8-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Makes A Stand Against Slavery [Video]

Posted: August 16, 2012

8-year-old Vivienne Harr has started a lemonade stand to combat human trafficking. The California girl wants to raise $150,000 for the nonprofit group Not For Sale, which is fighting to end slavery across the globe.

Harr began her stand in June and has vowed to sit at it “every day – rain or shine” until she reaches her goal so Not For Sale can “re-abolish slavery.” One hundred percent of the profits from Make A Stand Lemonade will go to Not For Sale.

Harr is taking her message even further, utilizing a Twitter account and website for Make A Stand Lemonade. She also has a Fundly page, where she has reached 10 percent of her goal with donations adding up to $15,476 at the time of this writing.

With help from her father, Harr has been posting updates about her fundraising goal and reaching out to those who have helped by either donating or spreading the word about the stand.

Harr posted on her website today:

“i have been alive 8 years and i have never seen a day like yesterday.

i saw thousands of people visit our website and hundreds make donations. we raised over $10,000 – in ONE DAY.

when i hear about how bad the world is — and i know there are bad parts like slavery — i will remember this day. and, that most people are good and kind and generous.

i love each of you for supporting me. i have been sitting at my stand for 54 days now and now i realize that is has all been worth it.

i will not stop until i reach my goal.

i am vivienne harr. i will MAKE A STAND.

thank you for MAKING A STAND with me.

~vivienne ”

The 8-year-old says she was inspired to start the stand when she visited Sonoma with her family. They went to an art gallery and saw an exhibit by photographer Lisa Kristine that told the story of 30 million slaves all over the world. Harr said she thought slavery ended with the Civil War, but she was wrong and decided to take a stand.

She even addresses those who might question her youth, saying she is able to do this:

”Because big things have small beginnings. Look at a redwood tree. It started out as a tiny seed. I may be small, but I am mighty. When I dreamed of doing this, I didn’t think of all the reasons why I can’t, I thought of all the reasons why I must.”

You can watch a video of Vivienne Harr talking about Make A Stand Lemonade below.