“…every effort to combat trafficking must be made through a racial lens and consider the needs and experiences of the most prevalent victims: people of color. It is not enough for considerations of race and racism to be an addendum to a framework—it must be an integral component and focus of anti-trafficking work.”

Each year, an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 minors are at risk of trafficking from and within the United States. Black people make up 40 percent of trafficking victims, and Latinx people make up 24 percent. Indigenous peoples, people of color, immigrants, and people who identify as LGBTQ+ are more likely to experience the risks that make people vulnerable to human trafficking.

The State Department sought information through a Request For Information on “Conducting Anti-Trafficking Work Using a Racial Equity Lens.” Democracy Forward provided support to organizations as they developed their response.

The organizations’ response is accessible here.