic teams compete in state-of-the-art facilities as provisional members of the NCAA Division III and the USCAA.

-www.canton.edu-