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Unity for Humanity Pitch

UPDATE 3.22.23

We just received feedback from the judges, whom I assume must have had a TON of difficulty choosing the best project. We didn't get accepted. So, I pose to you… is this a project you would want to see succeed?

The rejection letter is at the bottom. 🙁

TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story screenshot of Lisa's neighborhood

TRIGGER WARNING DISCUSSION OF VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

Hi everyone! I don't have a super detailed project plan to add here, because all the planning for this project has been done over the last 5 years. We are taking what already works, bringing it to the most up to date version of Unity, and telling a new story.

We're going to tell a story based upon a real case in Texas, where a young victim of human trafficking was being sold out of a motel. She was beaten by her buyer.

The completely interactive (do anything you want at any time) story is told from first person. You play a young detective who arrives at her first crime scene alone. She has her partner available by phone / earpiece when she needs him. 

She pulls into the Grand Rock Motel, which is where our victim was found, after she was brutally beaten by one of her buyers.

You, as the detective, have to visit the scene, collect clues to uncover what happened, and build a case against the john. 

Here's the script from Act 1. In VR, it's amazingly immersive.

We have a distribution network and HUGE demand across the world. 

We have licensees in California (VIDA Vista Interactive Design Academy), Texas (McCallum High School in Austin), Illinois (Governors State University), Wyoming (Uprising), Montana (The LifeGuard Group), and Idaho (INsideOUT)… so far.

We also have a deal with a VR training company that does on the job training (can't say who it is yet).

Information about the team and company

PBJ LEARNING

Billy Joe's the lead designer / exec. producer of the project. More here. Dave's our education director and he's leading up all the subject matter experts.

 exists to end human suffering through education, , and personal action. Effective, fact-based, victim-centric education is vital if we are going to make a difference. We want to explain the reality of this issue and dispel myths at the same time. We believe prevention through education is better.

How we are doing it: We provide the most effective human trafficking prevention education training programs through your web browser. delivery allows us to improve and update our materials immediately, and be confident the instructions are current. Our courses are written by experts in the field, including survivors, , social service providers, parents, corporate trainers, and ongoing education providers. Advisers continually review our materials to meet new educational challenges. Online delivery allows us to make changes as often as our advisers suggest.

We believe education should always be available and easily accessible, so we created a system to let you learn what you want, when you want it, and where you want to learn it.

Let's get started!
Billy Joe and Dave

Radical Empathy Education Foundation logo blue on whiteRADICAL EMPATHY EDUCATION FOUNDATION

is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to ending human trafficking in one generation.

We are the main licensee of the TRAPPED series, and we sublicense it to other groups, so we can continue educating trainees.

MISSION CRITICAL STUDIOS

Dave and Erik are consummate professionals that deliver results. They get to understand a project, write up solid bids, and they make great decisions without needing to be micromanaged. Worth every penny. They have military, educational, and industrial clients and can work in 2D, 3D, AR, VR, MR.

I trust them with my development work and the clients I send them are kept happy.

Gaming / interactive: www.mcgamestudio.com
Pharma, medical etc.: www.tresmediagroup.com

A screenshot from TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, Act 1

Key art from the project (in-progress work accepted)

This complete playthrough of Act 1 demonstrates exactly how it will look and work. Plus with the upgrade to the newest version of Unity, it's going to look better. We will continue the story and include more interactivity!

Production budget with a plan for use of Unity funding, if received

I need art integrated, an upgrade to Unity's newest version, and funds to pay survivors for their guidance. 30 years of experience helps guide the scope the project, so whatever we get will be spread out evenly over each month.

Month 1 33% budget

Script complete and all levels grey boxed.

Month 2 33% budget

Rough recording and all objects and interactions complete.

Month 3 33% budget

Final audio, final art, final placements, final interface, all polish. Distributed to all current licensees across the world.

Information on key stakeholders/partners

Radical Empathy Education Foundation
PBJ Learning
Billy Joe Cain
Dr. David Deeds, Governors State University and College of DuPage
Dr. William Watson, Purdue University
Hundreds of experts in the human trafficking field
Mission Critical Studios, the developer

Production timeline, distribution timeline, and detailed distribution plan

Could be 2-3 months start to finish. 

It will be distributed to our current licensees upon release. 

Distribution is all in-person, through VR headsets our licensees already own.

Virtual reality headset used to educate people about human trafficking: Oculus / Meta Quest headset

An Impact Plan with the project's impact goals and how they will be achieved

Main goal is to vastly improve human trafficking awareness and prevention education. Just like the original, all learning objectives are sourced from the best experts in the field and then are integrated into the fully interactive narrative story.

Users are motivated to make a difference and learn more, so we have an interactive that pairs up with the experience.

In a little over an hour, people receive the deepest, most impactful human trafficking education experience on the planet.

