"Free the 13th" Event Works To Abolish Constitutional Slavery and Involuntary Servitude

MISSOURI CITY, Texas - Oct. 23, 2020 - PRLog -- Be Frank 4 Justice and The Young and the Politics are bringing the issue of modern-era slavery to the forefront at an event on October 25th at Together We Stand Christian Church in Missouri City, Texas. The event is designed to create attention to the 13th Amendment, which through its' exception clause, allows people convicted of a crime to be forced to work without pay. Texas remains one of five states that exploits this constitutional law for state profit.

"The 13th amendment abolished private slave ownership, but government entities are legally permitted to force people to work for profit. It goes against everything humane and civilly right and it's yet another stain on our justice system. We need to abolish slavery in Texas for all people, without exceptions." said Savannah Eldrige.

The event at Together We Stand Christian Church 1432 Texas Parkway, Missouri City, Texas 77489, will start at 2pm and end at 4pm. The event will bring real-life examples, and showcase formerly incarcerated activists, and a mock prison cell exhibit to help elevate awareness of this issue and why it is very important.

According to the Texas Observer, "Texas has one of the largest prison populations in the country, with more than 145,000 prisoners (https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/documents/Annual_Review_2017.pdf) in 2017. There are almost 900 people (https://www.prisonpolicy.org/global/2018.html) incarcerated for every 100,000, while the national average is 698 people incarcerated per 100,000 (and less than 100 people imprisoned per 100,000 in several European countries). Texas also has one of the most profitable (https://truthout.org/articles/unpaid-labor-in-texas-prisons-is-modern-day-slavery/) prison systems in the nation: Texas Correctional Industries (TCI), the state's prison labor program, made $84 million (https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/documents/Annual_Review_2017.pdf) with the help of free labor in 2017."

The October 25th event to advocate for change is open to the public, family members of prisoners, the formally incarcerated, human rights organizations, and anyone and everyone who want fair treatment and change. Change cannot wait any longer. With the help of community stakeholders, and the media, legislators must be educated and incited to address the need to repeal the 13th amendment, and liberate those enslaved in Texas, by putting an end to free, forced labor in the state penal system.