December 11, 2004

Lynsey Bartilson and Eric Forte (the "thug" in UNITED) made a great MC team

Youth for Human Rights International Director Mary Shuttleworth was among the keynote speakers at an event last night to celebrate Human Rights Day and raise funds for distribution of the new human rights music video, UNITED.

The event, held at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International in Los Angeles, was jointly emceed by Lynsey Bartilson, star of Fox TV’s “Grounded for Life”, and Eric Forte, who plays the “thug” in UNITED.

Lonnie Sanders of Congressman Diane Watson's office

Mr. Lonnie Sanders from the Office of Congresswoman Diane Watson made a presentation on behalf of the congresswoman and Mayor James Hahn to Taron Lexton, director of UNITED, for the eight months he devoted to this human rights project. In accepting the award, Lexton described how UNITED has become internationally popular, airing in scores of countries, while the owner of a national movie theater chain has scheduled airings for early 2005.

Shuttleworth introduced three experts who gave powerful presentations on major human rights problems: Sean Gordon, a special agent from the FBI’s Los Angeles Division who spoke about human trafficking; Ronnie Barron of Unity 1 Amer-I-Can, which works with gang leaders to accomplish mediation; and Fran Andrews, Executive Director of Citizens Commission on Human Rights International, who gave hard-hitting facts about the destruction caused by psychiatric drugging of schoolchildren.

Gordon told the 200-strong audience, “Human trafficking is a $9.5 billion illegal industry, the third largest criminal enterprise in the world… Until the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, there were few tools available to law enforcement to combat this evil. That has changed. Today the FBI’s Civil Rights Unit has dedicated agents across the country to investigate cases of trafficking.”

Barron said that although gangs account for “a lot of homicides,” most gang members would opt to make something positive of their lives if they felt the opportunity was there.

Ronnie Barron, Unity 1 Amer-I-Can, spoke of gang violence in LA County

Human Rights Ambassador awards from the International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance, whose president Michelle Seward was among the speakers, were presented for the first time. Film actress Erica Christensen, who, like Bartilson, has a cameo in UNITED, presented 10th District Los Angeles City Councilman Martin Ludlow with an Ambassador award for his efforts to bring about greater human rights through promoting education and reducing crime.

Actress Carina Rico presented an Ambassador award to Marisa Ugarte of the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition for bring sanctuary to hundreds of young girls whose lives had dead-ended in illegal brothels in Southern California after being smuggled across the border.

The third award was presented to Ms. Karen Hubbard, the founder and director of “Bless the Children”, an impressive international relief group that is based in Florida. Through the efforts of Ms. Hubbard and her daughter Rebecca, Bless the Children has in the last few years donated 200 sea containers of humanitarian aid valued at more than $65m to needy children around the world.

The powerful messages conveyed in the event promoted many attendees to come forward afterward to offer their assistance in promoting human rights.