The main thing is that we start with “Learning Objectives” that we want to embed in the script. 

Here's the script for Act 1. Every line of dialogue has one or more “red flags” or “vulnerabilities” that we want someone to remember after the experience. Those are our Learning Objectives. But Act 1 is about SUPPLY. So, we will integrate Learning Objectives about DEMAND into Act 2.

Impact Goals

All these goals have something to do with human trafficking. See the Sustainable Development Goals, below, to see how they connect.

  • No Poverty
  • Good Health and Well-being
  • Quality Education
  • Gender Equality
  • Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Reduced Inequality
  • Responsible Consumption and Production

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

Here is a look at the overall Sustainable Development Goals and how they relate to human trafficking.

“Global leaders convened at a summit in September, 2015 and adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDGs focus on people, the planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. With these new goals, member states that were present at the summit are expected to establish a national framework to end poverty and fight inequality. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will help combat human trafficking through goals 5, 8, and 16.”

SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Between 2012-2014, over 70% of detected human trafficking victims were women and girls, making up the majority of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) cases. In India, almost 20,000 women and children were victims of trafficking in 2016. The highest number of victims was recorded in West Bengal, following by Rajasthan and Maharashtra where women and children are trafficked into domestic labor, sex work, and even as child brides. Target 5.2 specifically calls for countries to “Eliminate forms of violence against all women and children in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.” Other targets under this goal are connected to women's empowerment, including eliminating and unpaid domestic work. Policies and funding are expected to be diverted to promote gender equality across all levels and help populations that are affected by CSE.

SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Many cases of human trafficking begin with an individual searching for better economic prosperity. The desire for greater economic opportunity can place migrants and refugees at high risk. In fact, poverty and inequality puts large numbers of children (particularly in India and Cambodia) at risk for CSE. Target 8.7 calls for nations to, “Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.” This is perhaps the most direct target to combat human trafficking. If all countries truly invest in economic opportunities over the next 13 years, poverty and inequality would be reduced and we would address one of the most pressing social determinants that place individuals in trafficking situations.

SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Human trafficking is a prominent concern in countries where the rule of law is weak. It has been nearly two decades since the enactment of the Palermo Protocol and various anti-trafficking legislations, but the crime still remains. Target 16.3 calls to “Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.” Hopefully more traffickers and organized crime groups will be prosecuted as countries work to meet this target. These goals specifically address human trafficking and call for countries to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, forced labor, and modern slavery. However, in order to achieve the anti-trafficking goals, all stakeholders need to collaborate and examine the current preventative initiatives and protections available to victims of trafficking.

Here's an example of what you will be helping!

Rejection letter: “2023 Unity for Humanity Grant Update”

Dear Billy Joe Cain

Thank you for taking the time to apply for the 2023 Unity for Humanity Grant. We deeply appreciate the effort you put into crafting an application that aligns with our mission of creating a positive impact in the world.

I regret to inform you that your application was not selected for the Unity for Humanity Grant at this time. The decision was an extremely difficult one, as we received over 500 proposals and grant applications were reviewed by judges across Unity.

I hope that this disappointing does not deter you from continuing to pursue your impact-driven work. Your passion and dedication to creating positive change in our community is inspiring, and we are proud to have you in our community of incredible impact creators. You are welcome to reapply when our next grant cycle opens (Our website will update in October with details). While I cannot give individual feedback on your application at this time due to the high volume of submissions, I want to remind you that there are other valuable opportunities for support available throughout the year:

The Unity for Humanity team hosts monthly community gatherings where you can connect with other impact-driven individuals and organizations, share your work, and learn from others. We invite you to Join Us at these monthly Zoom meetings, as well as to join our Unity for Humanity Community Discord where we invite you to introduce yourself, your work, and connect with our global community across impact- focus areas like environment and sustainability, digital health and well-being, education, inclusive storytelling and more.

Thank you again for your commitment to creating a better world.

All my best,

Paisley Smith and the Unity for Humanity Team

Contact Billy Joe if you want to help make this.

Click here and easily set up a meeting today!

About ONE GENERATION EDUCATION SYSTEM™

Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF) is dedicated to ending human trafficking in one generation. Our One Generation Education System™ utilizes cutting edge (VR) technology that helps you make an empathetic connection to victims of the crime and understand how anyone could be tricked into being a victim. It also includes the interactive online course, Human Trafficking Essentials, that can be completed anytime in your web browser.

Students experience our interactive VR application, TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, and collect clues that tell a narrative story of how this happened to a young girl, from her perspective. The VR experience creates empathy for victims, making students more interested in the online course. It has been designed, maintained, and improved with advice from hundreds of subject matter experts and feedback from thousands of users.

Human Trafficking Essentials is based upon 15 years of Dr. David Deeds' teaching experience. He taught these materials for 15 years in his criminal justice classes at College of DuPage and Governors State University.