RSF Rotarian is working to combat human trafficking with ‘The Signal,’ winner of a 2022 Telly Award

Rancho Santa Fe Rotarian Don Meredith, together with former Navy pilot and film director Doug Lito from West Hollywood, created a short PSA film about human trafficking called “The Signal.” The film features the new SOS signal, a quick hand gesture for victims to let bystanders subtly know they are in distress and that they “Need HELP, and to Get HELP!”. The film was co-directed by Marine Combat Videographer Phillip Elgie and Christina Rheuby.

The short film, released in January 2019, was recently recognized by the television industry’s 2022 Telly Awards. The shortened 15-second version has exploded on social media and has had over a million views since its release in March 2022.

The poster that Don Meredith and Doug Lito want distributed at every airport restroom and classroom around the globe.

(Courtesy of Don Meredith
)

The film was inspired by RSF Rotary’s focus on human trafficking. Meredith, who has been a Rancho Santa Fe Rotarian for 21 years, listened to multiple speakers at weekly Rotary meetings on the topic and became aware of the severity and extensiveness of human trafficking around the world. He wanted to help and the idea simply came to him in a dream.

The impetus now is getting the film and the shortened clip out to as many people as possible so that victims are aware of the discrete SOS hand signal and that the general populace knows how to recognize the signal and what to do next.

The national human trafficking hotline is 1-888-373-7888. To view “The Signal” PSA and view the 15-second condensed version, go to: sharethesignal.com — Report by RSF Rotarian Sophia Alsadek