This weblog is a part of our Folks Behind Objective at Cisco collection that focuses on workers driving Cisco’s goal to Energy an Inclusive Future for All. Every weblog highlights a distinct Cisco worker whose work positively impacts individuals, communities, or the planet. The collection was previously often called individuals behind Company Social Accountability (CSR) at Cisco.
July 30 is World Day In opposition to Trafficking in Individuals. Globally, an estimated 24.9 million persons are subjected to human trafficking, which generates an estimated $150 billion yearly in illicit income, per the 2021 Nationwide Motion Plan to Fight Human Trafficking White Home report. In keeping with UNICEF, greater than 1.2 million youngsters are trafficked throughout worldwide borders every year. Greater than 17,000 persons are trafficked into the USA every year. Many are youngsters. These are very sobering statistics that solely proceed to develop every year.
The Basis for a Slavery Free World (SFW) is one group that has partnered with Cisco by way of Cisco’s Neighborhood Influence to finish human trafficking by public outreach by way of training and occasions, supporting legislation enforcement’s efforts to rescue victims, and collaborating with the IT trade to develop new applied sciences. Cisconian Scarlet Estrada, CX enablement program supervisor, shares about her involvement with SFW and the way all Cisconians may be an advocate for this essential subject.
Inform us a bit of about your self and what introduced you to Cisco?
Scarlet: I used to be born in Venezuela and started my profession with Chevron, working a number of totally different analyst positions in each Venezuela and California for a bit of over ten years.
I then moved to Canada to start out a brand new life with my younger household, beginning with Boston Pizza as a group relations coordinator, which allowed me to start out a brand new skilled community and afforded me the pliability to boost my younger youngsters on the time.
I additionally held positions as a top quality engineering assistant, communications coordinator, and consumer providers account coordinator for various firms.
By way of the years, I stored in contact with many colleagues within the company world. A good friend who was at Cisco reached out to me in 2018 to let me find out about a renewals supervisor place inside Cisco’s Buyer Expertise (CX) group, stating that my background in account coordination, buyer expertise and advertising could be helpful to the crew. I interviewed, obtained the job, and started my Cisco profession in November 2018.
What’s your present function at Cisco, and the way do you incorporate Objective into your on a regular basis work?
Scarlet: I’m a part of CX IB Methodology core program crew liable for consultants’ enablement in addition to program growth. We associate with renewals groups to make suggestions for providers and software program renewals, simplifying the renewals panorama and aligning on gross sales motions to assist Cisco optimize buyer options. My ardour is to translate complexity right into a easy buyer’s lens. I’ve all the time sought out roles the place my main goal is to serve and I’m all the time searching for a greater, less complicated technique to do issues. Folks usually come to me when they need somebody to elucidate why issues are enjoying out a sure means and to select up on the hidden complexities of a scenario. Day-after-day I try to make a distinction and drive impactful outcomes for our CX group and Cisco. Working at Cisco provides nice flexibility, interacting with individuals worldwide every day. For me, on prime of this, I like to make use of my Time 2 Give hours (T2G) to assist with the migrant group and their points.
How did you first turn into concerned within the Basis for a Slavery Free World?
Scarlet: I first realized in regards to the Basis for a Slavery Free World by way of my daughter in late 2021. She is an actor and had a job on a film with fellow actor Marisol Nichols, who’s the founder and government director of the inspiration.
In between film takes, I had the chance to study Marisol’s work as an secret agent to take down traffickers and he or she shared about an operation the place a number of girls from Venezuela had been rescued within the Caribbean. Studying about this, and the way it impacts individuals from my residence nation, motivated me to assist discover a technique to get entangled with Slavery Free World.
Marisol has been part of quite a few undercover stings resulting in the profitable arrest of dozens of traffickers and youngster predators, in addition to liberating quite a few girls and kids. And her ardour, training, and advocacy for this essential and international disaster moved me to assist safe a grant by way of Vibrant Funds to help SFW’s work.
Why is volunteering with Slavery Free World essential to you?
Scarlet: As a mother, you might be involved in your youngsters’s wellbeing, particularly on this digital age the place it is vitally simple for on-line predators and dangerous actors to get to susceptible youngsters. They’re much more uncovered to the world on the market than any earlier generations.
The Nationwide Heart for Lacking and Exploited Kids’s (NCMEC) information reveals a 35% enhance 12 months over 12 months in on-line youngster sexual exploitation reviews. Sadly, it occurs in Canada as predators can attain youngsters on-line anyplace on the earth. I’ve needed to shield my youngsters personally from suspicious individuals and groomers making an attempt to attach with them on-line.
Additionally, the connection to my birthplace Venezuela and the publicity dangers and vulnerabilities of ladies and kids as they attempt to migrate to different international locations for higher alternatives is particularly near me. Any alternative I’ve to assist make a constructive distinction to stop trafficking from occurring is essential to me.
What inroads has Slavery Free World made to fight trafficking?
Scarlet: Slavery Free World (SFW) has reached thousands and thousands by way of the web site, Marisol’s podcast, and on its social media platforms.
It has multiplied its podcast subscribers and reached 10’s of thousands and thousands from its training campaigns. Marisol has additionally been invited to converse on the prestigious Yahoo Makers convention on her work in anti-trafficking, appeared on quite a few speak reveals, together with Entry Hollywood, KTLA, and In the present day Additional.
In addition to talking at quite a few authorities occasions such because the AG’s Alliance, assembly with legislation enforcement, and persevering with authorized training occasions on human trafficking to debate learn how to forestall it, SFW and Marisol are additionally keen about educating mother and father and kids on risks of kid traffickers on-line.
SFW can be assembly with social media platforms in regards to the methods expertise may be a part of the answer to avoid wasting girls and kids from this rising crime, and in educating and spreading consciousness about this most critical concern.
Marisol herself by way of her undercover work together with her basis has personally assisted within the rescue of quite a few girls and kids and introduced dozens of pedophiles and traffickers to justice.
The Marisol Nichols podcast is a real crime present the place she talks about her undercover work to deliver youngster predators and traffickers to justice in partnership with key organizations. The second season of her podcast, which might be launched quickly, contains an episode with Meta on the expertise aspect of this concern.
What are some methods individuals can get entangled in serving to with Slavery Free World?
Scarlet: There are a number of methods anybody can get entangled with serving to Slavery Free World unfold consciousness and advocacy.
- Try the SFW web site and educate your self.
- Join and share Marisol’s podcast along with your social networks.
- Donate to https://cisco.benevity.org/en-ca/campaigns/609
- Invite Marisol to come back converse at an upcoming group occasion.
- Educate your youngsters and group on the hazards and warning indicators of trafficking by way of SFW’s quite a few sources.
- For those who discover one thing harmful on-line or in your group that might be associated to trafficking, contact your native legislation enforcement immediately. In the USA, you can even attain out to Nationwide Heart for Lacking & Exploited Kids – 24-Hour Hotline – 1-800-843-5678 and the Nationwide Human Trafficking Hotline – Name 1-888-373-7888 ( TTY: 711) | *Textual content 233733.
“It is a darkish topic and good individuals don’t normally find out about it. However for something to be executed to repair this, we want good individuals pay attention to it. In order that actual change can happen, and kids may be free.” - Marisol Nichols
Please additionally take a look at this podcast episode on the rescuing of Venezuelan girls and kids.
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