Mayor's Message:

Stop Human Trafficking

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Dear Jazz,


As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, it is natural and proper to spotlight the women who have achieved great things and positively impacted history. But I think supporting and shining a light on the women experiencing the darkest moments of their lives is also essential. There are no real successes unless we speak openly about the issues impacting the most vulnerable women in our society.


When we think of human trafficking, horrifying images come to mind. We often picture a group of women tied and gagged in a dark basement, forced into terrifying situations by masked psychopaths. While this horror may occur in some cases across the globe, it’s not true for most incidences of human trafficking. The reality may not be as “made for TV movie,” but it is still horrifying and much too common.


Human trafficking is a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services by force. The coercion can be subtle or overt, physical or psychological. Unfortunately, human trafficking is a significant threat to a large portion of our population, and the horrors of it must be addressed openly, transparently, and with a willingness to act.


The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimated that 24.9 million people around the globe were in forced labor as of 2016. According to a 2016 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report, 71% of human trafficking victims are women and girls, and one-third (1/3) are children.


While victims of human trafficking can be anyone – human traffickers often prey on members of marginalized communities. This can include children in the welfare system, children involved in the juvenile justice system, runaway or homeless youth, people with disabilities, undocumented people, ethnic minorities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Traffickers take advantage of people whose vulnerabilities, including poverty, limited English proficiency, or lack of legal status, are worsened by the lack of a stable housing situation and limited educational and economic opportunities. Language barriers, fear of retaliation, and fear of law enforcement can keep victims from asking for help, making it possible for human trafficking to be a hidden crime in plain sight.


Trafficking victims can be forced to work in illegal industries, such as sex work and the drug trade, and legal industries, such as childcare, elder care, nail and hair salons, restaurants, hotels, factories, and farms. Victims can be hidden from sight, invisible as private servants in a home. And they can be so exposed that we come face to face with them daily. Traffickers can give false promises of love, a job, or a stable life and lure their victims into situations where they are forced to work under horrible conditions with little to no pay.


Knowing the signs of human trafficking and identifying victims can help save lives. A potential victim may appear to be monitored when interacting with others, living in overcrowded or dangerous lodging provided by the employer, and be isolated physically or culturally. Forced labor can begin during the worker’s recruitment process by coercing them under the threat of violence to accept the job or by creating a situation of debt bondage by charging recruitment fees that are virtually impossible for the workers to repay. During the employment, an employer may force, defraud, or coerce the victim to perform work not agreed to during the agreement.


To protect yourself from ending up in this situation, keep an eye out for false job promises and promises of love, and practice online safety. Indicators of a fraudulent job promise could include an unrealistic salary for a typically low-paying job, an employer asking a lot of personal questions that are not relevant to the job, a substantial fee to cover costs of uniforms or other expenses, or the employer asking you to keep the job a secret or to lie about your age. Traffickers can also target victims by manipulating them emotionally to gain their trust and build a love dependency. Then, they can slowly become more and more controlling, hiding personal documents, threatening to hurt the victim or their loved ones, and forcing them to serve others for money.


We can all take an active role in ending human trafficking, and raising awareness is the first step. Some apps, such as ‘Sweat & Toil’ inform consumers on whether or not the products they are purchasing were made by companies using forced labor practices. Please note that your safety is essential. Do not confront a suspected trafficker directly or alert a victim to any suspicions, as it could result in an act of violence against you. Please alert law enforcement if you suspect any illegal trafficking behavior. To report any circumstances of suspected human trafficking, you can submit allegation information to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol: eallegations.cbp.gov/Home/allegation.


The City of Plainfield is committed to doing everything we can to address this serious issue. In September 2022, we hosted a SOAR training in which 20 local agencies participated to learn the types of trafficking and common risk factors, how to identify individual and environmental indicators of trafficking, how to screen and identify victims using a trauma-informed and person-centered approach, and how to address individual needs. Our Health and Social Services Department staff continues to receive online human trafficking training to identify and assist victims. A collaboration between the Division of Community Relations & Social Services will train teachers and school staff to do the same. We are also planning an in-person human trafficking training in 2023 for local agencies and schools.


This Women’s History Month, let’s raise awareness of the nightmare millions of women worldwide are living through. Let’s work together to ensure that no more women experience the horrors of human trafficking. 


