Mayor’s Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking

Youth Trafficking Committee Meeting Agenda

Wednesday, August 1, 2018 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

25 Van Ness Avenue, Room 330A, San Francisco, CA

 

Attendees:

Saerom Choi, Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach; Ifasina Clear, Young Women’s Freedom Center; Carly Devlin, Huckleberry Youth Programs; Darian Eastman, Not for Sale; Diane Khuu, San Francisco Police Department; Antonia Lavine, SF Collaborative Against Human Trafficking; Hong Le, Bay Area Legal Aid; Paola Martin del Campo, Safe and Sound; Elise McCutchen, Not For Sale; Alyssa Miller, Love Never Fails; Angie Miot-Nudel, Larkin Street; Kyoko Peterson, San Francisco Department on the Status of Women; Kimberly Rodriguez, San Francisco District Attorney – Victim Services; Adelle Tanuri, Not For Sale; Tavi Taos, Youth Advisory Board; Jeanetta Toluao, Youth Advisory Board; Alia Whitney-Johnson, Freedom FWD; Karina Zhang, San Francisco Department of Family & Children’s Services

 

I. Welcome, Introductions/Check-In, Agenda Review [Alia Whitney-Johnson]           

 

II. June 6th, 2018 minutes were approved

 

III. Suggestions from the Youth Advisory Board [Youth Advisory Board]

 

1. Members of the Youth Advisory Board presented their suggestions to the Task Force. Their suggestions were:
   1. Train and engage young people to actively engage in this work both on the Task Force and outside the Task Force. See them as leaders in the work.
   2. Get more Black and Brown Women - especially Trans Women - on the Task Force and center their stories.
   3. Respect and practice pronouns in the space: This is not just a check-in question to gloss over.
   4. Meet and host meetings in the communities where young people actually live.
   5. Understand that meeting in places like City Hall limit access for many communities, specifically folks without documentation.
   6. Understand that working so closely with the police inherently upholds (white supremacy, anti-blackness, trans-misogyny, colonization, etc.) the same system that murders sex workers.
   7. Acknowledge the land we are on (Yemalu) and the people whose land we are on (Ohlone).
   8. Change and limit the use of words like: victim, CSEC, sex worker-labeling in general, etc. These words keep folks boxed in.
2. Challenges to the Youth Committee Specifically:
   1. Do not work with police.
   2. Let Youth Advisory Board speak more.
   3. Create a way to vet adult allies on the Task Force that ensures participation from adults youth trust.
3. Discussion:
   1. Pronouns:
      • There was a clarifying question about the pronouns suggestion. Ifasina explained that it is a trust breach when someone does not use the correct pronouns and that being misgendered is a violent experience. It can be particularly difficult for youth to feel comfortable correcting others on their pronouns.
      • There was a suggestion that the committee come up with standard language for what people should say when someone misgenders someone else. Another suggestion was to have a visual reminder of each person’s pronouns, such as name tags with pronouns. Someone described their strategy of responding when someone misgenders someone else as expressing surprise and asking for clarification.
   2. Labeling:
      • There was also discussion of the labeling suggestion. The Youth Advisory Board explained that it is not necessary to label individuals by the issue and instead we should talk about the issue directly (person first language). For example, we do not have call youth “CSEC” (commercially sexually exploited children) to talk about them being exploited.
   3. Working with Police Department:
      • There was discussion about the Youth Advisory Board suggestion regarding not working with the police. The Youth Advisory Board said that this suggestion is more immediately about whether having police officers at the Youth Trafficking meetings is necessary. Some members felt it is important for effective policy to have the police at the meetings and that the police can listen to the suggestions of the Youth Advisory Board in those meetings. Others felt that the space would feel more inclusive without law enforcement present.
   4. Engaging More Black and Brown Women and Meeting Accessibility:
      • There was discussion of the suggestion to have more Black and Brown Women on the task force and to change the meeting locations. Locations that are accessible to youth and non-governmental were discussed. It was decided to prioritize finding a new location for future meetings.
   5. Overall, members expressed their gratitude for the Youth Advisory Board and their suggestions.

 

IV. Breakouts

1. Due to limited time it was decided to postpone the breakout group work to the next meeting.

 

V. Next Steps

1. Identify new location for future meetings.

 

VI. Announcements

1. Next Meeting: October 3^rd, 2018, 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm. As of now the meeting is at 25 Van Ness, room 330A, though that may change.
2. Power Youth Movement Conference – Bounce Back: Saturday August 25^th, 11 am to 4 pm, Leadership High School. www.pymconference.org. Doors open at 10 am.
   1. Description: Our 4^th Annual Power Youth Movement Conference is honoring young people who have “bounced back” from obstacles of oppression, trauma, and violence. We are celebrating the resilience of youth by using their narratives as a form of resistance and empowerment.
3. Not For Sale Work Readiness: August 16^th, 10 am to 4 pm. Food will be provided. Located at Not For Sale Main Office, 2225 3^rd Street San Francisco. Can take Muni T line towards AT&T ball park and get off at 20^th.
   1.  Description: 1 Day extensive work readiness training program in San Francisco, designed to empower 18-26 years old survivors of sexual exploitation or at risk youth by offering a trauma-informed job- and life readiness training, as well as facilitating meaningful, paid employment with local Bay Area businesses. Flyer.
4. UN DAY 73 HUMAN RIGHTS BEGINS AT HOME: On Saturday, October 20, 2018, 10 am to 3 pm, at the War Memorial Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 210. Admission is free. Appetizers and refreshments will be provided.
   1. Description: Event is about Sustainable Development Goals 5, 16, and 17, involving gender pay parity, and it will have an variety of speakers.
5. Youth Advisory Board closing event: August 29^th, 6 to 8 pm. Location TBD. The first Youth Advisory Board class will complete their fellowship, including a presentation of projects and work that they have been doing with the Young Women’s Freedom Center.                                                                                       

 

MEETING FOLLOW-UP

 

Action Item	Person	Deadline
Find a new meeting location	Ifasina Clear and Alia Whitney-Johnson	October 3rd, 2018
Develop a way to respond when incorrect pronouns are used	TBD	TBD