In his spare time, though, the 16-year-old Atlanta resident also has founded one nonprofit, written two books and spoken at the White House and on national television news shows, hoping to end modern-day slavery and injustice.

Hunter, the author of the book, "Generation Change" and founder of the Loose Change to Loosen Chains foundation hopes to inspire other teens to help end slavery in their lifetime and travels across the country speaking about injustice. He'll be in Salt Lake City, Monday to speak at the Evangelical Free Church of America's youth conference, "Sojourn: Challenge 2008."

"I believe in the power of this generation, my generation, the millennials. I believe we will end slavery in my lifetime," Hunter said in a telephone interview. "I think we've had enough of cheap talk and inaction."

In today's increasingly global economy, there are more than 27 million slaves around the world, Hunter says.

"Slavery is still a massive problem. More people are caught up in it now than in the trans-Atlantic slave trade."

At least 14,500 slaves enter the U.S. every year, according to estimates by the nonprofit organization Free the Slaves.

"It can be a situation where parents sell their children into prostitution to make some income for the family or whole families in south Asia who are forced to work in brick kilns because the interest on the medical loan is so high they can never pay off the debt."

Hunter became an abolitionist at a young age.

He started his loose change drive focused on ending slavery, "Loose Change to Loosen Chains," when he was 12 after learning about the history of slavery in America.

"I kind of wish I could have been born earlier so I could have done something, but when I found out modern-day slavery is still going on, I decided to start it," Hunter says.

Hunter said his heart and his nondenominational Christian faith drive him to end the injustice.

"A lot of people view Christians as being anti-this and anti-that," Hunter said. "I encourage people to do something. That is a true representation of Jesus, helping the poor, the enslaved, the homeless."

In 2007, Hunter wrote his first book, "Be the Change," about how teens can end modern slavery.

''Generation Change,'' his second book, was published this year. It challenges teens to tackle other world issues in addition to slavery, such as homelessness and hunger. Hunter says his book tries to bring back values many have lost, such as trust and kindness.

"Just like floods and droughts, I think sometimes we've lost things like thankfulness, friendship, unity," Hunter says.

ELIZABETH MILLER can be reached at emiller@sltrib.com or 801-257-8741. Send comments about this story to religioneditor@sltrib.com.

Young galvanizer to speak at Salt Palace Monday

Zach Hunter will speak Monday at 9 a.m. at Evangelical Free Church of America's "Sojourn: Challenge 2008" youth conference. The event is at the Salt Palace Convention Center. For more information, call 800-217-0002