Red Sand Project continues to bring awareness to ongoing issue

MCNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. — Organizations around West Tennessee continue to raise awareness of an ongoing issue.

Red Sand Projects continue just about everywhere, including McNairy County. Many people gathered at the Robert K. Lee Justice Center Thursday morning to participate in this ever-growing event.

Designed to shed light on human trafficking, the Red Sand Project accomplishes this by pouring red sand into pavement or sidewalk cracks.

What started as an artwork installation has now grown into a huge movement to represent those individuals who have fallen through the cracks of society due to human trafficking.

The project first launched in 2014 by Molly Gochman. It is estimated that, globally, 50 million individuals are being trafficked or living in modren slavery. This is according to redsandproject.org.

Gochman realized that increased awareness and engagement would be needed to help find a solution to this issue. That is what the Red Sand Project aims to do.

Since 2014, Red Sand Projects have expanded to all 50 states, as well as 70 different countries.

With more than one million participants, Red Sand Projects can be found in numerous places this time of year — including the one in McNairy County, as well as many others around West Tennessee.

The Tennessee Department of Health invited partners to participate in Red Sand Projects this year from July 28 through August 3.

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