But I don't want to eat food tainted with slavery....

Working on issues where everyone can make a difference has been one of my goals with Food Empowerment Project, and based on the areas that I am most passionate about, I chose to focus on food. Here I have believed we can all try to do our best to make good choices.

And for the most part, I still believe that to be the case.

Another goal I have had with all the campaigns that I have run is to provide people with something they can do besides donating money so that they are not just bearing witness to all of the horrors and abuses that exist.

You know what I am talking about. You probably get emails and mailings from groups that tell you about the suffering of animals in laboratories or children being abused in other countries and the only thing they tell you that you can do is to donate to them.

As someone who has never had a lot of money, thinking that donating money was the only way I could help prevent injustices has always left me feeling a bit helpless, powerless….

I say all of this as I worry that I have done that with one of the website sections we have posted about imported food products tainted with slavery.

With the chocolate slavery issue it's pretty easy as we can make sure our purchases of chocolate don’t contribute to the continued use of slave labor. With slavery in the U.S. it might not be quite as easy because we won't always know which companies to buy from (again, speaking of produce here because staying away from animal products is a way to steer clear of these exploits), but we can, however, ensure that the media works to expose such labor violations and that legislators work to end it.

But with slavery taking place overseas, and then having this food (again, produce) imported, it means we are faced with a problem that is much more difficult to address. And I know that.

My goal in having that section on our website is for all of us to be aware that this is happening. All over the place – with loads of industries – including food. It is truly important to be informed and dispel the myth that slavery doesn’t exist anymore - even more so that it doesn’t happen here in the U.S.

So I ask that when you read this section in particular, please know that we want you to be informed – not feel helpless as we offer a variety of ways for you to make a difference and change the world with your food choices.

Oh yeah, and if you want, you are welcome to donate too…