Athleisure Mag proudly supports SOLD in efforts to help stop children sex trafficking.
The story of one brave thirteen-year old Nepalese girl who dreams of buying a tin roof for her family home, only to be tricked and taken to a prison brothel in India where she is coerced into bonded sexual slavery. Despite conditions, her will is never broken. Gradually, she builds friendships and trust with others, creating a new family, while secretly planning her escape. Grounded in hope and the resilience of the human spirit, the film rouses feelings of outrage and inspires action.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What led you to begin the project and mission? (tell us more about the book by Patricia McCormick)?
JEFFREY D. BROWN: My father is a pediatrician who worked in refugee camps most of his career helping children in dire circumstances in Haiti, Somalia, Biafra, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sorevjo, and many other countries.
I wanted to make a film that could drive a campaign to help real children. When I read SOLD in one sitting 10 years ago, I knew I had found the vehicle I was looking for.
AM: Who else joined forces to get the film made?
JDB: Jane Charles was the first call I made and she read the book and came on board immediately. Together we raised the funds to get the film made and distributed and now we are raising the funds to continue our campaign across the world. We made SOLD as a tool for change, and everyone can be part of it by bringing SOLD to your community, church group, college, high school or corporation. We created two versions of the film for this purpose - the full length version which has opened in 9 film festivals, won 4 audience awards and two Jury Awards and a shorter 50 min version which is rated PG-13 for high schools and corporations. If you go to www.soldthemovie you can request a screening there.
AM: Tell us about the film? How is it a call-to-action and what light does it shed about human spirit?
JDB: The film, ike the book, is in a first person account. We put you in the shoes of one amazing girl who we follow as she is tricked and trafficked. By telling one girl's story - we tell the story of the 5.5 million children who are trafficked every year. Statistics go into your head - SOLD goes straight into your heart.
When you learn first hand what is happening - you have to then do something about it. The Taught Not Trafficked campaign gives our audience a way to become part of the solution. Along with our many partner organizations we are re-building schools in Nepal destroyed in the earthquake. If you can keep a child in school until they are 16 years old, their chances of getting trafficked drop 80%. We are bringing vocational training and healing to children who were trafficked. And we are building safe houses to get the children of sex workers out of brothels before they are forced into the work their mothers do- so we are interrupting second generation trafficking.
AM: What personal lessons and growth have you seen over the course of doing the film and project?
JDB: Making this film and waging this campaign has personally made me much stronger. We have encountered all kinds of tests and challenges. It has affirmed my faith that nothing succeeds like patience and any time not spent on love is wasted. I have described this journey as a long and winding walk on red hot coals. You have two choices- keep going and trust or get off. Jane and I have kept going because in meeting thousands of girls who were trafficked- we now must make a difference in their lives.
