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ASB 2012-2013 - Not for Sale: Human Trafficking in the Bay Area

Basic Information
Application Process: 
ASB 2012-2013
Trip Name: 
Not for Sale: Human Trafficking in the Bay Area
Trip Location: 
Bay Area, CA
Air Travel Trip: 
No
Number of Participants: 
12
Trip Description: 

“Keisha is a 16-year-old African American female originally from Florida. She was raised by an aunt until she was 10 years old and then placed in the foster care system. At the age of 14, Keisha first ran away from her foster family to avoid sexual harassment from one of her foster family's relatives. During that time, she met "Mastur D", a 26-year-old man who offered to help her get back to her biological family. He said he would be able to pay for some of the expenses to get them there, but that she needed to help support them financially by engaging in commercial sex with some of his friends. With no money or other options Keisha took him up on his offer.” – Polaris Project

When we hear the phrase, “human trafficking”, we usually envision brothels in India or red light districts in Nepal. Yet, trafficking is a worldwide phenomenon that is occurring right in our backyard, from the massage parlors of San Francisco to the small night clubs of Gilroy. Throughout our course and trip, we will shed light on the impact of trafficking in our daily lives, and why this billion dollar industry is occurring right here in the Bay Area. We will examine trafficking as an intersection of issues, and how topics such as gender, politics, immigration, and, even, economics fuel this dangerous industry. Through arming ourselves with awareness, we, as students, can equip ourselves with knowledge to identify and fight trafficking in our own community.

Trip Leaders
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Katherine Nasol

Hello! I'm Katherine Nasol and I'm a sophomore majoring in International Relations. I was born and raised in San Jose, CA, (wut wut NorCal) and I am an avid fan of the word "hella". I'm an activist at heart, and my passion in fighting for international women and girl empowerment stemmed from growing up around the many strong women in my family and my experiences in attending a wonderful (and loud) all-girls high school. For the past five years, I have worked with non profits and government agencies such as; Girls For A Change and the anti-trafficking NGO, the Visayan Forum, in Manila, Philippines; in order to develop opportunities for at risk girls and women to obtain basic resources, rehabilitation services, and support. At Stanford, I've been involved in leading and incorporating a student run women’s shelter in Palo Alto, where I've been able to develop health programs for unhoused women; and I'm also the social justice chair for the Catholic Community at Stanford. During my free time, I LOVE to: sing with the fabulous a cappella group Everyday People, dance/be Beyonce, run, drink tea, journal, and eat bread. I am SO thrilled to be leading this trip and I'm looking forward to meeting all of you!

Kylie Jin Ying Goh

Boo! Born and raised in Singapore, I am now a sophomore majoring in Product Design. I love California, but I sometimes miss the strength and the vigor of tropical thunderstorms. Last year, I took part in the ASB trip on Domestic Violence (Love Shouldn't Hurt: Exploring Contemporary Domestic Violence Issues), and loved the experience very much. It really stood out against the hustle and bustle of my first year here at Stanford, which is why I'm back this year leading one. Here at Stanford, I am involved in the Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network, and over the past summer, I co-led SEALNET Project Singapore 2012 to explore issues faced by foreign domestic workers. I also work for UNIcq, a resource portal which aids international students in applying to US colleges. In addition, I live for good food. I love dancing, especially Lindy Hop and Cross-Step Waltz, and I miss playing with a Gamelan Ensemble (Indonesian Traditional Orchestra).