From Krysta Bisnauth, Freedom United

Today should be a momentous occasion. We should be celebrating 158 years since slavery was abolished in the U.S. However, within the noble proclamation the 13th Amendment seemingly presented, lay a subtle betrayal: the exception that allowed slavery to persist as a form of punishment for crime.   Today, we find ourselves at a pivotal juncture, where the echoes of the past reverberate through our present reality. U.S. policymakers must decide whether to abolish slavery for ALL – or let economics trump human rights.     We’re counting on your help to end lingering injustices.

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Kevin Bales, Professor of Contemporary Slavery, co-author of the Global Slavery Index and Amend the 13th campaign ambassador, on this occasion shares that, “The fact of prison slavery is a deep, ugly, and long-lasting stain on America — 160 years of “legal slavery” in the “Land of the Free” is a crime against our deepest beliefs and our collective conscience. It is time to end this cruel exception and end legal slavery in America forever.”

The heart of our campaign beats in unison with the anti-slavery community, urging Congress to pass the Abolition Amendment (SJR 33/HJR 72)[1] which boldly declares an end to the exception — a declaration that unequivocally denounces the insidious practice of slavery in any guise. 

In just 5 minutes, you can make a difference: 

Share the petition: We need you and your community! Share the petition calling on Congress to end slavery with your friends, family and coworkers. If you haven’t signed the petition yet, what are you waiting for?  

Read about slavery and abolition: Learn more about how the 13th Amendment is part of a wider history of abolition as an aspiration, not a fact.  

Give $13 to amend the 13th:We’re gearing up to support advocates across the U.S. in pressuring their local policy makers to make waves on Capitol Hill. If you can, please consider supporting our work building power for change. Your donation today could help us go further when we need it most.  

Thank you for your efforts – together, we can outlaw U.S. slavery once and for all.  

In solidarity, 

Krysta and the team supporting the Freedom United community 

Krysta Bisnauth Advocacy, Freedom United