Lesson Plan, Article, Activity Human Trafficking: Enslaved Thai Garment Workers of El Monte
- Grade Level 6th-12th Grade
- Date Published Jan 2023
- Time Period 1990 - 2009
Introduction
Eighty Thai women and men were enslaved for years in a former apartment building in El Monte, California. Even after the discovery of the complex in 1995, they and their supporters had to fight for their freedom, immigration status, and damages from those responsible for their plight and exploitation in this horrific garment sweatshop. The bravery of the workers and creative legal and legislative advocacy led to a major victory for the workers and new laws to protect workers against sweatshops.
Essential Questions
What conditions, systems, and structures made the labor exploitation faced by the garment workers possible?
What are the various challenges that these garment workers faced, first in challenging the exploitation they faced and then in finding new jobs?
How did each of the various groups, organizations, and communities involved in the garment worker case contribute to the success of the lawsuit?