Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) have pledged $500,000 to charities fighting human trafficking.
The move was inspired by one of baseball’s top players, Albert Pujols of the Angels, and the organization he founded with his wife two years ago called Strike Out Slavery.
“We thought very highly of the work they were doing,” said Melanie LeGrande, MLB vice president of social responsibility, “and we thought this was a topic we could have more of an impact on.”
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Most people think slavery is a practice that ended with abolition laws. Yet, as Jasmin Gallardo shares, abolition laws focused on ending legal ownership, not on dismantling the economic structures that depended on exploitation. That gap created space for forced labor to reemerge in forms that were technically legal, harder to see, and easier to defend.
The systems that drove slavery were never dismantled
In many places, formerly enslaved people were
Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.