What Does it Mean to be a Dressember Advocate in a Pandemic?

For the past three years, BEST has been a grateful recipient of funds raised by generous advocates during the month of December. Each year, the Dressember Foundation hosts a unique 31-day style challenge where advocates join in and raise funds to fight human trafficking by wearing a dress (or tie!) every day of December.

The idea is that wearing a dress or tie each day of one of the coldest months of the year will create a conversation starter with friends, family, and co-workers that leads to raising awareness about the harms of human trafficking while fundraising. This helps more people learn about trafficking and shows that anyone can pitch in to help stop it.

At Dressember, these caring people are not just fundraisers--they’re called advocates.

This year, Dressember advocates have had to get creative to help people engage. They are living out their advocacy, even while social distancing, to help create a better world. Advocates are using technology to share information and have conversations with friends, family, and colleagues by educating people about the harms of human trafficking, and fiercely defending the marginalized who are at even greater risk of harm and exploitation during the pandemic.

This year’s Dressember challenge may look a bit different, but it’s not stopping advocates! They are sharing daily vlogs, posting photos to social media, hosting zoom dinners, and continuing to keep the spirit of Dressember 2020 alive even in the middle of a global health crisis.

Advocacy requires dedication, thoughtfulness, good intentions, and consistency.  So when Dressember advocates choose to intentionally use a dress or tie for advocacy, it helps them reflect each day on how simple freedoms have been taken away from others, and that we can all do small things to make an impact. Although a dress or tie is a simple tool for advocacy, it symbolizes something that is so much bigger.

Collectively, Dressember advocates have raised over $11MM to help fund the work of anti-trafficking organizations, including ours. It’s not too late to join the campaign for Dressember 2020.  Head to dressember.org to learn more.