200 years after the United States abolished the transatlantic slave trade, human trafficking is tragically alive and well.

There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. Some are sold for as little as ten U.S. dollars and are as young as five years old. Worldwide, the sex trafficking industry alone generates an estimated nine to twelve billion US dollars per year. Sex slaves are perhaps the most publicized, but the majority of slaves are actually found in agriculture and mining, the cotton, steel, and even computer industries, across developing and developed nations.

Eradicating modern-day slavery is the foremost challenge we face in this century.

On Thursday March 26th, JANERA.com, the Voice of Global Nomads, is raising awareness about modern-day slavery with an evening of photography, an anti-slavery speaker, drummers, and dancing at the Chelsea Art Museum.

Photographer Jennifer MacFarlane will present her large-scale images of Cambodian brothels; journalist E. Benjamin Skinner will lead the discussion; drummer John Amira will get people dancing with his Cuban and Haitian beats, to be followed by GlobeSonic DJ Fabian Alsultany, who will spin global electronica and eclectic musical sounds late into the night.

Proceeds go to the Somaly Mam Foundation, an organization committed to ending slavery and preventing human trafficking. Under the vision and leadership of Cambodian activist (and former slave) Somaly Mam, the foundation focuses on combating human trafficking through campaigns, rehabilitation programs, employment training and microfinance assistance—all to provide the victims of sex trafficking with a new future.

This event coincides with the United Nations’ two-day celebration in conjunction with the Culture Project, Breaking the Silence: Beating the Drum (24-25 March), a commemoration of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.


Partners: Flavorpill, Tablet Hotels and the Global Nomads Group.

• 9 pm cocktails
• 9.30 pm E. Benjamin Skinner, author of A Crime So Monstrous: Face to Face with Modern Day Slavery, speaks on modern day slavery and what can be done.
• 10:00 pm, Afro-Caribbean Drumming Demonstration with John Amira, accompanied by Regina Iyaleio (vocals), Jose Genua (conga and vocals) Kevin Hylton (shekere), Andrew Linsk (conga and vocals) and Nat Seeley (conga and bell).
• 10.30 pm: GlobeSonic DJ Fabian Alsultany

Admission $40 in advance ($50 at the door)

JANERA.com, The Voice of Global Nomads, is an online community for global nomads. We discuss economics and global culture from a human perspective both online, in our magazine, and offline at dinner salons and cocktail parties around the world. Our events, which address timely international issues such as immigration, global religions and the recession, are preceded by articles, blogs, and photos on our site to educate and to inspire.