By Gale Hemmann
Did you know we have a local resident who is truly changing the world direct from Olympia?
She’s been on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She’s spoken to the United Nations General Assembly. Her work has been featured on CNN World News and international media. She has worked with hundreds of thousands of human trafficking survivors. Rani Hong’s work with the Tronie Foundation might have a global sweep, but she is based right here in Olympia.
Rani Hong’s life story is amazing. Born in rural India, she was sold into human slavery at age seven. She managed to survive, and has since dedicated her life to helping other survivors and changing the global consciousness about human trafficking.
Rani and her husband Trong Hong, also a trafficking survivor, live here in Olympia with their four children. They co-founded the Tronie Foundation in 2006. What Rani has been able to do since then is truly astounding.
She reaches out to survivors around the world, empowering them to become leaders. She also works with policymakers to raise awareness of and enact new laws about human trafficking. Whenever funds allow, she travels globally to do her work. (She has already visited 20 countries and reached many more through broadcast media.) She spends the rest of her time working from her office in Olympia to raise awareness of the issue. Hong also serves as special advisor to the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) initiative.
I was honored to speak with Hong. She told me about her current projects, and the past accomplishments and future goals of the Tronie Foundation. At the end of July, she’ll be traveling to Colombia, for the first-ever international conference on human trafficking. She also traveled to the United Nations in New York City this summer to celebrate the first ever world day against trafficking in persons which she helped to establish. It marks the success of progress on human trafficking issues and a direct result of Rani’s outreach efforts
In Olympia, Rani is involved in the local community through her children’s schools. She attends sports and other activities at Centennial Elementary. She is also involved in her church.
Hong also partnered with Centennial Elementary last year to create an initiative to educate kids in the United States about slavery. They held a fundraiser and raised over $4,500 to help educate former child slaves and at-risk young people in India. She has also given presentations to several civic organizations, such as Rotary clubs, Zonta groups, and Soroptimist International, about human trafficking issues. Hong shares that her major funder is a local Olympia business, Diamond Technologies, Inc.
Clearly, Hong’s work is an example of the resiliency of the human spirit, and an example of how the local is linked to the global.
I asked Hong what she would most like to share with readers about her work. First, she said, is that human trafficking happens and can take many forms (sexual, forced labor, slavery in private households). It is shocking to learn that 2.5 million people around the world are currently enslaved. The second is that, even if we feel far removed from human trafficking in our everyday lives, it’s possible for us to be complicit in it as consumers through the supply chain of items we purchase and the policies and organizations we support.
Aside from living in Olympia, the city has also been an important starting place for Hong’s work. In 2002, Hong testified about her experience as a survivor of human trafficking in front of the Washington State Legislature at the Capitol Building. She asked them to be key partners in addressing the issue.
Washington then passed the first state-level law regarding human trafficking. (We currently have twelve laws in place, as a result of Hong’s initial efforts.) Now, a little over a decade later, all 50 states have laws on the books. You can read more about Washington State’s action on this issue here. Hong notes that she is deeply grateful to the State of Washington and local support for her work in getting the ball rolling.
Making an Impact, Changing Lives
The reach of Hong’s work so far has been truly global. She has traveled the world giving talks, speaking before prominent figures. She has spoken to the President of the United Nations, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Bollywood actors. She has also talked with American celebrities including Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, and Mira Sorvino. But perhaps most importantly, she has met with thousands of human trafficking survivors around the world, in shelters and schools.
She also notes an important part of making the Tronie Foundation so successful is that she incorporates survivors’ voices as leaders in the project. It is this dual ability – to network with policymakers and survivors alike – that makes Hong so effective. It is also sheer drive and determination. Hong runs the organization herself, and notes that she relies on donations and support from individuals and the community to keep it going.
How You Can Help
You might be thinking, “I’m only one person.” Yes, you are one person, but it is amazing what you can do to help make a difference. In speaking with Hong, she had many ideas for ways individuals, schools and businesses can help. While it is a very serious issue, the good news is that you can do something positive about it. Here are some of the ways, according to Hong:
- Become aware: Educate yourself about the issue. Many people think human trafficking doesn’t really exist. Read the Tronie Foundation website, and discuss the issue with others. Parents can even talk to kids about this topic in age-appropriate ways. You can also listen to some informative videos on the website and download public school educational materials under the Take Action tab here.
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Rani and her husband, Trong Hong, live in Olympia with their children. They provide easy steps on how you can take action internationally to fight human trafficking. Get social: Join the I Give Hope campaign. Hong was positive about the power of social media as a way for people to connect globally and be a voice for change. Whether Twitter, Facebook, or another social media venue is your preferred platform, join conversations, re-post, and make social justice part of your online presence. Share your voice with #IGiveHope. Follow the Tronie Foundation on Facebook or on Twitter at @TroniFoundation and @RanisVoice.
- Donate: Even small amounts are appreciated. No matter what you have to give, Hong stressed that it is a very tangible way to help make a difference. A donation of $25 can print and deliver 240 educational comic books to those that are at risk of exploitation and human trafficking survivors around the world, to help educate them about their options.
- Take it to work: Hong noted that she would love to have businesses support the work of the Tronie Foundation by donating, partnering, and earning a “Freedom Seal.” She noted that businesses can also help by examining their chain of supply for items they purchase, and commit to using items that are not produced by forced labor.
As I ended my interview with Hong, I reflected on our conversation. I am most inspired by her ability to put her life experience to such a positive purpose in her work with the Tronie Foundation. I was honored to speak with a global leader right here in our community.
As Rani notes in her speech to the United Nations, she invites you to join her in promoting “the universal freedom of all people, the value of equality, and the opportunity for every human to pursue his or her full potential.”
