A MACAMS gathering in 2024.
More than twenty-five years ago, SNJM Sisters Carroll Ann Kemp and Carol Ries invited a few women to gather in their home to learn, to listen and to understand the growing reality of human trafficking. At the end of that first meeting, Sister Carroll Ann offered a quiet challenge, “What if, next time, each of us brings one more person?”
When they met again, the group had more than doubled. What started as concern quickly became commitment. From that living room gathering, the Mid-Atlantic Coalition Against Modern Slavery, MACAMS, was born.
As the work of MACAMS unfolded, it echoed a wider movement within the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. In 2004, the Congregation issued a Corporate Stand against trafficking of women and children, committing all Sisters to this justice ministry.
In the years since, MACAMS has grown into a diverse, interfaith coalition active throughout the Washington, D.C. area. While it began with Catholic religious women, it soon expanded to include lay people of many faith traditions. “Our diversity is a gift,” Sister Carol says. Ending human trafficking requires all of us.
The mission of MACAMS is rooted in prayer, education and advocacy. Members create a network of care behind the scenes. When someone reaches out for help, the coalition connects them with trusted resources like the Polaris Project’s U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline or The Alliance to End Human Trafficking. One woman came to them from California, unaware that her own uncle trafficked her to Washington D.C. Through the MACAMS network of relationships, she found legal help and a path toward safety and healing.
Every other month, a small group gathers to stand on street corners, holding signs and praying together. Their presence is quiet but unmistakable. The goal is to provide awareness that trafficking is happening here, in our own communities, not “somewhere else.” On alternate months, the group meets to learn together, plan advocacy efforts and welcome speakers. They visit legislators, educate parishes and speak with students, knowing awareness might one day help someone else.
The work to end this crime is challenging. Trafficking is lucrative, global and relentless. Prayer and community are what continue to support the MACAMS members in their efforts. Sister Carol shares, “We don’t let it keep us down; we persevere. If even one person is helped through our actions, it was worth it.”