In her powerful speech, Shamere McKenzie connects everyday consumer choices to the root cause of human trafficking—demand. Drawing from her personal experience as a survivor, she urges the audience to embrace conscious consumerism and take responsibility for the impact their purchases have on human lives. With a call for cultural change, she emphasizes the importance of raising awareness, supporting survivors, and using innovative tools like Transaction Intercept to combat trafficking at its core.
In this dynamic and thought-provoking speech, Shamere McKenzie begins by connecting with the audience over shared experiences of Thanksgiving, Black Friday shopping, and personal indulgences, like her love for ice cream and luxury cars. She skillfully transitions from the lighthearted to the profound, urging listeners to consider the true cost behind their purchases and introducing the concept of conscious consumerism. By highlighting how demand drives not just consumer markets but also the heinous crime of human trafficking, she draws a powerful parallel: just as markets shift when demand decreases, so too can trafficking diminish when society refuses to commodify human lives.
Shamere shares her personal experience as a survivor of human trafficking, emphasizing how demand dehumanizes individuals, turning them into mere commodities. She challenges the audience to recognize their role in this system—not just in overt ways, like paying for illicit services, but through everyday purchasing decisions that fuel exploitative industries.
She calls for a cultural shift, stressing the importance of raising awareness, holding industries accountable, and supporting survivors in their healing journey. The speech concludes with an introduction to Transaction Intercept, a technological tool developed with survivor input, designed to combat trafficking demand, signaling a move from awareness to actionable solutions.
