Human trafficking “is the unlawful act of transporting or coercing people to benefit from their work or service, typically in the form of forced labor or sexual exploitation” according to the Oxford definition. In the state of Florida, there have been over 7,472 cases of human trafficking documented that have led to 17,467 victims being identified in these cases since 2007, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Every year, human trafficking is an issue that plagues the world. Evan Patel, grade 12, has been hosting a backpack drive event dedicated towards the elimination of human trafficking since his Freshman year. By making backpacks to give to victims, he creates the opportunity to provide men, women, and children affected by human trafficking with a second chance at life—a fresh start.
Evan partners with United Abolitionists, a group founded by Tomas Lares in 2004. When asked about his connection to the group, Evan stated, “I met Tomas at a dinner, and as he shared his program, I wanted to get involved. It started with my family. Then my sister ran a backpack drive at her school, and I wanted to do the same at my school and speak up for those who don’t have a voice.”
The event has been a great way to gather students from school, along with gaining involvement from teachers, administration, family members of Evan, and United Abolitionists. Evan explained the benefits of the drive to the community, saying, “We provide backpacks with clothes and supplies for children when they are first rescued by law enforcement from traffickers. We pack pants, shirts, underwear, bras, flip-flops, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, hairbrush, hair ties, sanitary feminine products, deodorant, and a Squishmallow.” Over the four years of this event, volunteers have helped fill 25 bags in the first year, 100 in the second year, 300 in the third year, and 320 in the fourth year, which was held on January 29, 2025.
When Highlanders come to help with the backpack drive, they are first divided into groups to either bag backpacks or bag hygiene items. With so many volunteers each year, the pace of the event goes by very quickly. Evan states that the most fun part of the backpack drive is, “Trying to see if the student or the teachers are quicker in assembling a backpack” and, “Watching students compete to see who had the most backpacks filled.” Volunteers enjoy making the event fun and competitive while also giving back to those in need. Leaving a lasting impact on the outside community, while also building the Lake Highland community within, is a central pillar of the school’s mission.
The community benefits immensely from this backpack drive, as it allows the trafficking victims to start a new life. In deeper detail, Evan explained, “When Orlando detectives first find trafficked children, they can give these children a backpack with a set of supplies from which they can start their new life. It is meant to help these children know that they will be cared for and decreases the chance they will relapse into being trafficked again.” Overall, the dedication to this drive is extraordinary, and a lot of time and effort is put into it. It takes around two to three months to set up the drive, not including the fundraising. This extensive planning shows how much thought and effort is put into this event as a whole.
Being able to help with this drive is a really fun way to give back to the community and those in need. The impact that it has on the United Abolitionists and the families that they support is tremendous. This event served as a great way to connect with and learn more about United Abolitionists for future volunteer work and projects.
