Slave Free Bellingham

Steve Trinkaus, owner of Terra Organica is founding a new initiative, Slave Free Bellingham, in order to make Bellingham a world center for ending slavery. He is working closely with Free The Slaves a non-profit based in Washington D.C. which has the stated goal of ending slavery world-wide in 25 years. Free The Slaves is sending documentary producer Peggy Calahan, (Peabody award winner), to create a documentary about how Terra Organica will be slave free in their products, and the initiative to create awareness and community action around this issue in Bellingham. Terra Organica is the first business ever that has passed Free The Slaves rigid review of sourcing products and maintaining free trade documentation.
Trinkaus stated, he does not want this initiative to be perceived as a “left leaning liberal agenda.” He believes this is a human rights issue that all groups can get behind and he wants to reach out to all groups wanting to participate. The initial goal is to create an 80 percent awareness among Whatcom county residents about the issue of modern slavery built into products and services in our society. He would also like to see city government get involved in passing laws against slave products and training of law enforcement in regard slavery issues.
By February of 2008 Terra Organica will have a purchase card that routes 1 percent of sales to freeing of slaves. Also, two documentaries produced by Free The Slaves, will be featured in the upcoming Human Rights Film Festival in Bellingham.
Trinkaus would like help creating Slave Free Bellingham as an organization and he outlined areas where help is needed:
•Documentation of slavery in Bellingham and Whatcom County, (police records etc.)
•Help with a power point presentation.
•Creation of a Web site and brochure for Slave Free Bellingham.
•Writing a press release.
•Finding methods to work with local businesses on social justice, (Sustainable Connections).
•Creation of an E-mail list of interested activists.
•Potentially. create Slave Free Bellingham as a non-profit.

This group will be meeting the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 5pm, in the seating area of Terra Organica, downtown Bellingham. The next meeting is February 13th, 5pm.