This weblog is a part of our Folks Behind Goal at Cisco sequence that focuses on staff driving Cisco’s objective to Energy an Inclusive Future for All. Every weblog highlights a distinct Cisco worker whose work positively impacts individuals, communities, or the planet. The sequence was previously generally known as individuals behind Company Social Duty (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 line with UNICEF, greater than 1.2 million youngsters are trafficked throughout worldwide borders every year. Greater than 17,000 persons are trafficked into america 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 Cisco’s Neighborhood Affect to finish human trafficking by public outreach through training and occasions, supporting legislation enforcement’s efforts to rescue victims, and collaborating with the IT business 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 necessary subject.
Inform us somewhat 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 completely different analyst positions in each Venezuela and California for somewhat over ten years.
I then moved to Canada to begin a brand new life with my younger household, beginning with Boston Pizza as a group relations coordinator, which allowed me to begin a brand new skilled community and afforded me the pliability to lift my younger youngsters on the time.
I additionally held positions as a top quality engineering assistant, communications coordinator, and shopper providers account coordinator for various corporations.
By way of the years, I saved in contact with many colleagues within the company world. A buddy 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 workforce. I interviewed, acquired the job, and started my Cisco profession in November 2018.
What’s your present function at Cisco, and the way do you incorporate Goal into your on a regular basis work?
Scarlet: I’m a part of CX IB Methodology core program workforce chargeable 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 at all times sought out roles the place my main objective is to serve and I’m at all times on the lookout for a greater, less complicated approach to do issues. Folks usually come to me when they need somebody to elucidate why issues are enjoying out a sure method and to choose up on the hidden complexities of a scenario. Day-after-day I attempt to make a distinction and drive impactful outcomes for our CX group and Cisco. Working at Cisco presents nice flexibility, interacting with individuals worldwide every day. For me, on high 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 develop into concerned within the Basis for a Slavery Free World?
Scarlet: I first realized concerning the Basis for a Slavery Free World by 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 she or he 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 house nation, motivated me to assist discover a approach 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 necessary and international disaster moved me to assist safe a grant by Brilliant Funds to help SFW’s work.
Why is volunteering with Slavery Free World necessary to you?
Scarlet: As a mother, you’re involved to your youngsters’s wellbeing, particularly on this digital age the place it is extremely straightforward 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 Middle for Lacking and Exploited Kids’s (NCMEC) information reveals a 35% improve yr over yr in on-line youngster sexual exploitation reviews. Sadly, it occurs in Canada as predators can attain youngsters on-line wherever on the earth. I’ve needed to shield my youngsters personally from suspicious individuals and groomers attempting 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 very near me. Any alternative I’ve to assist make a constructive distinction to stop trafficking from occurring is necessary to me.
What inroads has Slavery Free World made to fight trafficking?
Scarlet: Slavery Free World (SFW) has reached hundreds of thousands by the web site, Marisol’s podcast, and on its social media platforms.
It has multiplied its podcast subscribers and reached 10’s of hundreds of thousands from its training campaigns. Marisol has additionally been invited to communicate 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 At this time 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 easy methods to forestall it, SFW and Marisol are additionally obsessed with educating mother and father and kids on risks of kid traffickers on-line.
SFW can be assembly with social media platforms concerning the methods know-how may be a part of the answer to avoid wasting girls and kids from this growing crime, and in educating and spreading consciousness about this most critical concern.
Marisol herself by her undercover work along 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 carry youngster predators and traffickers to justice in partnership with key organizations. The second season of her podcast, which can be launched quickly, consists of an episode with Meta on the know-how 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 together with your social networks.
- Donate to https://cisco.benevity.org/en-ca/campaigns/609
- Invite Marisol to come back communicate at an upcoming group occasion.
- Educate your youngsters and group on the risks and warning indicators of trafficking by SFW’s quite a few assets.
- For those who discover one thing harmful on-line or in your group that could possibly be associated to trafficking, contact your native legislation enforcement straight away. In america, you may also attain out to Nationwide Middle 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 finished to repair this, we’d like good individuals pay attention to it. In order that actual change can happen, and kids may be free.” - Marisol Nichols
Please additionally try this podcast episode on the rescuing of Venezuelan girls and kids.
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