Are You Seeing the Trees for the Forest? (D217)

Tasra Dawson —  April 5, 2010 — 4 Comments

I didn’t get that backwards. I really want to know… are you seeing individual trees or is your gaze fixed solely on the forest?

Not in a general sense either, but in a very specific situation…

tasra365 antique trees collage Are You Seeing the Trees for the Forest? (D217)

THE STATISTICS
Atlanta has come up in studies as one of the locations with the highest incidence of child trafficking in the country. Studies show that 400 girls, under the age of 18, are exploited each month in this city alone. Although there are no similar studies of boys yet, many people believe the number of boys each month is almost as high. 1 in 3 runaway children will have some type of brush with prostitution. It’s not just a problem for someone else or another family, it starts at home and comes back to home… my home… your home.

THE SOLUTION
Today Ron and I went to a meeting at 12Stone Church to hear a presentation about Street Grace, an organization committed to fighting sex trafficking in Atlanta. They are organizing events and uniting churches of multiple denominations from all over the metro ATL area. We went to find out what we can do.

THE FOREST
I don’t know how it is for you, but when I hear about a problem like this, it’s easier to look at it as this big, untouchable problem…. something for the activists to handle. It’s out there and even though I know it exists, it’s easier to feel detached from it. It’s uncomfortable and painful to think about and most people don’t want to get up close and personal. I know. I’ve been one of them.

THE TREES
But turning a blind eye or hoping that someone else will take charge isn’t working. 400 girls every month are taken into a world of shame and darkness that will impact them for the rest of their lives. What will work is people like me being willing to see just one individual girl affected by this… a single tree among the forest of a problem. To know that girl by name. To see her face and look into her eyes. To hear her story.

THE CHANGE
That’s when change will happen. That’s when real people like you and me can’t help but be moved to action. That’s when regular people will start getting involved at the street level.

THE CHALLENGE
So I ask you: Are you seeing the trees… or the forest? Are you willing to change your view?

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Tasra Dawson

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Author, designer, photographer, teacher... just an artistic curious girl learning to live insanely great and sharing what I learn along the way.
  • http://www.indiebusinessblog.com Donna Maria Coles Johnson

    Thank you for sharing this perspective, as well as the wonderful work of Rachel Lloyd. It's easy to see the big picture and all the statistics, and just think of it like a big, huge problem that someone else with lots of cash and human resources can solve — or at least try. But Rachel saw the tree line, jumped in and started addressing the beautiful little trees, one at a time. We can change the forest by changing the trees. Sobering reality that. I hope my life makes some small contribution in this regard where my passion for women in business is concerned. You certainly are setting a good and inspiring example.

    • http://tasra365.com tasra

      You definitely are my friend.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/rauberphotoworks/ Pam Rauber

    Glad to see you are on board..but then you have been with teen identity. I myself have always been an advocate of kids and teens. I remember when my kids were in school and standing in the principals office chastising him for not doing more about parents of bulleys and teachers who ignored the child who was being bulleyed. I can only hope through mentoring, I have made a difference. Teens need a reason not to not to be lured by pimps or join gangs or experiment with drugs. A guidance counselor once said to me “kids join gangs because they WANT to” to which I responded “then YOU need to give them a reason not to WANT to join”. I realize sometimes it seems hopeless but without guidance how can children learn direction?

    • http://tasra365.com tasra

      I absolutely agree. For me with Teen Identity it's about giving girls a
      voice, changing the way they view themselves, and helping them walk forward
      in confidence knowing how valuable they are… I believe those tools can be
      the preventive measures to keep young girls from even considering being part
      of “the life.”