rebelling against low expectations

Broken Cords: Fighting Human Trafficking in Houston

By Alex and Brett Harris
July 22, 2009
45 comments
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Teen siblings and Texas natives, Stephen, Melanie, and Diana Muldrow decided to use their summer raising funds to fight human trafficking in the city of Houston. But instead of doing the more traditional bake sale or car wash, the Muldrows set their sights on organizing a benefit concert — and not just any concert, but a concert featuring world-class musicians at Jones Hall, home of the Houston Symphony.

Brett and I love their creativity — and the way they have worked hard to accomplish their goal. The concert, which they named Broken Cords, will be held at Jones Hall on August 29th, and will include acclaimed clarinetist Håkan Rosengren, concert pianists Rick Rowley, Caleb Harris, and Andrew Staupe, and violist Luke Fleming, a C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellow at the renowned Juilliard School in New York City.

This past week, the Christian teens were featured in the local newspaper — The Baytown Sun — with a great article on what they’re doing and why they’re doing it:

Teens work to end human trafficking
by Stacy Parent

Movies. Parties. Friends. These common teenage pastimes have not filled the days of three Highlands teenagers this summer.

Rather, Stephen, Melanie and Dianna Muldrow have spent their time organizing a life-changing event.

Broken Cords, a benefit concert to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern-day slavery, will be held Aug. 29 at Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston’s theater district.

All proceeds from the concert will benefit Houston’s Coalition Against Human Trafficking.

The Muldrows were inspired to organize the concert after reading “Do Hard Things” by Alex and Brett Harris. The book encourages teenagers to rebel against low expectations.

“Teenagers are capable of a lot of stuff, but they don’t do a lot of stuff, mainly because people don’t expect them to,” Stephen Muldrow said. “We wanted to do something meaningful, something that had a purpose to it.”

The Muldrows decided to shed light on a cause close to their hearts — human rights.

(Click here to read the rest…)

If you live in the Houston area, make plans to be at the concert with your family and friends on August 29th. Tickets range from $25 to $75, and they have special discounts available for groups. All proceeds go to fighting modern-day slavery.

Even if you don’t live in the Houston area, take the time to think of people you know who do. Then give them a call, send them an email, or shoot them a text message and encourage them to attend and spread the word themselves.

Broken Cords is an effort worth getting behind — not only to end injustice, but also to show the world what God can do through teens who are willing to spend their summer doing more than just watching movies, shopping, and going to parties.

+ Official Site / Buy Tickets / Facebook Group +

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About the author

Alex and Brett Harris

are the co-founders of TheRebelution.com and co-authors of Do Hard Things and Start Here. They have a passion for God and for their generation. Their personal interests include politics, filmmaking, music, and basketball. They are both graduates of Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia.

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45 comments

  • August 29’th, man it’d be awsome if I could go to it for my birthday!
    Somtimes I dislike living in Canada, it means that I’ll never be able to attend any of the good conferences etc
    Prayers that it goes awsome!

    Blessings
    Alesia

  • That is so cool! And Rick Rowley is the uncle of one of my best friends! That’s fascinating! 🙂 I’ll be sure to pass on the info…

  • Wow cool I would love to do somthing like that but my parents probably wouldn’t let me

  • This is great! Modern day slavery and human trafficking is my personal passion. I would love to be able to do something like that to end the cause. If I lived near Houston, I would attend. You guys will be in my prayers!

    In His Love,
    Julianna

  • Man, do I wish I was in Houston! I love the whole idea…especially the name. (Broken Cords? That is so original and relevant!) Great job guys…God is using you in amazing ways!

  • Oh man! Now I almost wish I lived down there, as much as I’d hate the heat of TX. Thank you guys SO much for doing this! Slavery is up there on my list of “passions” (as someone above called them.) I love the name, by the way. Good luck with it and God bless!

  • Alex and Brett,

    I have to say thank you for highlighting modern-day rebelutionaries who are living in our midst and doing hard things.

    Thank you!

    I really appreciate the time you take to point out young people who could use support and/or who are meeting terrific goals.

    You are great connectors (think Malcom Gladwell:) and I’m excited to see how God continues to use you.

    ~Sarah

  • Oh I wish I lived near enough to go! I’ll be praying they do wonderfully and raise a lot of money though! It’s always such a great encouragement to see teens just like me doing such awesome things! Thanks guys! 🙂

    Sarah 🙂

  • God bless them! I hope and pray they’ll meet their goals. I am a big fan of classical music, especially piano. If it were near by I would definitely be there!

    I got to see Andrew Staupe play in this year’s Minnesota International Piano-e-Competition. He is very, very good!

  • Oh man… I wish I could go. As a few others have said, Slavery is something I’m passionate about seeing an end to. This really challenges me to not waste what I have left of my summer! I better get started…

  • I’m happy I live in Houston!! I’ll try my hardest to attend, and even if I can’t I will keep you in my prayers for a susessful event!

  • Praise God! I wish I could attend, but I’m seven states away! I’ll pass the word on to all my friends in TX though.

    May God bless their efforts!

  • Wow…. is Caleb Harris related? Yeah, it seems like the rebs are most concentrated in Texas…. where’s the rebelutionary map?

  • Hey Dianna, Mel, and Stephen!
    Just got done buying the tickets! Looking forward to going to the concert!
    God Bless y’all!

  • Great to hear! I hope more people will get involved in the issue locally while also putting their shoulder to the wheel to solve the massive problem globally. Next year the US Department of State for the first time will release statistics on trafficking in the US – not just abroad. People interested in the issue can also contact the US Department of Labor and ask them to release their findings about goods that are produced by slaves and child labor.

  • wow. i live in Houston. I was coming to this website for the first time and found this. I’m so happy that we can all be part of a great thing. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK 🙂

  • I can’t wait for the concert! Ya’ll are doing a GREAT job! I appreciate so much the effort you are putting into this concert! Ya’ll are the best! God bless each of you *lots*!!! You are in our thoughts and prayers!

  • Ya’ll are amazing! It’s so great what you’re doing! I’m so proud of ya’ll! Looking forward to the concert! 🙂

  • Ya’ll are amazing!:-)It is so awesome what ya’ll are doing! I’m praying for ya’ll.!

  • Hey Melanie,Dianna,&Stephen!
    Just got done buying our tickets. I’m so excited, and so proud of ya’ll. I can’t wait till the concert.!
    *Kaelinn Dayne,*

  • This is mavelous!
    Melanie, Diana, and Stephen,
    I hope your concert raises all of the money it can possibly raise. The world needs more teens like you.

  • Hey guys i know that i just posted but i didnt finish explaining what i wanted to say the brothers are truly blessed!!! i bought their book but sadly i was only able to get Bretts autograph because alex was doing something! But Alex i still want that autograph!!!

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By Alex and Brett Harris July 22, 2009
45 comments
rebelling against low expectations

The Rebelution is a teenage rebellion against low expectations—a worldwide campaign to reject apathy, embrace responsibility, and do hard things. Learn More →