#LovePlainfield #AmoPlainfield


Creating One Plainfield. One Future.

Sincerely,

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Mayor Adrian O. Mapp

City of Plainfield

Mensaje Del Alcalde:

Alto A La Trata de Personas

Queridx Jazz,


A medida que continuamos celebrando el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer, es natural y apropiado destacar a las mujeres que han logrado grandes cosas y han impactado positivamente la historia. Pero creo que apoyar y arrojar luz sobre las mujeres que experimentan los momentos más oscuros de sus vidas también es esencial. No hay éxitos reales a menos que hablemos abiertamente sobre los problemas que afectan a las mujeres más vulnerables de nuestra sociedad. 


Cuando pensamos en la trata de personas, nos vienen a la mente imágenes horribles. A menudo nos imaginamos a un grupo de mujeres atadas y amordazadas en un sótano oscuro, forzadas a situaciones aterradoras por psicópatas enmascarados. Si bien este horror puede ocurrir en algunos casos en todo el mundo, no es cierto para la mayoría de los incidentes de trata de personas. La realidad puede no ser tan "hecha para una película de televisión", pero sigue siendo horrible y demasiado común. 


La trata de personas es un delito que implica obligar o coaccionar a una persona para que proporcione trabajo o servicios por la fuerza. La coerción puede ser sutil o manifiesta, física o psicológica. Desafortunadamente, la trata de personas es una amenaza significativa para una gran parte de nuestra población, y los horrores de la misma deben abordarse de manera abierta, transparente y con la voluntad de actuar.


La Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) estimó que 24,9 millones de personas en todo el mundo estaban en trabajo forzoso a partir de 2016. Según un informe de 2016 de la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas contra la Droga y el Delito, el 71% de las víctimas de la trata de personas son mujeres y niñas, y un tercio (1/3) son niños.


Si bien las víctimas de la trata de personas pueden ser cualquiera, los traficantes de personas a menudo se aprovechan de los miembros de las comunidades marginadas. Esto puede incluir niños en el sistema de bienestar, niños involucrados en el sistema de justicia juvenil, jóvenes fugitivos o sin hogar, personas con discapacidades, personas indocumentadas, minorías étnicas y miembros de la comunidad LGBTQ +.  Los traficantes se aprovechan de las personas cuyas vulnerabilidades, incluida la pobreza, el dominio limitado del inglés o la falta de estatus legal, empeoran por la falta de una situación de vivienda estable y las limitadas oportunidades educativas y económicas. Las barreras del idioma, el miedo a las represalias y el miedo a la aplicación de la ley pueden evitar que las víctimas pidan ayuda, lo que hace posible que la trata de personas sea un delito oculto a plena vista. 


Las víctimas de la trata pueden verse obligadas a trabajar en industrias ilegales, como el trabajo sexual y el tráfico de drogas, e industrias legales, como el cuidado de niños, el cuidado de ancianos, salones de uñas y peluquería, restaurantes, hoteles, fábricas y granjas. Las víctimas pueden estar ocultas a la vista, invisibles como sirvientes privados en un hogar. Y pueden estar tan expuestos que nos encontramos cara a cara con ellos a diario.  Los traficantes pueden dar falsas promesas de amor, un trabajo o una vida estable y atraer a sus víctimas a situaciones en las que se ven obligadas a trabajar en condiciones horribles con poco o ningún pago.


Conocer los signos de la trata de personas e identificar a las víctimas puede ayudar a salvar vidas. Una víctima potencial puede parecer monitoreada cuando interactúa con otros, vive en un alojamiento superpoblado o peligroso proporcionado por el empleador, y estar aislada física o culturalmente. El trabajo forzoso puede comenzar durante el proceso de reclutamiento del trabajador coaccionándolo bajo amenaza de violencia para que acepte el trabajo o creando una situación de servidumbre por deudas al cobrar tarifas de reclutamiento que son prácticamente imposibles de pagar para los trabajadores. Durante el empleo, un empleador puede forzar, defraudar o coaccionar a la víctima para que realice un trabajo no acordado durante el acuerdo.


