Fil-Am receives 'Jefferson Award' for fight vs human trafficking
06/28/2011
GMA News
A young Filipino-American woman received the Jefferson Award for Public Service for helping curtail human trafficking in the United States.
Andrea Mendoza, together with teammate Ariana Taveras, a Dominican Republic national, spearheaded a campaign to stop child labor by major manufacturing companies and to eradicate other forms of modern-day slavery.
Mendoza, an incoming senior high school student, was born in the Philippines and her family is from Mandaluyong City. They migrated to the US when she was six years old.
Mendoza and Taveras, both from the Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, New Jersey, created a “Student in Action" program that generated public awareness and media attention from Cable News Network or CNN, an all-news television channel.
“The program has empowered us to reach out to the media, to government, and to major organizations. It has taught us to not only to dream big… but to also become activists for social change on both the local and global level," Mendoza said in one of her speeches.
Global network
By working with young leaders of the Benedictine Academy, Mendoza helped establish a global network of people and organizations that are against modern-day slavery.
The global network included anti-human trafficking champions from the Philippines that created an interaction among the anti-slavery groups and individuals via social media.
The network also pushed for the passing of a National Youth Commission’s (NYC) resolution to be actively part of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ)-Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking.
Some Filipinos that form part of the network are:
Visayan Forum founder Cecile Oebanda;
DOJ Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar;
NYC Commissioner Georgina Nava;
human rights lawyer Al Parreno;
House committee on education chair Sonny Angara;
children’s rights advocate Emanuel Bagual
social media expert Ben Totanes; and
photographer Rick Rocamora.
Created in 1972, the Jefferson Awards recognize and honor community and public service in America. The award’s primary purpose is to serve as a “call to action for volunteers" in local communities.
The award was named under Thomas Jefferson as he best reflected the spirit of excellence in the US. Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence, a former president of the world’s most powerful country, an advocate for education, free press and freedom of education.
Congratulatory message
Upon hearing the achievement of the Fil-Am woman, a number of the stakeholders who are part of the network sent formal congratulatory messages.
“I was elated to hear this good news, as it means having more young people taking initiative and leading the fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery," said Oebanda.
Nava likewise expressed the commission’s gratitude to Mendoza and her team for “showing us the courage, conviction and sincerity that continues to change countless lives."
She further said Mendoza and her team’s “action speaks of innovative and inspiring tales of youth dynamism and social responsibility."
Salazar pointed out: “I take comfort in the knowledge that more and more young people are realizing the gravity of the problem of trafficking in persons… I’m proud that a young Filipina like Andrea is championing this cause." — Jesse Edep, VVP, GMA News
Andrea Mendoza, together with teammate Ariana Taveras, a Dominican Republic national, spearheaded a campaign to stop child labor by major manufacturing companies and to eradicate other forms of modern-day slavery.
Mendoza, an incoming senior high school student, was born in the Philippines and her family is from Mandaluyong City. They migrated to the US when she was six years old.
Mendoza and Taveras, both from the Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, New Jersey, created a “Student in Action" program that generated public awareness and media attention from Cable News Network or CNN, an all-news television channel.
 |
| Andrea Mendoza and Ariana Taveras 2nd and 3rd from left respectively |
“The program has empowered us to reach out to the media, to government, and to major organizations. It has taught us to not only to dream big… but to also become activists for social change on both the local and global level," Mendoza said in one of her speeches.
Global network
By working with young leaders of the Benedictine Academy, Mendoza helped establish a global network of people and organizations that are against modern-day slavery.
The global network included anti-human trafficking champions from the Philippines that created an interaction among the anti-slavery groups and individuals via social media.
The network also pushed for the passing of a National Youth Commission’s (NYC) resolution to be actively part of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ)-Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking.
Some Filipinos that form part of the network are:
Created in 1972, the Jefferson Awards recognize and honor community and public service in America. The award’s primary purpose is to serve as a “call to action for volunteers" in local communities.
The award was named under Thomas Jefferson as he best reflected the spirit of excellence in the US. Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence, a former president of the world’s most powerful country, an advocate for education, free press and freedom of education.
Congratulatory message
Upon hearing the achievement of the Fil-Am woman, a number of the stakeholders who are part of the network sent formal congratulatory messages.
“I was elated to hear this good news, as it means having more young people taking initiative and leading the fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery," said Oebanda.
Nava likewise expressed the commission’s gratitude to Mendoza and her team for “showing us the courage, conviction and sincerity that continues to change countless lives."
She further said Mendoza and her team’s “action speaks of innovative and inspiring tales of youth dynamism and social responsibility."
Salazar pointed out: “I take comfort in the knowledge that more and more young people are realizing the gravity of the problem of trafficking in persons… I’m proud that a young Filipina like Andrea is championing this cause." — Jesse Edep, VVP, GMA News
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