How Modern Slavery & the Climate Crisis Escalate Together

Chained Reactions' panelists at the Climate Action Museum (from the left): Dr. Howard Rosing (moderator), Dr. Noha Shawki, Jennifer Heyside, Sahin Pravin, Adeline Daab.

On August 8th, Empowerment Collective hosted an event at the Chicago Climate Action Museum (CAM). Titled Chained Reactions: How Modern Slavery & the Climate Crisis Escalate Together, this event featured a panel discussion exploring the deep and cyclical interconnections between two of the most critical crises of our generation and what urgent actions should be taken to solve them.

The panel was comprised of experts from a diversity of backgrounds and expertise: Dr. Noha Shawki, Professor in the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University, Jennifer Heyside, Co-chair of Chicago Fair Trade's Conscious Closet Club, Sahin Pravin, Empowerment Collective's Program Director, and Adeline Daab, Empowerment Collective's Executive Assistant and former CAM intern. The panel moderator, Dr. Howard Rosing, is the Executive Director of the Irwin W. Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning at DePaul University, and also teaches in and co-directs DePaul's Graduate Program in Sustainable Urban Development (MASUD).

 

Following the event, our brilliant panelists shared ways that interested attendees can get involved in work at the intersection of modern slavery and the climate crisis. For anyone interested in the topic who wasn't able to make it to this panel, please check out the following links for ways to get involved and learn more!

DePaul University Highlights

Panel Moderator - Dr. Howard Rosing

• To become involved with DePaul University's sustainability, human rights, or Fair Trade work, Dr. Rosing recommends that participants engage with Just DePaul and the work of Ruben Alvarez

• Additionally, for those representing different organizations working on these issues, DePaul would be happy to explore collaboration with the Steans Center for service learning, research and internship opportunities.

Illinois State University Highlights

Panelist: Dr. Noha Shawki

• Check out ISU's Event Calendar

• Visit the ISU Office of Sustainability Website

• Visit the website for ISU's Department of Politics and Government, where Noha teaches.

Chicago Fair Trade Highlights

Panelist - Jennifer Heyside

• Visit CFT's Fair Trade Museum 

• Attend their monthly Mend with Friends: A Community Repair Workshop (hosted on the third Thursday of every month at the Museum)

• Participate in their virtual Conscious Closet Club meet-up on the first Monday of every month from 6:30-7:30 (not meeting in September—it's Labor Day)

• Follow @chifairtrade and @conscious_closet_club on instagram

Climate Action Museum Highlights

• Visit CAM's website

• Check out their calendar of upcoming events

• Visit CAM through Open House Chicago on October 18th & 19th 

Educational Resources

For those interested in reading more about the intersection of modern slavery and the climate crisis, I recommend starting with Chapter 3 of the recently-published report by the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, No Country is Immune: Working Together to End Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking