Latino music superstar Ricky Martin penned a long and beautiful essay that talks about his dreams for his children and the rest of the world's children. The piece he wrote is part of the awareness campaign for Global Moms Relay, a charitable organization that aims to improve conditions of children everywhere.
In his essay, Ricky, a single parent to twin boys, said that he grew up with a good childhood and "felt loved, cared for and valued" by his parents. The bond he has with his mother and father grew even stronger as he became a teenager, which he believed is what helped shaped him to be "the father I want to be for my two children."
"Like my parents, and millions more like them, I want the absolute best for my two kids," wrote Ricky. "But I know this is a reality that escapes millions of children - though it shouldn't."
He goes on to discuss the pressing global problem of child trafficking and pushed for an effective response from the public, such as strengthening laws that protect children, or addressing concerns like poverty, lack of education and discrimination. The "Livin' La Vida" hit artist staunchly supports the objectives of Global Moms Relay in the hopes of reducing cases of child trafficking by 2030.
"As a father, I want my children to be safe from harm, and I want that very same thing for their children. We owe it to them - and we owe it to our families," Ricky wrote at the end of his message.
The Grammy-winning performer joins other celebrity parents like Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lopez and Rachel Zoe in their campaign for the children, along with another celebrity dad, famed photographer Nigel Barker.
According to Huffington Post, as Ricky's essay is liked, shared or commented on, big companies like Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 up to $300,000 to the organization to help its various projects in conjunction with UNICEF. As of press time, the efforts have already raised $226,582 and its nearing its goal.
Ricky became a father to twins Valentino and Matteo in 2008 via surrogate. He used to not talk about the surrogate mother and kept his family life his private business. In 2014, however, Ricky opened up to People Magazine (Spanish Edition) and said that his children started asking questions about their mother.
He apparently told the twins, "You were in my heart and you are still in my heart. There is a woman I adore with all of my heart and she let me borrow her stomach so that you could be in her womb. And when you were born she placed you into my arms."