Para protegerse de terminar en esta situación, esté atento a las falsas promesas de trabajo y promesas de amor, y practique la seguridad en línea. Los indicadores de una promesa de trabajo fraudulenta podrían incluir un salario poco realista para un trabajo típicamente mal pagado, un empleador que hace muchas preguntas personales que no son relevantes para el trabajo, una tarifa sustancial para cubrir los costos de uniformes u otros gastos, o el empleador que le pide que mantenga el trabajo en secreto o que mienta sobre su edad.  Los traficantes también pueden dirigirse a las víctimas manipulándolas emocionalmente para ganarse su confianza y construir una dependencia amorosa. Luego, lentamente pueden volverse cada vez más controladores, ocultando documentos personales, amenazando con lastimar a la víctima o a sus seres queridos, y obligándolos a servir a otros por dinero. 


Todos podemos desempeñar un papel activo para poner fin a la trata de personas, y crear conciencia es el primer paso. Algunas aplicaciones, como 'Sweat & Toil' informan a los consumidores sobre si los productos que están comprando fueron hechos por empresas que utilizan prácticas de trabajo forzoso. Tenga en cuenta que su seguridad es esencial. No confronte a un presunto traficante directamente ni alerte a una víctima sobre cualquier sospecha, ya que podría resultar en un acto de violencia contra usted. Por favor, avise a la policía si sospecha de cualquier comportamiento de tráfico ilegal. Para reportar cualquier circunstancia de sospecha de trata de personas, puede enviar información de denuncias a la Oficina de Aduanas y Patrulla Fronteriza de los Estados Unidos: eallegations.cbp.gov/Home/allegation.


La Ciudad de Plainfield está comprometida a hacer todo lo posible para abordar este grave problema. En septiembre de 2022, organizamos una capacitación SOAR en la que participaron 20 agencias locales para aprender los tipos de trata y los factores de riesgo comunes, cómo identificar indicadores individuales y ambientales de la trata, cómo evaluar e identificar a las víctimas utilizando un enfoque informado sobre el trauma y centrado en la persona, y cómo abordar las necesidades individuales. Nuestro personal del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales continúa recibiendo capacitación en línea sobre la trata de personas para identificar y ayudar a las víctimas. Una colaboración entre la División de Relaciones Comunitarias y Servicios Sociales capacitará a los maestros y al personal escolar para que hagan lo mismo. También estamos planeando una capacitación en persona sobre trata de personas en 2023 para agencias y escuelas locales.


Este Mes de la Historia de la Mujer, vamos a crear conciencia sobre la pesadilla que millones de mujeres en todo el mundo están viviendo. Trabajemos juntos para garantizar que no más mujeres experimenten los horrores de la trata de personas. 


#LovePlainfield #AmoPlainfield


Creating One Plainfield. One Future.

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Alcalde Adrian O. Mapp

Ciudad de Plainfield

UPCOMING SPECIAL

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH EVENT

The Advancing Black Pathways (ABP) Fellowship Program and the

Advancing Hispanics & Latinos (AHL) Fellowship Program

(Click on Images for More Information)

The Advancing Black Pathways (ABP) and Advancing Hispanics & Latinos (AHL) Fellowship Programs are six-week, paid, full-time programs designed to introduce college students from all backgrounds — including Black, Hispanic and Latino — to the financial industry and help build a pathway to future career opportunities. 

The deadline is March 10th.

Applications can be found by clicking on the images.

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WHAT IS LOVE PLAINFIELD?

The Love Plainfield Campaign Launched in March 2021 and focuses on fostering a spirit of love, pride and unity in the City of Plainfield while encouraging residents to work together to celebrate and promote the Queen City's rich history and vibrant culture. 


Through this initiative we will support small businesses, help residents in need, restore pride in our community, and commit to keeping our city clean and green. 


What defines a place is its people, and our people are diverse and unique. Our residents are the best resource that Plainfield has.

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A MESSAGE FROM

UNION COUNTY:

Bilingual Poll Workers Needed in Union County

The Union County Board of Elections is seeking bilingual poll workers for Primary Election Day on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 and General Election Day, Tuesday, November 7, 2023.


In addition to receiving a stipend of $300.00 for the day, poll workers perform a valuable civic service by helping to ensure that every eligible voter can exercise their right to vote on Election Day.


“Bilingual poll workers are especially helpful in our diverse community, so we encourage everyone with a second language, specifically Spanish, to participate in this very important civic service,” said Board of Elections Administrator Nicole DiRado.


