[Excerpt from The Washington Post]
Celebs: Pop star Nick Jonas, a former member of the Grammy-nominated group the Jonas Brothers and now a successful solo artist, Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg and Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols.
Cause: Strike Out Slavery, an organization founded by Pujols and his wife, Deidre, that partners with MLB to bring awareness to modern-day slavery, a $150 billion criminal industry. Nationals Park will host its first Strike Out Slavery awareness festival and free postgame concert on Aug. 23, during which Jonas will perform.
…
Sound bites: “Moments like this where I can share with my fans a cause that is important, that I feel like they should get behind as well, are why I do what I do,” said Jonas, who has been friends with the Pujols for about nine years. “I’m hopeful that we can continue to create some great awareness and prevent [human trafficking] from happening because I think that’s our responsibility.”
Strasburg spoke about what inspired him to join forces with the Pujolses and get involved in the August event. “Back in 2015, hearing a talk from a survivor … it really gave me a lot of perspective and really a call for action,” he said. “I hope this gets bigger and bigger, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”