Comic Creators Alliance: Fighting Together to End Human Trafficking

Thank YOU for all of your generous donations! Together, we raised over $5,000 this year. This brings the total the CCA has been able to raise to fight human trafficking to $15,000!

Thank You!!!

Why are we raising money for Love 146?

The first time I heard about the issue of Human Trafficking, it was because someone showed me the video I posted below. I was sickened, I had no idea such a thing was even happening in the world.

Since then, I've learned a lot more about their organization and am thoroughly impressed. Everything they do is thought through to be effective in actually dealing with the problem--in research of the issue, prevention, and aftercare. They're having a global impact in all of these areas, and also in raisin awareness! They present the issue in a way that is easy to understand and share, and that's not a small feat, especially with an issue so hideous and hard to digest.

And Gina M. of Weather Eye made this amazing Call-to-Action video to promote the CCA!

Comic Related was kind enough to feature the Comic Creators Alliance on their Related Recap Podcast this week! It's a special, shortened episode focusing exclusively on what we're doing here. Give it a listen!

1,000 youth ages 12-17 are being sexually exploited in Ohio.

When you visit Gracehaven's website, this is the front page news. I live in Ohio, and the seminar that I attended that triggered the creation of the Comic Creators Alliance focused largely on what is happening here in Ohio. Sadly Toledo is one of the largest hubs for Human Trafficking in the U.S.  Members of Gracehaven house spoke at that conference, and I was moved by what they are trying to do. Gracehaven is a house that is trying to open, to offer shelter to victims who want to get out of the horrible situation they find themselves in.

Currently, there are only 49 beds available to victims in the entire country. So let's help Gracehaven open!

Over the last year Gracehaven has made many of the necessary renovations they needed to make to get the house up to code so that it can open. I am told this is what the money we raised last year was used for. In addition, they raised awareness and education in several key areas, and were advocates of the first Ohio law against human trafficking!

You can read the complete list of 2010 accomplishments here.

Why do the CCA again in 2011? Why participate again? Why donate again? Didn't we do this last year?

I know that it is easy for a message to get stale. And we had a great drive last year ($10,000!) and it is going to be hard to match that again this year. So why even try?

Do you know a survivor of rape? of childhood molestation? Unfortunately, I do--and I bet you do too. The scars sexual abuse leaves on a person should make you angry. It should work you up. It's not right. And it's happening not just domestically, but as a world wide industry.  People out there are getting rich off of the repeated rape of children who cannot escape.

It should make you sick.

It's why we're doing the CCA again. It's why I'm begging you for donations again. 110 people contributed their fantastic creative talents to offer you a little incentive to give some money to our cause.  Did you give last year? Give again, won't you? The problem hasn't gone away.

Watch this short video which addresses the problem. Then pass it onto a friend.

I updated the list of participants, and we broke last year's number of 87. Right now we're at 98!

Anyone else want to jump in and make it an even 100?

The CCA now has a Facebook Page!  Like us already!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Comic-Creators-Alliance/

Kurt Sasso of TGT Webcomics was kind enough to give me a segment on his podcast show this weekend. We talked for 15 minutes about the 2011 CCA, and also did a recap of last year's event. Listen to the clip here!  http://tgtwebcomics.com/news/cca-national-human-trafficking/

Hey all!  This is Crystal, making my very first blog post to the site (I know you're excited).

But something you should be excited about is that Paypal has decided to recognize the Comic Creators Alliance as a Charity, which means that we get their lowest rate of fees, which is 1.9% + $.30 per transaction.  A normal business would have to do $125,000 worth of sales per month to get that rate!

This is great news for the Alliance and for the charities that the fundraiser benefits.  More of your donation is getting into the hands of those who really need it!

Don't forget that the deadline for submissions is December 31st!  Get involved!