Who on Cape Cod was recognized for human rights work? ‘We rise by lifting each other.’
By Rachael Devaney
Cape Cod Times

Harriet Jerusha Korim’s voice radiated across the room as she led a chorus of “This Little Light of Mine” during the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission 2025 Human Rights Day Celebration Breakfast.

The song, said Korim, reminds her that everyone must join forces to achieve human rights for all people.

“Even though the sun is up and the lights are on, these are dark times. The darker it gets, the harder I look for sparks of joy. Of courage. Of kindness. Of solidarity,” said Korim, who won the Tim McCarthy award during the event.

“I can see that this room is filled with sparks. I can feel it,” she said.

There were roughly 100 attendees at the breakfast, which began at 8:30 a.m. at the Cape Cod Conference Center on Wednesday.

The breakfast was held in tandem with the Advisory Commission’s 20th anniversary and with national Human Rights Day 2025, according to Advisory Commission Coordinator Leslie Dominguez-Santos. International Human Rights Day is observed annually on Dec. 10 to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted in 1938.

The breakfast honored roughly 21 people with a series of awards including two Cape librarians – Cyndy Cotton of Osterville Village Library and Antonia Stephens of the Hyannis Public Library, who won the annual Rosenthal award.

Karen Boujoukos of the MLK Action Team of the Nauset Interfaith Association won the Cornerstone Award.

The Cornerstone award was also presented posthumously to Janice Hank in honor of her years of work to prevent human trafficking on the Cape. Hank died in May.

Hank’s partner Lois Hirschberg accepted the award on Hank’s behalf and said Hank was mindful of the ongoing strength of the Cape community.

“She always said that this is what we were put on this earth to do – to help fellow citizens in any way we can,” said Hirschberg. “Janice always listened deeply and wanted to work towards a more caring and equitable world.”

Cape Cod Human Trafficking Paradox
Lower Cape News editorial staff

In this third episode in a series about the hidden crime of human trafficking, Lower Cape News speaks with Cape Cod PATH and Children’s Cove, two organizations that raise awareness and bring healing for survivors.

“In every town there is some human trafficking, labor trafficking, domestic servitude … no one is exempt. So I think people have to really wrap their heads around that this is really happening, and what you can do about it.” – Janice Hank, Co-Chair, Cape Cod PATH

A Story of Hope with Robin Levasseur
Also featuring local leaders and experts

January 31, 2024 at 6:00 PM

Great Awakening Coffee House
20 Independence Dr. Unit B
Hyannis, MA 02601
In-person and Facebook Live.

Cape Cod Times
By Rachael Devaney

HYANNIS — Asia Graves, a human trafficking victim advocate, bustled around the Health Ministry pantry on Nov. 20 to organize food donations.

Graves, 35, moved to Cape Cod in 2022 and was impressed by the Hyannis nonprofit, which offers free food, health care clinics, and educational health and wellness classes — and a shower for anyone who needs it, Graves said.

“Maybe if I had had access to services like this when I was growing up, I wouldn’t have fallen through the cracks,” said Graves, who was sex trafficked between the ages of 16 and 18.

Graves, who lives in Hyannis, is now a member of the Barnstable Housing Committee and advocates for affordable housing on the Cape. Vulnerabilities such as a lack of affordable housing, food insecurity, poverty, family instability, physical and sexual abuse and trauma can all lead to human trafficking, she said, “even on Cape Cod.”

Between 2004 and 2006, Graves was trafficked across the country and throughout the Cape and Islands area. Graves’ pimp, who she didn’t name, took girls to bars to score dates — a word used to describe sex for hire.

Graves began working with law enforcement and testified against her trafficker. Her pimp was sentenced to 25 years in prison, she said.

The Cape “is ripe for sex, labor, and domestic trafficking,” said Lois Hirshberg, co-chair of Cape Cod PATH, or People Against Trafficking Humans. The PATH task force, formed in 2014, works to eliminate human trafficking on the Cape through education, outreach and collaboration, and is a project of the nonprofit Cape Cod Foundation in South Yarmouth.

Cape Cod PATH in collaboration with the Office for Victims of Crime
Mashpee Wampanoag Police

January 10, 2024
6:30 – 8 PM

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth
840 Sandwich Road
East Falmouth, MA 02536

This free talk is presented by Cape Cod PATH in collaboration with the Office for Victims of Crime Mashpee Wampanoag, and is part of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmout’s ongoing educational programs offered to the public.

“It is important that residents of Cape Cod are aware that human trafficking exists on Cape Cod,” said Lois Hirshberg, co-chairwoman of PATH. “When giving presentations around the Cape, PATH presenters find that many people are shocked that human trafficking exists on beautiful Cape Cod. Human trafficking is everywhere. With this new knowledge, more residents will be able to recognize the signs of someone being trafficked and report any incidents to their local police department.”

Janice Hank, the other co-chairwoman of PATH, continued, “During this presentation, people will learn about human trafficking. They will understand what it is, know how to spot the signs of human trafficking and how to report concerns.”

Jadyn Henderson, victim advocate for the Office for Victims of Crime Division of the Mashpee Wampanoag Police Department, will speak directly about missing and murdered Indigenous people.