A senior research paper is evolving into a six-course dinner at Restaurant James Randall that will benefit an international human rights organization. Los Gatos High School seniors Matt Colbran-Patterson, Bronwyn Stone and Autefeh Sajjadi are organizing the June 7 dinner to raise money for Hagar International.
“Hagar International is dedicated to stopping sex and human trafficking by training people for jobs and helping them to live on their own,” Matt said.
The students started working on their research paper in March for their English ethics class.
“Our starting point was researching trafficking and particularly how it applies to women,” Matt said. “What we found is you can free women from brothels, but many would go back because they couldn’t support themselves and they didn’t have the social ties to avoid it. