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ASB 2012-2013 - Unite, Empower, Experience: Understanding the Universality of Women’s Health

Basic Information
Application Process: 
ASB 2012-2013
Trip Name: 
Unite, Empower, Experience: Understanding the Universality of Women’s Health
Trip Location: 
San Francisco and Sacramento, CA
Air Travel Trip: 
No
Number of Participants: 
12
Trip Description: 

Stanford is a place of expanding understanding and challenging the boundaries of what we know as members of the world community. Now, consider your current perception of women’s health: would it be acceptable to you if the well being of your mother, sisters, and future daughters was confined within the box of reproductive and maternal health? Do you want to be a leader in shaping the current definition of women’s health to mean much more than these issues?  If so, join us this winter and spring in our ASB course Unite, Empower, Experience: Understanding the Universality of Women’s Health as we delve deeper into a facet of health that is often misrepresented and take a critical look at what constitutes women’s health.

The primary goal of this spring trip is to understand how the unique challenges women face when encountering the healthcare system can affect not only themselves but inclusively the communities that surround them.We will examine the current state of women’s health from a global, broad-reaching perspective by connecting it to other areas of health: community health, health policy, and the medical technology sector represent just a small sampling of the areas we will focus on in our exploration of how women’s health manifests in our society today.

In preparation for the spring break trip, our ten-week course will explore current research in women’s health through visual aids, selected readings, collaborative assignments, and guest speakers who are experts in the field. When spring break arrives, we will embark on a journey to the City by the Bay, San Francisco, and the state capitol in Sacramento, to look at the state of women’s health on a local and state level. In San Francisco, we will work hands-on with a variety of clinics, each addressing the topic of women’s health from their own unique perspective. With a clearer image of the unique challenges that women encounter in their pursuit of health, we will then explore the legal policies concerning these issues by meeting with legislative officials in Sacramento. Finally we will look into possibilities for advocacy work in the field and ways that we can address the disparities in women’s health and health policy. By the end of this trip, we hope that participants will have a gained a clear and a nuanced understanding of the many factors that impact women’s health, the knowledge needed to get involved. Most importantly, we hope participants come away with a keener sense of the role of women’s health and wellness within our communities. Being a leader means understanding the people who you will be serving. Join us as we unpack the meaning of women’s health as modern concern, not an issue of yesterday.

Trip Leaders
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Jaih Hunter-Hill

Hey, everyone! My name is Jaih Hunter-Hill, and I am a sophomore majoring in Biomechanical Engineering. I’m from Sacramento, CA, but I have grown up and or spent extended time in various areas in the States and abroad.  I come from a home environment which greatly emphasized a healthy diet, physical activity,and rest, and as such, I am someone who takes health very seriously-as I have benefited from keeping to good health practices.  As a former ASB trip participant on this very topic, I enjoyed the opportunity to engage in this discussion surrounding the topic of both domestic and global women’s health issues.  As the only freshman AND sole male on the trip, I feel that I was moved outside of my box as I was exposed to candid, pertinent conversations between leaders in the field, myself, and my fellow participants, impacting me greatly.  I have chosen, thus, to co-lead this trip in hopes of offering other students this same great opportunity.  I believe that the knowledge gained not only from the course material but also from my interactions with others has given me the framework from which to further enhance my approach to solving medical issues as a future medical device designer.  Such a course, on such a unique topic prepares one to address issues easily overlooked within the realm of women’s health but also minority health in general.  I am eager to share my experiences with you but more so to see you all develop into more informed members of the world community as you further your Stanford careers. In addition to co-leading this trip, I am a member of the Men’s Rugby team, I serve as a Black Student Union chair, but most of all, I look forward to meeting you all!

Sydney Beache

Hi, guys! I’m Sydney Beache and am currently a Junior studying Human Biology with a focus on Public Health and Infectious Disease. I consider myself to be a “people person” through and through: I love to interacting with others in a common pursuit of learning more about the world we live in. Learning is a dynamic, two-way process, and I look forward to drawing from by background in the health field and in leadership while learning more about your unique worldviews. I’ve had the opportunity to work in a variety of different aspects of the healthcare field, all of which have definitely given me an appreciation for the broadness of healthcare’s scope. I currently am an RA in Junipero, sing with Everyday People A Capella, and work with the Human Performance Lab and Genetics Department. Second to these extracurricular activities, I am also an avid napper. I hope to share more my experiences with you but most of all, share in some great laughs and an awesome journey as we delve deep into a realm of health that, while often overlooked, remains so vital for the progress of our communities and societies.