Project Proposal

Emily Schmeiser 3b
September 14, 2016

A. ABSTRACT

Human Trafficking: The Modern Slavery

The more I read about Human Trafficking, the more it begins to bother me. I am

concerned with this occurrence because, while human trafficking can apply to males, generally it

applies to females. Human Trafficking does not just occur in foreign countries, but in America.

Just in the U.S, approximately 600,000 females and children are victims of human trafficking per

year. I would like to raise awareness about this topic because it can happen to anyone and is a

growing issue. The more the public becomes aware of this dehumanization of people, the more

we can prevent it. Traffickers force the kidnapped women to have intercourse with up to 30 men

each day; no one should be degraded and used like this. It hurts my heart that 600,000 women

and children go through this each year, and I want to help do something to prevent it.

In order to complete my research I have a few driving questions:

What are the statistics for how many people fall victim to human

trafficking each year in the U.S.?

How does law enforcement try to prevent acts of human

trafficking?
What is happening in Virginia with human trafficking?
What has failed as a prevention method for human trafficking,

and what has succeeded?

I have always loved art, therefore I want to incorporate something art related into my

project. The M.O.C.A provides a place for art exhibits and if I plan my event ahead of time I

could create artwork to exhibit human trafficking and display the loss and sadness that comes
with it. I would like to speak out at my exhibition to raise awareness and set a more serious

mood. I would like for Mr. James Godfrey to consult me during my project because I feel he

would put a lot of time and effort into showing me that my project is important to him, and he

also helped me a lot with my project for English in 9th grade.

My project will take place at the M.O.C.A in spring 2017.

The success of my project will be determined on the effect I leave on my audience. This

may be a hard to thing to measure; however, after my audience experiences the displayed

artwork I would like to hold an open discussion seminar and ask mind-opening questions to

further leave a mark in their brains of why human trafficking is a serious issue. Some questions I

might ask are now that you have experienced these works of art how do you feel about human

trafficking, or plant images such as, imagine being the face behind one of these paintings. I

want to leave my audience with the truth behind trafficking.

I will need a secretary to take notes for me during my seminar, art pieces to display, an

audience, permission to use the M.O.C.A as my venue, socratic seminar questions, and a small

survey to determine how my audience heard about my event.

B. LEARNING SKILLS

I am learning how to organize an event and market it so that people are persuaded to

come. I am also learning how to evoke people's emotions and thoughts through not only art work

but my knowledge, words, and passion. I will enhance my public speaking and organizational

skills. I have always been rather nervous to speak publicly, through this project I will learn how

to settle my nerves and improve my voice when speaking.

C. MARKETING PLAN/FACILITIES/AUDIENCE

In hopes of attracting people who are unaware of human trafficking as well as artistic

people, I will create advertisements to draw the attention of those who fall under this category.

My advertisements will be posted on social media to receive the most amount of views and

contain interesting and thought provoking facts to draw the attention of those unaware of the

harm and abundant dangers of human trafficking. My advertisements will be creative to ensure

people who are artistic will view my post and possibly become interested in how human

trafficking can be displayed as art. By making people more aware of this issue they will

recognize dangerous situations and avoid them. Every person who becomes aware of the risks of

trafficking, is one more person with a smaller risk of being trafficked.

My hopes in catching the attention of an artist is that they will share my art and the reality

behind human trafficking. The M.O.C.A would be an appropriate venue for my audience because

I would like to display art to catch the attention of the deep and serious side of my issue and

showcase that to my audience. In many cases of human trafficking the victims are unaware that

they are running into the arms of danger. For example, a 14 year old girl, after meeting a man at

the mall who convinced her to run away from her problems listened to him, unaware of the

dangers of running away with a stranger. Little did she know she was running right into the arms

of a sex trafficking ring. This can be prevented with the proper awareness of human trafficking.

If she had learned about how girls are trafficked, lured, and used she would have looked at the

strange man differently and let her instincts of danger set in. Because of this story I would like to

target teens, maybe whom have a hard home life.

D. PROJECT STEPS

Preliminary Steps Ask M.O.C.A if I can use 5 hours

their space for my project
venue, meet with consultant
to brainstorm ideas for how to
conduct my
event/presentation, figure out
how many artworks I wish to
display, find artists who
display artworks about human
trafficking

Midway Steps Follow up with M.O.C.A for 12 hours

dates, begin to create artwork/
buy canvases, advertise on
social media, ask friends to
advertise my event, figure out
what types of food to order
and where from

Later Steps Continue to advertise on 8 hours

social media but more
heavily, check back in with
consultant to ensure
everything I need to be done
is done, write artist
statements/explanations of
artwork, follow up with
M.O.C.A, create seminar
questions, ask someone to be
a secretary for my seminar,
follow up with food source

Follow up Write thank you notes to 3 hours

artists, analyze feedback from
seminar to conclude the
success of my project

Total 28 hours
E. PROJECT DOCUMENTATION

I will create a log to record all the steps and preparation going into my project.

Everything I do for my project will be recorded as dates and hours spent in my log. I will also

ask a friend/family member to record and take pictures at my actual event to exhibit my public

speaking skills. Once completing all of the artworks for my event I will take pictures of each

one. My emails back and forth between the M.O.C.A will serve as my documentation for how I

coordinated my event. I will also make a chart to show how many people are showing up to my

event to document the amount of people my advertisements attracted. Lastly, I will make a short

survey for my audience to fill out, telling me how they heard about my event.

F. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

This project will provide me with a great challenge because creating individual art pieces

and statements for my exhibit will not only be time consuming but emotional. It will be an

emotional process because to create my pieces I will have to research and understand what

victims of human trafficking feel. This project is in depth because I am not just presenting facts

and information on human trafficking; I am taking my audience through the emotions and reality

of trafficking. I hope to challenge myself by staying passionate throughout my project and

advocating for victims of sex trade through emotional appeals.

G. PROJECT-PAPER CONNECTION

My legal issue and topic are cohesively related because human trafficking is against the

law and I will be evaluating its law and how it is being prevented. By researching laws pertaining
to trafficking in the U.S, I will put emphasis in my paper on what these laws are and how they

are affecting society. My project is to inform/prevent trafficking; law is a major component of

sex trade, and in order to complete my goal of teaching the audience, I must include the

components of the laws against trafficking to further draw awareness.

H. ACADEMIC HONESTY

Academic dishonesty is any shortcut that will deplete the challenge of my project. It also

means falsifying information, unauthorized collaboration, and plagiarism. Plagiarism is the use

of an author's information without citing or permission. Making the poor decision to commit any

of these academic dishonesties will result in an immediate failure of my project and removal

from the Legal Studies Academy.

I understand that any academic dishonesty by me on any part of the project will result in failure

of the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School diploma.