UNK students participate in Red Sand Project for Human Trafficking Awareness Month

KEARNEY, Neb. (KSNB) - University of Nebraska at Kearney students participated in the Red Sand Project this week as part of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, joining an international effort that spans more than 70 countries.

The project involves pouring red sand into sidewalk cracks to symbolize the cracks that marginalized groups in society fall through. The visual display caught the attention of UNK students as they walked to lunch, where they were greeted by student organizer Estefano Paez with information about human trafficking.

“I believe pushing that out to more students, especially with the ones that I’ve kind of talked to, realizing that they’re also unaware of the Red Sand project as well as the 50 million people that fall through the cracks,” said Paez, UNK student organization program coordinator. “It’s very important to bring awareness to the people that have gone missing.”

Local partnership spreads awareness

Paez worked with Kearney Safe House to ensure students had the chance to learn more about human trafficking. The S.A.F.E Center in Kearney provided students with the opportunity for engagement by distributing 100 bags of red sand to local organizations.

“It’s a great feeling. I mean, this is, you know, what my job is about prevention, how can we reach others in the community and to reach young adults and youth,” said Veronica Holguin, prevention coordinator at the S.A.F.E Center. “And so it’s really important that the next generation knows that about issues and then how they can go about making steps in their own lives to prevent, to be a part of something, to make a difference, to end violence in their communities.”

Holguin said the global nature of the project makes the local effort more meaningful.

“It’s bigger than us,” Holguin said. “It’s happening, you know, throughout the state, you know, throughout the country and all over the world, right? Because since it is a global event, you know, it makes us feel like we are doing our job by being part of something bigger than ourselves.”

The Red Sand Project uses red sand falling through sidewalk cracks as a visual metaphor for members of society who are forgotten and fall through societal gaps.

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