Kent State’s School of Communication Studies will host a Global Issues Forum on Human Trafficking: A Global and Local Epidemic, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6 in the Moulton Hall Ballroom.

According to a press release, the panel of the discussion will include the following individuals: Kathleen Chandler, a member of the Board of County Commissioners; Eric Heisig, a federal courts reporter for Cleveland.com and Jason Motlagh, a Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting journalist. Paul Haridakis, a professor of communication studies, will moderate.

Kent State is part of the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting’s Consortium network, which aims to create awareness about global issues that affect everyone. They provide the school with a journalist who has a wealth of knowledge about the chosen topic.

Each panelist has done work with human trafficking from legislation to investigative reporting.

“(Human trafficking is) especially relevant for us here in Ohio because with the Republican National Convention coming, there is a lot of concern that human trafficking is really going to increase,” said Lindsay Kuntzman, the School of Communications Studies spokeswoman. “Because we’re going to be bringing in so many people, we’re worried it’s going to become more of a prevalent issue, and it’s a huge global issue right now.”

The event is free and open to the public; it will also be livestreamed on the school’s YouTube channel and be available online after the event is over.

Latisha Ellison is the CCI reporter for The Kent Stater, contact her at [email protected].