Bukola Oriola

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Human Trafficking Awareness Month…What Next?

January 25, 2014 By Bukola Oriola

At The Enitan Story table with my son, Sam
At The Enitan Story table with my son, Sam at Empower Freedom Conference

January has been an eventful month with human trafficking awareness. Various activities and programs flooded almost all communities across the United States. President Barack Obama opened the activities on December 31 when his Presidential Proclamation on human trafficking awareness became public on the White House website. Everywhere you turned, there was an event taking place. Some were a month long, a week or a day.

When I attended the Survivor Forum organized by the Office For Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVCTTAC) at the White House in Washington D.C. last week, there was an array of events that spur the city. Various government and nonprofit agencies organized and hosted events in commemoration of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness. One of the downside to some of the events was the fact that they were invitation only events.

The Social media had a share of the publicity. Uncountable posts filled Facebook pages from individuals, who are passionate about fighting this crime to organizations creating awareness about their events or services. In fact, I received a Facebook message from a colleague in Nigeria about a female journalist, Tobore Ovuorie,  who went undercover to expose sex trafficking in the country. Sadly enough, some of the sex trafficked victims were also harvested for body parts and organ trafficking. The story was published by Premium Times, although, the investigation was conducted in conjunction with ZAM Magazine of Netherlands.

As I write, I have done six presentations this month both as a speaker and as a participant. I am writing this post at the Empower Freedom event at Calvary Church in Roseville, where The Enitan Story is a vendor. Today is January 25, meaning that there are only six days more until the end of the month. What is next in terms of human trafficking awareness? I think, everybody can do more. The awareness has to be intensified beyond the month of January. The more we talk about it, the more we will be able to prevent ourselves or loved ones from becoming victims of human trafficking of any form.

What will you like to do, or are planning to do, to end human trafficking in your community? Please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for your time.

Bye for now, until next time.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Empower Freedom, Human Trafficking Awareness Month…What Next?, Office For Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center, Premium Times, President Barack Obama, Presidential Proclamation on human trafficking awareness, The Enitan Story, Tobore Ovuorie

A Forum and Listening Session Indeed!

January 20, 2014 By Bukola Oriola

Bukola Oriola
Bukola Oriola

When I received the official invitation to join 19 other survivors of human trafficking across the United States, to participate in a Survivors Forum and Listening Session, I did not know exactly what to expect in actual fact. I had a mixed feeling – I was happy on one hand to have been selected for this prestigious assignment; on the other hand, however, I was anxious. I was anxious to know whether the federal government really meant what it said about engaging survivors to provide expert opinions on how to better serve victims and survivors of human trafficking in the United States. The session was organized by the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVCTTAC) of the Department of Justice.

Well, I was not disappointed. The session was great. The government officials did as promised. They listened to us speak. We bare our hearts to these people, who showed great concern for change for the better for victims and survivors in the United States. They were willing to consider every suggestion and paid attention to every detail we provided.

In fact,  there were white sheets of paper on the wall, where we were supposed to post our written

Group of survivors
Group of survivors, Photo by Shandra Woworuntu

suggestions on sticky notes. I was surprised that they even had a paper on the wall called, “The parking lot.” The Parking Lot was for posting ideas that were not mentioned in the discussion but burning on our minds. The moderator said, “We are going to look and read every suggestions out there.”

Another gesture from these passionate agencies’ representatives was the fact that they thought about survivors who could not make it to the session. They even asked us to tell them what some survivors had told us that we could share, because the government is thinking about all survivors and victims at large. That gesture showed me that there is hope for victims and survivors of human trafficking in the United States. It was also interesting to know that the department of labor was represented in this discussion, in order to provide jobs for survivors.

Overall, it was a great forum and listening session. I hope to bring you more in bits.

Please, feel free to leave your comments or ask questions below.

Thank you.

Bye for now, until next time.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: A Forum and Listening Session Indeed!, department of labor, Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVCTTAC) of the Department of Justice, provide jobs for survivors

It’s Weather Emergency Day

January 6, 2014 By Bukola Oriola

Snow in Minnesota When I was going to bed last night, it was -25 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill that felt like -45 degrees Fahrenheit. On Friday, Janaury 3, Minnesota State governor, Mark Dayton declared “no school” for today statewide because of the brutality of the expected weather.

I have not stepped outside today, but I can feel the cold even indoors. Right now, I am covered in blankets with a space heater on, yet, I can still feel the cold as it sneakily makes it’s ways in through windows and doors panels.