Any Union County resident who is 18 years or older, and registered to vote in Union County, can qualify to become a poll worker. No experience is needed. Before Election Day, each new poll worker must attend an in-person training course.

Persons interested in becoming a poll worker are advised to apply now in order to reserve a spot.


For more information and to obtain an application form, visit the Poll Worker Resources page at the Board of Elections website, ucnj.org/pollworker. To request an application form by mail, call the Board of Elections at 908-527-4236 or email pollworker@ucnj.org.



For all Union County Board of Elections information visit online at ucnj.org/ucboe.


VISIT UCNJ.ORG TO READ FULL ARTICLE

A MESSAGE FROM

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY: 

Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Establishing Equity and Sustainability Advisory Council to Develop Policy for State Workforce

Order Also Requires Each Principal Cabinet Department to Appoint a Chief Diversity Officer


TRENTON – To expand on this Administration’s efforts to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in New Jersey’s State workforce, Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 319, which establishes an Equity and Sustainability Advisory Council and requires each of the principal Cabinet departments to designate a senior-level employee to perform the functions of Chief Diversity Officer and serve as a liaison to the Council. The Governor announced the signing of the Executive Order at his and First Lady Tammy Murphy’s annual Black History Month Celebration at Drumthwacket surrounded by prominent community and faith leaders, state legislators, and activists.


The Equity and Sustainability Advisory Council is charged with developing a Statewide Equity Infrastructure Policy to achieve increased equity within the State government workforce. The Council will have the ability to request a State agency to provide information or other assistance necessary to meet its obligations under the Executive Order, including but not limited to, data regarding the measures, activities, and benchmarks relied upon to effectuate the goals of the Statewide Equity Infrastructure Policy.


“Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is essential to the success of any organization, especially that of our State workforce which serves the residents of the most diverse State in the nation,” said Governor Murphy. “It takes all of us, working together, to improve the lives of the people of our state. Through this Executive Order, the Equity and Sustainability Advisory Council will support the Administration’s ongoing commitment to position New Jersey as the State of Opportunity, one where the state workforce, and the programs and services they oversee, better reflect the diverse population they serve.”

“With today’s Executive Order, the Murphy Administration is advancing our goal of achieving greater diversity, equity, and inclusion across state agencies in the hopes that people working in New Jersey state government can feel a sense of belonging,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver. “We are optimistic that by establishing an equity infrastructure, more people from all walks of life will find increased opportunities to work for and with state government for the betterment of the public being served.” 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

A MESSAGE FROM

THE WHITE HOUSE:

 President Biden's Budget Makes Our Communities Safer and Combats Crime

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From Day One, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken decisive and historic action to make America’s communities safer. Last year, the President brought Members of Congress from both parties together to secure the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act—the first significant piece of legislation to address the epidemic of gun violence in America’s communities in three decades. This historic legislation expands background checks and funds crisis intervention, including red-flag laws, and helps keep guns out of the hands of people, including convicted dating partners, who are a danger to themselves and others. It makes historic investments in upstream violence prevention and reduction programs and addressing the youth mental crisis by expanding community violence prevention programs and expanding trauma informed services to mitigate the impact of violence. And it builds on the Administration’s efforts to crack down on ghost guns, rogue dealers, and gun trafficking.


The President has also been clear about the Administration’s commitment to investing in safe, effective, and accountable community policing, community violence intervention, and crime prevention. In May 2022, after Senate Republicans blocked passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act last year—even though leading law enforcement groups supported a deal—President Biden signed a historic Executive Order to advance effective, accountable policing and strengthen public safety. In August, the Biden-Harris Administration released the comprehensive Safer America Plan that funds the police for safe, effective, and accountable community policing and promotes effective prosecution of crimes affecting families, invests in upstream crime prevention and a fairer criminal justice system, and takes additional steps on guns to keep dangerous firearms out of dangerous hands.


The Budget builds on this progress by making investments to prevent and reduce crime and improve the fairness and effectiveness of the criminal justice system in improving public safety and public trust and easing the burden on police, invest in Federal Law Enforcement to combat gun violence and other violent crime, support state, local, and tribal law enforcement and other first responders, and reinvigorate Federal civil rights enforcement. The President believes we can and must do more to prevent and reduce crime and save lives.

VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV TO READ FULL ARTICLE


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Creating One Plainfield. One Future.

Volume 10 - Issue 10

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