January 29-31, 2015
CONCEPT: Freedom is a three-day summit addressing the topic of human trafficking. Built on the collaborative efforts of campus and community organizations, this forum of expression will provide opportunities for education and, ultimately, action. With choral music as its centerpiece, the weekend engages performers and participants through the visual arts, movement, music, theater, film, fashion, and civil discourse, joining together to fight this most pressing human rights issue.
Thursday, January 29 | 8 p.m. | Film Screening: Very Young Girls | Free
Hughes Hall Auditorium | 1899 College Rd.
Very Young Girls is an exposé of the commercial sexual exploitation of young girls in New York City - documenting their struggles and triumphs as they seek to exit the commercial sex industry.
The film identifies hope for these girls in the organization GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services), a recovery agency founded and run by Rachel Lloyd, herself a survivor. Very Young Girls will change the way society as a whole looks at the commercial sexual exploitation, street prostitution, and human trafficking.
Rachel Lloyd, featured speaker
Weigel Hall Auditorium | 1866 College Rd.
At age 23, Rachel Lloyd founded Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS). Driven by the lack of services for trafficked girls and the incredible punishment they faced, she has helped shift the perception of trafficked girls from criminals to victims, and now to survivors and leaders. GEMS is now the largest service provider of its kind in the nation.
The Women’s Glee Club will present a sonic rendering of Rachel’s book Girls Like Us. Each chapter will be paired with a musical selection. The evening will finish with the keynote address given by Ms. Lloyd.
4 p.m. performance • Open to the public • Free
Weigel Hall Auditorium | 1866 College Rd.
On Saturday, women of all ages are welcome to participate in the CONCEPT: Freedom Festival Chorus. Rehearsal will begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue throughout the day, culminating in a performance at 4:00 p.m., which is open to the public and free.
In addition to musical collaboration, participants will have the option to attend interest sessions that will educate and empower attendees to make a difference in their local communities.
Join the CONCEPT: Freedom Festival Chorus
Cost of participation: $20 (includes lunch and musical scores)
We welcome high school, college, and community choirs to join us for this event. Each individual must complete a registration form to participate. Payment can be submitted as a group or individually. Contact the outreach registrar at
musicoutreach@osu.edu or call (614) 292-4280 for more information.
Weigel Hall Auditorium | 1866 College Rd.
Tickets for this event are now available. Advance ticket sales at (614) 292-2295 or cash only at the door, open at 7 p.m. Tickets: $30 VIP Stage Seating (advance sale only) / $15 general public / $10 students.
UNCHAINED is a performance art fashion show intended to ignite abolitionists to the cause. Designed by
Project Runway’s Korto Momolu, the collection was first purposed to celebrate women in the aftermath of the Liberian Civil War. For UNCHAINED, a narration shares the journey of a female human trafficking survivor from innocence to violation to restoration.
Prior to the show, the Honorable Judge Paul Herbert, founder of the CATCH Court, will be a guest speaker.
Saturday, January 31 | Art Exhibit
Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise | Sullivant Hall | 1813 N. High St.
Columbus photographer and Ohio State graduate, Eileah Ohning, will present an installation of images celebrating hope, freedom, and possibility. Each photograph will share a narrative created by a local survivor of human trafficking. The photographs will be for sale, with all proceeds going directly to the applicants of Survivor's Ink, which provides services to debrand survivors.
Contact:
- For questions regarding CONCEPT: Freedom programming details, contact Kristina Caswell MacMullen at mcmullen.1@osu.edu or call (614) 292-9926
- For questions about registration, payment, visiting campus, etc. contact the outreach registrar at musicoutreach@osu.edu or call (614) 292-4280.
Thank you to our campus and community partners.
Her Campus | College of Law - Justice for Children Project | Student Advocacy Center | Office of Student Life | Men's Glee Club
