Alternative Breaks at Stanford

Applications close at midnight! APPLY NOW @ cutt.ly/ASB2020

Next up, Stanford Travels South: Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide will head to Starkville, Mississippi to learn about life in the rural South. Trip description: Do you want to engage with issues facing rural America? Step outside the bubble. Rural areas are home to 97% of the country’s landmass and 19% of Americans but until the 2016 elections many Americans weren’t aware of many of the struggles and successes facing rural communities. Rural America includes the 2018 US New...s Best State to Live In (Iowa), yet 40% of rural Americans are still left without effective broadband Internet access, opening the door to opportunities for development and implementation of technology. Join us as we head to Mississippi. Through our one-unit Winter Quarter class and the trip itself we will engage with issues that are disproportionately affecting rural communities including health care access, internet access as well as better understand the historic, social and economic context of Mississippi and the South. We’ll look at rural-urban divide patterns across the US as well as better understand Starkville, Mississippi and its surrounding local region as a unique example of this. Only about 4% of Stanford undergrads hail from rural areas, yet experiencing a diversity of locations and perspectives is a vital goal of Stanford’s education. We hope to provide Stanford students with a learning experience they otherwise may not encounter. It promises to be an unprecedented chance for future policymakers, computer scientists, business owners, and other leaders to engage in constructive dialogue and brainstorm solutions for tackling challenges to America’s future, thus parrying social media’s filter-bubbles and echo-chambers. See more

Next, up Queer & Asian American Intersectionality, led by Gillman Maung & Jacky Chu!! Trip Description: The Queer and Asian American Intersectionality trip aims to create a safe space to increase student awareness of and involvement in issues regarding Queer and Asian American intersectionality, such as the lack of Asian American representation in mainstream queer culture and acknowledgement of cultural nuances in queer communities of color. Within these spaces, the trip l...eaders hope to empower participants with the knowledge to advocate for and navigate such issues. Throughout the program, students will collaborate with Queer and Asian American organizations, engage in discussions and service with others, and participate in workshops. These immersive opportunities that include Queer and Asian American politics, activism, health, and art will allow students to garner experiences that expand upon their own pre-trip perspectives. Potential organizations and people that we will meet include: Asian Pacific Islander Equality - Northern California (APIENC), the Visibility Project, Trikone, and Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP). In addition to these service-learning components, the trip will also focus on community building and cohort bonding. Because of the lack of spaces on campus for the Queer and Asian American community to discuss their experiences, the trip leaders acknowledge the importance of fostering a tight-knit environment that encourages sharing and listening. Through active reflection, community building, and challenging dialogue, we will strive to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Queer & Asian American issues and current initiatives whilst potentially fostering long-lasting connections with others. Ultimately, we hope that students will apply this knowledge to Stanford and other spaces to facilitate more intersectional inclusivity and cultural sensitivity. Apply at cutt.ly/ASB2020

As we approach the ASB 2020 deadline, we’ll be featuring a trip each day! First up: Capital or Community: Housing Inequality in the Bay Area, led by Kate Ham and Matt Nissen! Trip Description: What, exactly, do people mean when they talk about the housing crisis? What does this look like here in the Bay Area, and how does this crisis impact the people who call this place home? How has government housing policy, from the local to the national level, helped contribute to th...e marginalization of various groups? What is gentrification and how does it relate to displacement? What is the role of Stanford and Stanford students in contributing to and addressing this crisis? This one unit course aims to explore these questions and more in an attempt to understand the complex and ongoing process of housing inequality in Stanford’s own backyard. We will specifically look at the Bay Area and how housing inequality intersects with the experience of marginalized groups, including immigrants, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. With a focus on the Bay Area and Stanford’s place in this, we will begin by looking at the anatomy of the current housing crisis and present-day discussions. Next, we will explore the historical processes that brought us here, including the legacy of urban planning, the influence of wealth and development, and the far-reaching impacts of racial segregation. Following this, we will explore the role that business interests in the Bay have played in exacerbating this crisis - with a specific focus on the tech industry. Finally, we will trace the impact that Stanford and Stanford students have, as well as potential solutions and means of resisting the worst effects of housing inequality. By the end of this course, students will have an understanding of both the complex history of housing in the Bay Area and the intersection of housing rights with other contemporary struggles. The course is open to all students from all backgrounds and interests. Students do not need to have any kind of particular disciplinary training or specific knowledge about housing or the social landscape of different marginalized groups in order to partake in the class and the trip. Apply @ cutt.ly/ASB2020 by November 4th!

Apply for Alternative Spring Break 2019-2020 by November 4th @ 11:59PM!! APPLY HERE: cutt.ly/ASB2020