Today marks the first full week of Dressember! I’ve chosen to be a part of this creative challenge of wearing a dress for each day in December to advocate for the inherent dignity of all women, especially those who have been exploited for their femininity. Dressember exists to inspire and empower a global community of like-minded women who are locking arms to face one of the greatest injustices of our time. The heart of Dressember is freedom– that every woman has the right to live a vibrant and autonomous life. [from http://www.dressemberfoundation.org].

I don’t wear dresses very often, but the money being raise through Dressember is going to International Justice Mission to fight human trafficking — which is an issue that I have felt passionate about for a long time. When I was in high school, at the urging of my dad, I listened to a podcast interview Gary Haugen, president of International Justice Mission (IJM). I don’t honestly remember what he said — but it changed the direction of my life (I’m not overstating this). I do remember he talked about slavery (human trafficking he called it) and the injustice done to millions around our world today.

My interest was peaked and I decided to do one of my high school research papers on human trafficking. When I was choosing college majors, it came down to 2 big questions for me: what am I good at? And how can I use that in the fight against human trafficking? I eventually landed a degree in strategic communication (a.k.a public relations) from Temple University, with the question “how can I use [my major] in the fight against human trafficking?” always in the back of my head. One recent step to answer this question is that; I now serve as a marketing volunteer for MCAT (Montgomery County Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition) working to raise awareness and provide resources in Montgomery County.

And I truly love everyday advocacy. That’s why I am participating in Dressember this year. I greatly respect and admire the work IJM is doing and want to allow them to do even more! If you are able, help me meet my goal. Even $5 or $10 helps! To give, visit my fundraising page http://support.dressemberfoundation.org/kaylasheely. I’d love for you to partner with me in this.

Whether you can give or not, consider spreading the word and share this post or my fundraising page through Facebook, Twitter, email, etc. I’m also posting daily on Instagram if you want to take a peak!

Thank you for joining me in the fight for dignity and freedom.