Joseph Liss, of Wyncote PA, has certainly demonstrated that you don’t have to have a driver’s license to be an abolitionist. Joseph, 13, brought Simon Deng, a member of the American Anti-Slavery Group Speakers Bureau, to his Middle School. Simon is a refugee from Darfur and was sold into slavery when he was 4 years younger that Joseph. Now an activist, Simon travels around the country speaking on behalf of AASG.
In an interview Joseph said that he felt very strongly that the United States and its citizens are not doing enough to help in Darfur. He has approached the situation with an extremely positive attitude and feels that if we can put a man on the moon then we can certainly bring peace to Darfur. He also stated in the interview that “very few people know about the horrors of modern day slavery” and this is why he was compelled to act. In addition to bringing Simon to his middle school he has created a lesson on modern-day slavery to be taught to other students.
Joseph is a shining example of how much the will of one person can accomplish. Joseph certainly wasn’t alone in bringing Simon to his school, but it was his passion that rallied others around his ideas. By spreading awareness through the appropriate channels he was able to convey the anti-slavery message to a much larger audience. We applaud him for his accomplishments and hope that he will serve as an inspiration to others!
Check out the whole interview with Joseph here.