Zach Hunter is an anti-slavery

Slavery

Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...

 activist. When he was 12 years old, he launched Loose Change to Loosen Chains, a student-led effort to raise awareness and funds to end slavery. Hunter is the author of three books, Be the Change (Zondervan), Generation Change (Zondervan), and Lose Your Cool (Zondervan). Born in Washington State, Hunter resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Inspiration

When asked why he got involved as an abolitionist at such a young age, Hunter said "There are actually 27 million slaves in the world. I was really surprised [to find that out," he said. "And I had all these emotions about it and I wasn't sure what to think about the idea of having modern slavery, you know. But I didn't think it was enough to just have emotions." Hunter took his emotions of anger and outrage and launched Loose Change to Loosen Chains. Through the campaign, students tell the stories of modern day slaves and collect loose change in yellow cups. The collected change is then used to help fund the work of abolitionist organizations such as Free the Slaves

Free the Slaves

Free the Slaves is an international non-governmental organization and lobby group, established to campaign against the modern practice of slavery around the world. Formed in 2001, it is the largest anti-slavery organization in the U.S. It is the sister-organization of Anti-Slavery International...

 and International Justice Mission

International Justice Mission

International Justice Mission is a U.S.-based non-profit human rights organization that operates in countries all over the world to rescue victims of individual human rights abuse. IJM works to combat human trafficking including the commercial sexual exploitation of children, forced labor...

; educate and inspire other abolitionists and further the student-led effort. His hard-work ethic has inspired many younger people nationally to devote themselvs to causes that matter.

Hunter cites Dr. Martin Luther King's peaceful revolution, the work of Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Harriet Ross; (1820 – 1913) was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the American Civil War. After escaping from slavery, into which she was born, she made thirteen missions to rescue more than 70 slaves...

 and Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...

as some of his inspiration. But foremost among his inspiration was William Wilberforce, the slavery abolitionist in England who lived almost 200 years ago. WIlliam Wilberforce was a devout Christian and knew John Newton, the slave trader who wrote the hymn, 'Amazing Grace.' What Wilberforce advocated, and what Hunter recognizes, is the love that God has for all of humanity. In light of His precious love, we should strive to let the whole world see that love and grace and mercy that He freely gives. Slavery should be a chief concern among us because of its degradation of humans who were made in the image of God.

Ongoing work

In addition to his work combatting modern day slavery, Hunter is also working to mobilize a new generation of activists. Hunter describes the most serious problems he sees in the world today in his book Generation Change and profiles the work of other young people dedicated to solving the problems. Hunter speaks around the world to students, youth workers and activists. In addition to his published books, he is a frequent contributor to print and online periodicals including The Huffington Post.