Alliance Against Modern Slavery

The Alliance Against Modern Slavery (AAMS) is a free-standing incorporated and registered non for profit charitable organization in Canada (84068 5119 RR0001). AAMS works at the grassroots, community, and academic levels to raise awareness about, conduct research on, and devise solutions to end slavery. AAMS was founded in 2009-2010, and officially launched on January 28, 2011 at York University.^[1] Speakers at the organization's inaugural launch included Judith Dueck of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Jamie McIntosh of International Justice Mission Canada, Marty van Doren of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Lisa J. Cheong of Ratanak International, Julia Smith-Brake of Chab Dai Canada, Roger Cram of Hiram College, Christina Cudahy of Migrant Worker Justice, Brittany Luby of Indigenous Student Life, Glendene Grant - Mother of Missing Human Trafficking Victim Jessie Foster, Azra Rashid – a forced marriage film maker, Michael Sacco of ChocoSol Traders, Heather Richardson of Peel Police, Deepa Mattoo of the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, MP Glen Pearson of the Liberal Party of Canada, MP Joy Smith of the Conservative Party of Canada, and MP Peggy Nash of the New Democratic Party of Canada.^[2] The founding members of AAMS were Valerie Hebert, Mekhala Gunaratne, Jeff Gunn, and Karlee Sapoznik.^[3] The first board members were Hebert, Gunaratne, Gunn, Sapoznik, Paul Lovejoy, Martin Klein and Kevin Bales. Sapoznik is the organization's executive director.^[4] AAMS is non-partisan, non-denominational, multilingual and multicultural; multiple ethnic groups and sectors are represented.^[5] The organization's executive and cofounders speak a total of 14 languages.^[6] The AAMS leads initiatives in Mali, Peru and Canada, and holds an annual conference in Toronto.^[7] The AAMS was one of several non-governmental organizations approached to submit recommendations for the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking before it was established.^[8] In 2013, the AAMS hosted week-long training courses on understanding and working with children and youth who have been trafficked in Toronto, Thunder Bay and Windsor.^[9]

References