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Wednesday
March 17, 2010 Since 1922 |
Teens work to end human trafficking
By Stacy Parent
The Baytown Sun Published July 14, 2009 Movies. Parties. Friends. These common teenage pastimes have not filled the days of three Highlands teenagers this summer.
Rather, Stephen, Melanie and Dianna Muldrow have spent their time organizing a life-changing event.
Broken Cords, a benefit concert to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern- day slavery, will be held Aug. 29 at Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston’s theater district.
All proceeds from the concert will benefit Houston’s Coalition Against Human Trafficking.
The Muldrows were inspired to organize the concert after reading “Do Hard Things” by Alex and Brett Harris. The book encourages teenagers to rebel against low expectations.
“Teenagers are capable of a lot of stuff, but they don’t do a lot of stuff, mainly because people don’t expect them to,” Stephen Muldrow said. “We wanted to do something meaningful, something that had a purpose to it.”
The Muldrows decided to shed light on a cause close to their hearts – human rights.
“You can talk about economics all day, but when you come right down to it, human suffering is really the main thing you want to solve and work to end,” Stephen Muldrow said. “It’s something that people don’t know about, it’s something that’s huge, and it’s something that’s a major problem. It is something that is here, and it definitely needs to be ended.”
Melanie Muldrow shares this sentiment.
“Whenever we first talked to some of our friends about human trafficking, they asked what it was,” she said. “When we told them what it was, they asked ‘So you mean in other countries?’ No one expects it here in Houston ... I want to help the kids and the families that are in trouble right now.”
The three siblings chose a concert as the vessel for their message because of its widespread reach.
“A concert is something that everyone can come to,” Stephen Muldrow said. “It’s also something that we can publicize all over. This isn’t something that’s directed at a specific audience or age group. It’s all across the board.”
The Muldrows hope people leave the concert with an understanding of human trafficking and the desire and knowledge to effect change in the lives of others.
“One of the reasons we wanted to benefit the Houston coalition is because they are fighting against this and helping the victims get back into society,” Stephen Muldrow said. “However, many people don’t know about it, so they’re not a well-funded operation. That’s why were trying to raise money for this cause. It’s so big, but people don’t know about it and they’re not doing anything about it. We need to give our time to help do what we can.”
Stephen Muldrow has these words for fellow teenagers who want to make a difference in their world.
“You can do anything,” he said. “There’s not some magic key. You can do what you want as long as you apply yourself and go after it. It’s not so much that you’re doing something really big, it’s that you are actually doing something.”
The Broken Cords benefit concert will feature a world-class ensemble of musicians who have performed in the United States, Europe and Asia.
Confirmed performers include internationally acclaimed clarinetist Håkan Rosengren, concert pianists Rick Rowley, Caleb Harris and Andrew Staupe, and violist Luke Fleming, a C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellow at the renowned Juilliard School in New York City.
“We really appreciate the musicians giving their time to this cause and making the concert a beautiful program that all will want to see,” Dianna Muldrow said. “Human trafficking is a far larger problem than I ever realized and I am so glad to see people wanting and working to end it.”
Broken Cords concert tickets range from $25 to $75. Special discounts are available for groups.
Personal or corporate sponsorships are available in four levels: Liberator, Deliverer, Rescuer and Be a Hero.
For more information, visit www.brokencords.com or call 281-426 5025.
The Baytown Sun Published July 14, 2009 Movies. Parties. Friends. These common teenage pastimes have not filled the days of three Highlands teenagers this summer.
Rather, Stephen, Melanie and Dianna Muldrow have spent their time organizing a life-changing event.
Broken Cords, a benefit concert to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern- day slavery, will be held Aug. 29 at Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston’s theater district.
All proceeds from the concert will benefit Houston’s Coalition Against Human Trafficking.
The Muldrows were inspired to organize the concert after reading “Do Hard Things” by Alex and Brett Harris. The book encourages teenagers to rebel against low expectations.
“Teenagers are capable of a lot of stuff, but they don’t do a lot of stuff, mainly because people don’t expect them to,” Stephen Muldrow said. “We wanted to do something meaningful, something that had a purpose to it.”
The Muldrows decided to shed light on a cause close to their hearts – human rights.
“You can talk about economics all day, but when you come right down to it, human suffering is really the main thing you want to solve and work to end,” Stephen Muldrow said. “It’s something that people don’t know about, it’s something that’s huge, and it’s something that’s a major problem. It is something that is here, and it definitely needs to be ended.”
Melanie Muldrow shares this sentiment.
“Whenever we first talked to some of our friends about human trafficking, they asked what it was,” she said. “When we told them what it was, they asked ‘So you mean in other countries?’ No one expects it here in Houston ... I want to help the kids and the families that are in trouble right now.”
The three siblings chose a concert as the vessel for their message because of its widespread reach.
“A concert is something that everyone can come to,” Stephen Muldrow said. “It’s also something that we can publicize all over. This isn’t something that’s directed at a specific audience or age group. It’s all across the board.”
The Muldrows hope people leave the concert with an understanding of human trafficking and the desire and knowledge to effect change in the lives of others.
“One of the reasons we wanted to benefit the Houston coalition is because they are fighting against this and helping the victims get back into society,” Stephen Muldrow said. “However, many people don’t know about it, so they’re not a well-funded operation. That’s why were trying to raise money for this cause. It’s so big, but people don’t know about it and they’re not doing anything about it. We need to give our time to help do what we can.”
Stephen Muldrow has these words for fellow teenagers who want to make a difference in their world.
“You can do anything,” he said. “There’s not some magic key. You can do what you want as long as you apply yourself and go after it. It’s not so much that you’re doing something really big, it’s that you are actually doing something.”
The Broken Cords benefit concert will feature a world-class ensemble of musicians who have performed in the United States, Europe and Asia.
Confirmed performers include internationally acclaimed clarinetist Håkan Rosengren, concert pianists Rick Rowley, Caleb Harris and Andrew Staupe, and violist Luke Fleming, a C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellow at the renowned Juilliard School in New York City.
“We really appreciate the musicians giving their time to this cause and making the concert a beautiful program that all will want to see,” Dianna Muldrow said. “Human trafficking is a far larger problem than I ever realized and I am so glad to see people wanting and working to end it.”
Broken Cords concert tickets range from $25 to $75. Special discounts are available for groups.
Personal or corporate sponsorships are available in four levels: Liberator, Deliverer, Rescuer and Be a Hero.
For more information, visit www.brokencords.com or call 281-426 5025.