A Voice For the Voiceless

MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

Michelle Lanspa and TAMPEP

Originally from Omaha, Nebraska and a big family of nine,  Michelle has just graduated this May from Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. She majored in science and technology in international affairs with a concentration in international health.

During college, Michelle participated in many social justice activities and groups, including the Georgetown-UNICEF club, Education Without Boundaries – Project Argentina, and Global Justice Now – the Student Campaign for Child Survival. Michelle loves language learning and has been studying Italian and Arabic for several years; she had the chance to practice these language skills as an intern at the US Embassy in Rome and while studying abroad at the American University of Cairo in Egypt.

Michelle’s interest and passion for studying migration and health issues began with her decision to write her senior honors thesis on the health statuses of Arab Muslim immigrants in Italy and their problems with accessing health care. Michelle feels called to help give women more choices and respect in today’s world by helping them gain more economic freedom and experience less fear of violence and exploitation.

This year, Michelle will work as an Advocacy Project (AP) Peace Fellow. AP is sending her to work with its partner organization, the Transnational AIDS Prevention among Migrant Prostitutes in Europe Project (TAMPEP) in Turin, Italy. TAMPEP works to prevent and protect victims of human trafficking. Michelle will support the NGO in its efforts to identify and reach out to trafficked women and children, and to provide comprehensive services and safe alternatives. The goal is to eradicate violent and sexual exploitation of women and children.

Michelle’s objectives are to assist TAMPEP in its efforts to gather, organize and distribute information, in addition to participating in the organization’s everyday work with the trafficked women in order to gain a more local, on-the-ground perspective of the highly complex human rights issue of trafficking.

Through outreach efforts, both while in Italy and upon return to Washington, DC, Michelle will advocate for TAMPEP and spread awareness about its work and about trafficking in general, focusing on current efforts against trafficking in the US, Europe and Africa.