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ASB 2010 - Silence is Death: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on HIV/AIDS in San Francisco - San Francisco Bay Area

Basic Information
Application Process: 
ASB 2010
Trip Name: 
Silence is Death: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on HIV/AIDS in San Francisco - San Francisco Bay Area
Air Travel Trip: 
No
Number of Participants: 
12
Trip Description: 

In 1981, the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle reported, "A mysterious outbreak of a sometimes fatal pneumonia among gay men has occurred in San Francisco and in several other major cities." The New York Times called it, a "rare cancer". On the streets, this fear-striking disease was known as the "gay plague". San Francisco has been and continues to remain at the center of the US AIDS epidemic since the beginning. In San Francisco alone, there have been 27,592 cumulative AIDS cases, 75% of which were among gay men. In 2006 alone, San Francisco reached an estimated 965 new HIV infections. Patients with HIV cover all walks of life, spanning multiple ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. Most of these patients do not receive adequate primary care or even proper social conditions such as food and housing. 

This ASB trip will investigate the US HIV epidemic from a variety of perspectives, with emphasis on San Francisco's unique role. Students will work with organizations that serve HIV/AIDS in the Bay Area, potentially establishing lasting relationships with AIDS community. In addition to exploring the biological, historical, and societal aspects of HIV/AIDS, students will confront the issues of stigma, prejudice, and social exclusion that remain among the major challenges in tackling HIV/AIDS. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said at the 2002 World AIDS Day, "The fear of stigma leads to silence and when it comes to fighting AIDS, silence is death." Through a combination of service and learning, we hope to instill in you a personal desire to break the silence and advocate for HIV/AIDS--be it in your dorm, throughout the Bay Area, or on an international scale.

Trip Leaders
Crystal Zheng

Crystal Zheng is a senior majoring in Biology and East Asian Studies. She loves pandas, Katy Perry, and watching cheesy romantic comedies.  When she is alone, she tends to sing "Hot and Cold" out loud, even though her neighbors can hear her.  Ask her out to dinner, but be prepared to spend an hour watching her finish her meal.

Christopher Khavarian
Natalia Llarena

I am a senior majoring in human biology with an emphasis on development. Although I grew up in Miami, FL, I have claimed Northern California as my adoptive homeland, and hope to stay around as long as possible. At Stanford, I work in a neonatal neurology lab, counsel with HIV*PACT, and volunteer at Pacific Free Clinic. I also enjoy practicing yoga, Yelping great restaurants, and doing crossword puzzles. In terms of HIV/AIDS, I’m interested not only in the biology and the history, but in the phenomenon of why educated people make risky sexual choices. Hopefully our ASB can touch on all three. I’ve had great experiences with public service during my time at Stanford, and I am incredibly excited about sharing this one with you.