HR510: Commending EnJewel.

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 510

Offered February 10, 2021
Commending EnJewel.
Patrons-- Convirs-Fowler and Delaney

WHEREAS, EnJewel, a nonprofit organization in Virginia Beach, works to eradicate human trafficking locally and globally by collaborating with local programs and resources to engage the community, educating the possible targets of human trafficking and interested advocates, and empowering victims, individuals, and businesses; and

WHEREAS, EnJewel (Equality and Justice for Every Woman Every Land) raises awareness of the horrors of human trafficking, an international issue that includes both sex exploitation and forced labor and servitude; and

WHEREAS, EnJewel emphasizes that while human trafficking affects people of many ages, backgrounds, and demographics, most of its victims are women and children; traffickers generally target vulnerable populations such as native peoples, migrant workers, refugees, the homeless, or people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, EnJewel promotes enhanced community education to raise awareness of indicators for people vulnerable to trafficking and increase knowledge about prevention strategies or access to resources for survivors; and

WHEREA, during the COVID-19 pandemic, EnJewel has gone above and beyond to continue to fulfill its critical mission; and

WHEREAS, in February and March 2020, EnJewel launched a campaign to acquire kitchen appliances and furniture for the Butterfly House, a transitional home for women rescued from sex trafficking; the organization also assembled bundles of necessities for women rescued from traffickers, as well as backpacks of school supplies for children; and

WHEREAS, in July 2020, EnJewel hosted a virtual five-kilometer race, with participants from all over the world donating thousands of dollars to support the Butterfly House and Regeneration International, an organization building a similar facility in the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, on January 15, 2021, EnJewel’s Junior Board commemorated Human Trafficking Prevention Month by launching a virtual concert series to promote and support other organizations working to end human trafficking; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That EnJewel hereby be commended for its work to educate, engage with, and empower individuals to make a difference in the fight against human trafficking; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Naomi Estaris, founder of EnJewel, as an expression of the House of Delegates’ admiration for the importance of its mission to end human trafficking in the Commonwealth, the United States, and around the world.