Dressember is a movement leveraging fashion to restore dignity and honor victims and survivors of human trafficking. This December, the JCHS Human Trafficking Awareness Club (HTAC) will be participating in Dressember by dressing up for school.
The HTAC helps spread awareness of human trafficking which has affected many people worldwide. The club hopes to educate its members by having guest speakers and participate in many other campaigns like Dressember that will inform students about the dangers of human trafficking, and raise funds to support organizations that help fight against human trafficking.
“HTAC became inspired to participate in Dressember because we could raise awareness on the issue of human trafficking,” HTAC co-president Lauren Boteler said. “We also would be able to raise money to give to survivors and victims worldwide.”
For Dressember, HTAC has a campaign page where they will help raise funds for the movement, and members of the club will be dressing up throughout December in apparel like dresses, nice sweaters, ties, etc.
“My favorite part about Dressember is being able to dress up for a cause,” HTAC member Kareena Ohri said. “I also love seeing everyone else also dressed up and participating around school.”
Dressember has helped raise awareness for human trafficking issues, since 2009 when its creator Blythe Hill started the movement. Dressember has raised 20 million dollars and partnered with many organizations to help protect people from trafficking. One of the most notable partnerships the movement has is with the International Justice Mission, and all the funds raised by Dressember advocates directly impact the lives of many victims and survivors in their journey toward healing and restoration.
“Throughout the years, HTAC has grown and become a pretty big club within Champe and other schools,” Boteler said. “The club has been able to raise a bunch of money to give to the Dressember campaign, showing the impact we’ve had around Champe.”
Getting students to participate in Dressember can be hard given the cool temperatures and the “depressing” aura that surrounds the winter season, but HTAC works hard to get everyone involved. For most of the December school days, HTAC will post those who participate on their Instagram, tagging Dressember to show how Champe students have been dressing up.
“Dressember helps start conversations about human trafficking because when a person sees another person participating, it makes them curious as to why they’re dressed up,” Ohri said. “They may ask questions as to why they are dressed up, sparking conversations about human trafficking awareness and education.”
HTAC has been doing Dressember since the club’s early days, and their participation in the movement has grown substantially. Over the years, HTAC has made Dressember more school wide, connecting more students, teachers, and staff to the movement.
“HTAC encourages members and students to participate in Dressember by having meetings in school,” Boteler said. “It makes it much easier for others to get involved and inspires new people to join the club.”
Dressember is one of the big awareness movements that HTAC participates in during the school year; however, the club is committed to doing all that it can to shine a light on the issue of human trafficking. Information slides in advisory presentations and posters around the school are just a few examples of how the club has spread its message around Champe.
“Our main focus is Dressember and doing the most we can for this campaign,” Boteler said, “but we are currently planning other events for the rest of the year!”
