Gabriela Isler, Miss Universe 2013 and Founder and President of the Universe of Blessings Fund, and Patrick Gage, anti-trafficking advocate and member of the Carlson family, who owns hotel brands like Radisson and Country Inn & Suites, have released a video announcing the creation of a fund to combat human trafficking in advance of The Big Game.
Gabriela chose to film her statement at a Country Inn in San Carlos, California, to highlight the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s impact as an industry leader in combating human trafficking.
“Today, as you cheer on your favorite team,” Gabriela says in the video, “20.9 million men, women, and children are trapped in modern-day slavery as victims of human trafficking. In the time it takes to run a single football play, another person joins their ranks.”
Targeting the Big Game’s vast audience, the video reminds all Americans of the existence of human trafficking throughout the world, including in the United States.
“And this plague knows no borders: 60,000 trafficking victims live in America,” Ms. Isler states.
In the video, Patrick Gage announces the creation of the Scalabrini, an Action Fund to End Trafficking. SIMN operates 270 facilities across the globe in service to migrants, including victims of human trafficking.
“Gabriela and I are proud to join SIMN in establishing this fund, proceeds of which will go towards fighting what Pope Francis has called a ‘crime against humanity,'” Gage says.
“Every little bit helps,” Gage concludes. “The money you spend on a party for the Big Game this weekend might just save a victim of human trafficking.”