Every spring we come together to celebrate UWCHR student researchers and highlight ongoing work for human rights in our community at our Spring Symposium and Awards Celebration. For the 2023 Spring Symposium, we were honored to feature our newest project and collaboration, Strategies for Massage Parlor Workers’ Rights.
- 2023 student researchers
- 2023 student fund awardees
Working with the Massage Parlor Outreach Project (MPOP), this project centers community-led campaigns and research to find systemic ways to improve Asian migrant massage and sex workers’ living and working conditions in the Chinatown/International District and the greater Seattle area.
During the evening’s events we heard from MPOP members, organizers, and researchers about their work. One student researcher and MPOP member, Lanqing Ren, so beautifully reflected on the impact that community organizing has had on her sense of belonging as an international student in Seattle—how the process of organizing with people for massage parlor workers’ rights also involves sharing stories, food, and family as much as it involves building collective analysis and campaigns. Another MPOP member, Rosanna Sze, highlighted the unique research model that MPOP uses, sharing that research set in community aims to build and cultivate leadership.
Watch the recording from the evening and hear from MPOP members, organizers, and researchers about their work.
Thank you to everyone who attended and made this event possible!
- CHR student researchers
- The amazing interpretation team
- Staying up to date with CHR’s recent annual report
- CHR community and friends
- CHR community and friends
- Audience learning about MPOP’s work
- MPOP members host a Q&A
- MPOP organizers and members presenting at the 2023 UWCHR Spring Symposium. Photo credit/ Nate Gowdy.
- Lanqing Ren shares on video about her experience working with the Massage Parlor Outreach Project.
Photo credit: Nate Gowdy