Thursday, Feb. 23, is the END IT Movement's annual "Shine a Light on Slavery" awareness campaign, when Americans across the country will show solidarity for ending modern slavery around the globe - and in our own backyards.

You'll see lots of people, including Hollywood stars and sports icons, posting photos of themselves on Facebook and Twitter with their hand marked with a large red X. That's the symbol of support for the END IT movement. Knoxville sports legends Peyton Manning and Todd Helton are END IT supporters. So is U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who helped spearhead passage of the End Modern Slavery Initiative in the Senate last year. (The bipartisan legislation was signed into law by President Obama on Dec. 23, 2016.)

Posting a photo of yourself sporting a red X on your hand helps raise awareness that human trafficking still exists today. In fact, an estimated 27 million people are currently enslaved throughout the world - believed to be a record number.

Want to get involved locally? Visit www.growfreetn.org or call 865-236-1046 to learn how you can help. Grow Free Tennessee is powered by the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking.

Share your "Shine a Light on Slavery" photos by using any or all of these hashtags:

#EndSlaveryAct
#EndItMovement
#ItHasToStop