Blackburn Center seeks Red Sand Project volunteers

The Blackburn Center will again sponsor the Red Sand Project to raise awareness about human trafficking, and is seeking volunteers to assist with installation.

An art installation created by artist Molly Gochman, the project asks volunteers around the world to place red sand in sidewalk cracks. The grains of sand are representative of millions of human trafficking victims who slip through the cracks of society unnoticed.

“Border US-MX, 2018, International Airport Houston” opening October 19. If you’re flying in or out of George Bush International Airport, look for the 650-foot long #RedSandProject land art installation in the shape of the US-Mexico border. pic.twitter.com/DkidAuh1zT

— molly gochman (@mollygochman) October 17, 2018

Installation is planned at 9 a.m. Sept. 7 at the Westmoreland County Courthouse and Twin Lakes Park extension area, at 5 p.m. Sept. 9 at Excela Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, 5 p.m. Sept. 16 at Excela Latrobe Hospital and at 5 p.m. Sept. 23 at Excela Frick Hospital in Mt. Pleasant.

The Westmoreland County Human Trafficking Task Force is organizing the county project, asking residents to join in on shining a light on a covert crime.

Interested volunteers can help to place the red sand at county sites.

“This is our third year with the project. We can use as many volunteers as possible. We have expanded sites this year and have different dates,” says Karen Evans, advocacy program manager with the Blackburn Center.

Helping hands

Sincethe project started, Evans says, requests for the center’s training to understand, watch for and report human trafficking have increased.

Hospitals, churches, hotels and law enforcement all can benefit from learning more, she says.

“We just had a bust with massage parlors. … People don’t think it happens around here,” Evans says.

The center’s shelter helps those who have been victimized by intimate partners or former boyfriends turned pimps.

According to the Blackburn Center, human trafficking enslaves on average 21 million people around the world. Victims can be exploited for sex or labor, sometimes both.

Victims sometimes end up jailed or returning to their traffickers.

There are many others like #CyntoiaBrown who are behind bars for actions committed as a result of being trafficked as children. As we celebrate Cyntoia’s release, we look to a day when all victims receive justice. https://t.co/nT0iBD1vJq

— Blackburn Center (@blackburncenter) August 22, 2019

Evans offers some “red flags” to look for if one is suspicious that a person might be the victim of trafficking.

“A lot of times they don’t speak English. Especially teens who are with adults, and who don’t look you in the eye, who are looking at the ground. … That might be a telltale sign that they are not permitted to talk,” she says.

Even bad teeth can signal that someone’s dental health is being ignored.

“It’s harder (to detect) than domestic abuse. They may not have bruises,” Evans says.

Reports of suspected trafficking can be made to the center by calling 724-836-1122 or 888-832-2272.

Project volunteers will be provided snacks and water.

Those unable to attend or participate are invited to view the installations and post photos to social media with the hashtag #RedSandProjectWestmoreland.

Details: 724-837-9540, ext. 103, or blackburncenter.org