Jason Mraz Video and Other Photos from Free The Slaves Freedom Awards

Last year while covering the Free The Slaves Freedom Awards Red Carpet event, I walked into the after party to find out that Jason Mraz was the houseband! How cool is that.

Jason Mraz and Luc and the Lovingtons You can see the pro video and the whole party here.
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/19404313]

Free the Slaves is a great cause visit them at http://www.FreeTheSlaves.net
The Freedom Awards Site can be found at http://www.freetheslaves.net/freedomawards

FREEDOM AWARDS

Free the Slaves created the Freedom Awards to celebrate today’s anti-slavery heroes and to catalyze additional innovation and resources to end slavery once and for all. The Awards program will define what successful, anti-slavery work looks like and build a vision of freedom for change-makers to adopt. More>>

FREE THE SLAVES

Mission

Our mission is to end slavery worldwide. We believe that ending slavery is an ambitious–and realizable–goal. Everyone has a role to play in this great endeavor: Governments, businesses, international aid organizations, consumers, YOU.

Guiding Principles

We believe that all people have the right to be free from any form of slavery, and the opportunity to realize their full potential.
We are committed to supporting sustainable solutions which don’t hurt those we’re trying to help.
We seek to base all our strategies on accurate research.
We are committed to building a diverse movement and to seeking guidance from local and regional anti-slavery programs around the planet.
We are non partisan and politically independent.
We are transparent with our finances and programs.

Everything we do is weighed against one simple question: Will this help free slaves and help them stay free?

Approach

Free the Slaves’ knows that slavery flourishes when people cannot meet their basic needs. Slavery is rampant where poor people lack economic opportunities, education, healthcare and an honest government. A holistic approach is required to eradicate slavery forever. That’s why we:

Free slaves around the world by working with grassroots organizations where slavery flourishes.
Record and share their stories so people in power can see slavery and be inspired to work for freedom.
Enlist businesses to clean slavery out of their product chains and empower consumers to stop buying into slavery.
Work with governments to produce effective anti-slavery laws then hold them to their commitments.
Research what works and what doesn’t so that we use resources strategically and effectively to end slavery. Forever.

The whole red carpet and show were done first class with Ricky Byers Beckwith and the Agape Choir to Ashton and Demi speaking at the event it was a great time with a solid message of hope as the awardees received their awards, telling stories of deep sadness and pain only to inspire us with their courage and their actions to eradicate slavery in their life or for others.

Here are some pictures I took on the red carpet. To see them all go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwnajarian/sets/72157625306483187/