Free the Slaves: Zimmerman Fellowship

Each year Free the Slaves recognizes various individuals and organizations who have made major contributions to the international anti-slavery movement by naming them Freedom Award recipients. Among those Freedom Awards is the Anne Templeton Zimmerman Fellowship, named for the anti-slavery pioneer and founder of Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

The Zimmerman Fellowship is awarded to one or two young adults under the age of 30 who have made concrete progress in ending slavery in the United States and especially abroad. The general purpose of the fellowship is to build up young leaders in the field and introduce them to the work of Free the Slaves. In addition, the fellows partner with Georgetown University’s School of Public Policy where they obtain a certificate in Non-Profit Executive Leadership.

Betsy Bramon, a 2007 graduate of William Jewell College, was one of the 2009 Zimmerman Fellows. Bramon has exemplified what it means to be a modern day abolitionist through her work with numerous organizations like Hagar International and Polaris Project. However, her year with Free the Slaves provided her with an opportunity to explore more of where her talents and passions may lead her in the future. During her fellowship, she worked closely with FTS’ international partnership teams that are successfully combating slavery and trafficking at the local levels. FTS partners with these smaller organizations to help them become even more effective leaders in their areas.

In addition, through the educational experience at Georgetown University, Bramon learned about not only leadership development but also the practical business side of the anti-trafficking field like human relations, finance, policy and research.

Overall, Bramon found her time as a Zimmerman Fellow to be rich and worthwhile. She said, “I was able to see into a different part of the anti-slavery movement, connect with other organizations who share similar values and goals, and grow both professionally and personally."

The Zimmerman Fellowship for 2010 has been selected; however, if you are interested in interning or volunteering with Free the Slaves you can follow this link: http://www.freetheslaves.net/Page.aspx?pid=307