I'm one week into Dressember and so far the challenge of wearing a dress every day has been fun. I've rediscovered my love of wearing dresses regularly. I really wish this was just a silly fashion challenge. It started out that way. Blythe Hill, founder of Dressember, was a bored college student interested in fashion. She decided to wear a dress every day for the month of December, and called it her Dressember challenge. She got through it, had fun and thought that was the end of it.
But the next year, some of her friends asked if they could join her in wearing dresses every day of December. Blythe and her friends wore dresses every day, and again Blythe thought that was the end of it. But the next year, friends of friends were asking to join in. By the 4th or 5th year, Blythe thought maybe she should connect this interest and forward movement to a cause.
She had an interest in fighting human trafficking and decided to name International Justice Mission as the recipient of all funds raised. Since then, the movement continues to grow each year and new ministry partners have been added.
Did you know that human trafficking is a $32 billion industry? 20% of cases are labor involved and the other 80% are sex trafficking cases. This is appalling and must be stopped. We can be part of ending slavery, just as we can be part of ending extreme poverty. But it takes funds and people who are willing to speak up.
I set a goal to raise $350. I'm about 1/3 of the way there. I'd love to not only reach that goal, but completely blow that goal out of the water by surpassing it. Every time a new donation comes in it gives me a burst of encouragement to keep fighting.
Will you take a minute and donate any amount to my campaign? You can find my fundraising page HERE.
If you want to know more about the Dressember movement, this is an interesting TED talk with Blythe Hill
I love how it started as a "thing" and became something more meaningful.
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