Fox 9 meteorologist, Keith Marler updated his post this morning at 6:59 with “WIND CHILL WARNING until Tues at Noon.  Expect wind chills of -40 to -60 this morning & Frost Bite Times of around 5 minutes … a high of -16 this afternoon (chill of -40) … -20s with chills -40 to -60 again tonight … then a high of -2 with a chills of -15 for Tuesday…”

The cold is not leaving us any time soon. The school district called in today to cancel schools for tomorrow to avoid mishap on the way to school, during school, or after school. Right now, it is -13 degrees Fahrenheit, but it feels like -35 degrees Fahrenheit according to the Weather Forecast. The forecast also have been showing an alert since yesterday that says, “Severe weather alert #1: Windchill warning in effect until non CST Tuesday.”

According to the local news, this kind of weather was last experience in Minnesota in 1997.

The governor’s press release provided some safety tips for parents. You can visit the link to find out the detals. http://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/pressreleasedetail.jsp?id=102-107322

You can Read more about Marler’s weather forecast at: Today’s Minneapolis-St. Paul weather forecast – KMSP-TV http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/17358397/minneapolis-weather-forecast-today#ixzz2pepREccm

Well, if you are in Minnesota, I hope you are staying warm.

Thanks for reading. Leave your comments below or send me an email.

By for now, until next time.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: It's Weather Emergency Day, Keith Marler, Mark Dayton, Minnesota State governor, ox 9 meteorologist

What May Be “Slave Labor Poison”

January 5, 2014 By Bukola Oriola

Bukola Oriola presenting at Calvary Church, Roseville, Minnesota: Credit: Stephanie Page
Bukola Oriola presenting at Calvary Church, Roseville, Minnesota

Happy New Year! Can you believe that a new year has rolled out already? In fact, we have spent almost five days because today is the fifth of January and the fifth day in the year 2014. I hope you had a good year last year. I also hope that you will enjoy a better year this year.

I started my public presentation for the year today at Calvary Church in Roseville, Minnesota. There were two groups in two sessions during the Adult Sunday School. The second group tripled the first, it increased from seven to twenty-one. I presented with Stephanie Page, founder of Stories Cafe, a non-profit organization connecting non-profits and helping victims of human trafficking around the world.

Page educated the groups about the statistics and data available on human trafficking while I used my story to enlighten the crowd about one of the various forms that human trafficking can occur. While Page was presenting, she talked about “slave labor poison” when her husband had to get candy from the local store, when she didn’t have enough time to order chocolate from fair trade, in order to avoid buying products made by labor victims of human trafficking. She held her stomach with her right hand, squeezed her face, and bent, as she said”I told my husband, that is slave labor poison.”

She encouraged the participants to think about how the demand for cheap products has contributed

Bukola Oriola presenting at Calvary Church, Roseville, Minnesota, Credit: Stephanie Page
Bukola Oriola presenting at Calvary Church, Roseville, Minnesota, Credit: Stephanie Page

to labor trafficking in other countries, where US companies go to manufacture products for less. Think about it… do you know if the clothes you wear were produced by labor trafficked victims? What about the food, and many other products?

It is very important for us all to start thinking, educating, and fighting human trafficking of all forms among our community locally, nationally, and internationally.

You can join the group any Sunday this month at 9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m., as Page continues her series of teaching on human trafficking for human trafficking awareness month.

Thanks for reading. Please, leave your comments below or send me an email.

Bye for now, until next time.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Bukola Oriola presenting at Calvary Church, Calvary Church in Roseville, Minnesota, Roseville, Stories Cafe, What May Be "Slave Labor Poison"

Brisbin Park Gets a Face Lift

October 23, 2013 By Bukola Oriola

Brisbin Park
Brisbin Park

When we moved into our apartment from the Alexandra House shelter for battered women in 2008, we received a bonus package with the apartment – a public park. My son, Samuel was only fifteen months old. He was lucky because the park was just right there to play and burn off some of his toddler energy. One of the advocates at the shelter, Heidi, had said to me, “Bukola, you are going to love the apartment. There is a park right by it.”  I did not understand what she meant by “There is a park right by it.” I couldn’t imagine having a public park that almost seemed like a private one because of its closeness to our apartment. Well, Heidi was right! Brisbin Park sits right there. There is no need to cross the roads or avoid vehicles to get into the park. It resides right there by our apartment.

Luckily, we moved in during the summer, so there was still a lot of time to enjoy the swings, slides, and other equipment that filled the park. Brisbin Park is more like a cozy little park for the neighborhood. In front of it is a big field where kids come to play baseball, soccer, or some other games for training. Behind Brisbin Park is a white apartment complex fenced with barbed wires. On the left hand side of it is an open space and trail that cuts across some single family homes; on the right hand side of Brisbin Park is a small space with a big tree followed by our apartment. As a result, I could watch my son play at the park when he became a little bit older from our living room. For the past five years, children from the surrounding neighborhood, comprising families from Anoka and Coon Rapids cities, mingle and enjoy playing together at Brisbin Park until recently. Aside from the play equipment, the tornado siren is a permanent resident on a pole that looks like the electricity pole at Brisbin Park. In addition, there are benches with back rest for visitors sitting on two sides, while there are two benches with no back rest with a table sandwiched between them on the other side of the park. They are all made from iron and painted blue. The basket like design was perfect for draining rain and melting snow.

