James the Mormon, date and location not specified | Photo courtesy of James the Mormon, St. George News
More popularly known via his social media channels as James The Mormon, the 31-year-old Mormon music artist whose stage name, unique style, and unparallel quality of music has garnered him great notice in the hip-hop and rap industry, will be performing for a benefit concert at Amira Resort, 1871 W. Canyon View Drive, in St. George, Utah, at 7 pm MST on Saturday, 16 June 2018. Tickets are $15, and kids under 10 are free admission. Tickets to the concert can be purchased online.
James, whose first full-length album, We Came to Play, debuted in the iTunes Top 5 for hip-hop albums, donated proceeds from the pre-sale of the new album to Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), an organization dedicated to rescuing child victims of human trafficking. For his benefit concert on Saturday, he is partnering with Global Education Philanthropists. Global Education Philanthropists is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in St. George, Utah, that serves communities in need. Efforts of the organization have included humanitarian excursions to the Caribbean, helping with hurricane relief in Puerto Rico, and working with victims of human trafficking in Southern Utah and around the globe, including offering aid to children in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
A Global Education Philanthropists volunteer carries a girl in the Dominican Republic, date not specified | Photo courtesy of Global Education Philanthropists, St. George News
The organization also specializes in providing aftercare to victims of human trafficking in various parts of the world, which includes putting together aftercare backpacks that contain essential hygiene supplies and clothing for kids who are rescued from trafficking situations. Some of the aftercare supplies that are needed include backpacks, mini bottles of shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, and hand sanitizer, tooth brushes and toothpaste, pajamas, flip-flop sandals, t-shirts, and small candies and treats. Persons attending the concert on Saturday are encouraged to bring supplies or monetary contributions to be donated at the door. Donated items will be given directly to victims by volunteers at the time of rescue or during aftercare.
Cammy Bowker, an educator of 12 years and the founder of Global Education Philanthropists, has worked with numerous children involved in sex trafficking. She told St. George News, “Unfortunately, in Utah we’re just not exposed enough to human trafficking to understand it as much. Very unfortunately, it’s growing rapidly in Utah.” She continued, “Incidents of trafficking have become much more common in Utah in recent years. . .. a problem exacerbated by Interstate 15, which runs from near the United States – Mexico Border to Canada, transecting the state. . .. It’s super bad in Southern Utah because we’re right by Vegas, so I-15 becomes a pipeline for transporting kids.”
Not only will the concert help to raise awareness to the issue of human trafficking, but the proceeds from the concert will benefit agencies based in Southern Utah that go undercover and rescue kids from trafficking.
The Global Educational Philanthropists organization is also looking for volunteers to help rebuild schools, provide medical and dental aid and educational instruction for teachers in impoverished countries.
