Boston's A21 Walk for Freedom

On October 19, 2019, hundreds of people gathered in 500 cities all over the world to participate in a silent walk hosted by the A21 Campaign. A21 is a non-profit organization that fights against human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Every year, they partner with other organizations and host a "Walk for Freedom" in cities all over the world to raise awareness of the exploitation that still occurs today.

Globally, Hillsong Church has partnered with A21 for years, and this year, Hillsong Boston has partnered with Restoration City Church to host a 2-mile silent walk through Blue Hill Ave., where it is said a lot of street prostitution still occurs. 116 people checked in and walked through the neighborhood carrying signs, flyers, and roses, giving them out to passersby and drivers in their cars.

Particularly significant, many of the women volunteers carried red roses as they walked. Restoration City Church has a ministry called Rose of Sharon where a team of four to five women go out at two in the morning to hand out roses to the women working on the streets. The name "Rose of Sharon" is derived from the Bible verse Song of Solomon 2:1-2, and it is meant to symbolize a light and hope for the women working late into the night on the streets. The roses are also chosen specifically for its red color because it symbolizes Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and the shedding of His blood.

Standing in front of the crowd, Rachel Daws explains the mission and vision behind the non-profit A21 “Walk for Freedom.” Daws oversees the CityHope team at Hillsong Church where her role is to organize Hope Days, which are events that strive to give back to the community. Daws and her team started planning with A21, eventually finding Restoration City Church to partner with for the silent walk. “[The people at the church] are very familiar with the community and the people affected by this issue,” she said, “which is why we wanted to work with them.”

Issues of human trafficking and sexual exploitation are not the most talked about topic because they are rarely physically and directly seen. However, according to statistics gained by A21, human trafficking occurs in all 50 states and generates an estimate of $150.2 billion a year. To combat this number, the “Walk for Freedom” in Boston raised over $4,500 for A21’s cause. “We wanted to show people that we see [them], and we’re here for [them], and we care for [them],” Rachel Daws, the organizer of the Hillsong A21 Walk for Freedom in Boston, said.

1% of victims are ever rescued

-Trafficking in Persons Report 2018

Sam Ruiz wears an A21 hoodie as he walks in the single-file line through Blue Hill Ave. Knowing the significance of the neighborhood they were walking through, Ruiz said he felt “empowered” to be a part of something that gives back to the community. The two-mile route through Blue Hill Ave was not chosen at random: it is said to have the “highest percentage of street prostitution” in Dorchester. “I think the silence makes it more serious because [these victims] can’t speak for themselves,” Ruiz said.

Walking silently, Boston University graduate Thyra Root walks the last mile of A21’s Walk for Freedom. Root found out about the walk through a mini seminar she attended put on by the Society for the Two Tasks. The silent walk forced Root to pay attention to people’s reactions as they were walking, as well as gave her the time to think about the people affected by modern slavery. “I took some to pray for the people who are working in organizations like A21, and of course, for the people who are enslaved,” she said, “it was also great to see that as we were walking, we were interrupting the flow of the day.”

As the long line of people progressed through the neighborhood, many people, either walking or in their cars, either simply stared or showed their support and gratitude for the cause. Some stopped to talk and find out more about why the walk is happening, while others simply smiled and reached out their hands to receive a rose or a flyer. Many times during the walk, however, many cars will honk in support, sometimes three or more cars in a row blasting their sirens as they pump their fists outside their window.

Volunteers at the A21 Walk for Freedom cross the street as the light turns green. With a total of 116 people walking in single-file, volunteers often had to stop at intersections to avoid causing traffic. When cars were stopped at a red light, however, many volunteers took this opportunity to face their big yellow signs towards drivers and passengers. At one point, a woman at the front of the traffic light got out of her car and said to the other cars behind her, “we all will wait,” allowing the long line of volunteers to cross the road, long after the light signalled green for the cars to go.

To find out more about A21 and their cause, click here.