Brisbin Park
Brisbin Park

This summer, the kids’ enjoyment of Brisbin Park was interrupted like a power outage! There was neither any announcement nor warning that the park was going to be renovated. All of a sudden, we came home one afternoon and saw that the park had been dug out and barricaded with the yellow caution “police tape.” Some construction workers wearing lemon green jacket were working on the park. “What!” My son, Sam exclaimed in surprise. “We will not be able to play at the paarrrrrrrrrrrk,” he said with his lips spread apart. Pretending as if I did not see what he saw, I asked, “Why?” He replied, pointing to the park, “Loooook, there are men working on the paaarrrrrrrk.” Meanwhile, it took two months to renovate the park but it felt like two years. My son was always checking to see if the park was done. As a matter of fact, he lost his patience at some point. He went to the park. Then Joe came. Joe is a friend and male authority figure for Sam. He had driven three hours from Trempleau, Wisconsin to spend the weekend with us. We were not home when he arrived, so he waited patiently in his car at the parking lot in front of our apartment. When Sam and I alighted from my car to greet him, he said to me, “What’s up with the park?” “Well, what does it look like they are doing to the park?” I responded. However, before he gave me an answer, I answered my own question with “they are fixing it.” “Oh!” He said and his jaw dropped, his knees bent, and his hands dangled in the air. “But it’s good,” I said, adding, “The kids are going to have a brand new park.” Then he turned to Sam to ask, “So, how does Sam feel, not playing at the park?” Sam answered with disappointment, “I don’t get to play with my friends because they are working on the park.” He looked sad, his face dropped as he walked to the front door with his hands in his sweat shirt pocket.

Brisbin Park
Brisbin Park

Apparently, Sam was not the only one itching to get his playground back. Many other kids from the neighborhood were also interested in playing again before the weather took away the permission. I saw some of them with their parents at the park during the reconstruction. As soon as the caution tape was taken down, kids trotted into the park little by little to play while the renovation was still taking place. I guess their actions tell the workers that they need to expedite action and vacate the kids’ territory. It was like a silent war. The workers seemed to understand the kids’ actions, so they worked as hard as they could to complete the renovation.

Meanwhile, Brisbin Park is one of the fifteen parks and recreation centers in Anoka City. It is classified as a neighborhood park in the Anoka City parks’ codes and it enjoys 2.7 acres of land. Even though, it does not have grills, it affords family members to still enjoy some picnic time at the park. There is a mobile toilet on the site, giving room for spending more time at the park. The reconstruction of the park gave it a brand new look. No equipment was replaced, no equipment was added, just a facelift.

At last! A concrete was built around the playground to form almost, but not exactly square, black dirt filled the

Sam is happy to get his park back
Sam is happy to get his park back

outer side of it, and a truck load of mulch was spread inside the play area. Brisbin Park received a brand new face. The blue park seats shone like brand new with the repaint. The metal part of the slide that held the stairs enjoyed its share of a new blue paint. The swing also took part in the new paint. Watching from afar, I saw a brand new park for the kids. A day after the workers finished their work at the park, a day care provider came with their kids to play early in the morning. Some kids were swinging, some sliding, and others just running around in the playground. Brisbin Park got a face lift.

 

PS: Thanks for reading. This is one of my assignments from my English Creative Non Fiction Writing Class.

Kindly leave your comments below.

Bye for now, until next time.

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Get a copy of the international best selling book by Bukola Oriola, A Living Label: An Inspirational Memoir and Guide.   Book Description: A Living Label is a memoir that documents some of the struggles and triumphs of the author as a survivor of labor trafficking and domestic violence in the U.S. Bukola Oriola’s goal is to inspire hope in other survivors that they can turn their lives around positively, regardless of what difficulty they might have passed through. She also provides practical solutions to the government, service providers, NGOs, and the general public on how to effectively engage with survivors, to value them as the subject matter experts they are. As someone who has dedicated her life to empowering other survivors, she has decided to contribute the proceeds from the book sales to survivors’ education or their businesses, starting with 100 survivors in the United States, Nigeria and Kenya. She believes that survivors want to be independent and contribute to their communities, and she wants to help survivors achieve this dream. Learn more from the inspiring author, Book Bukola now!
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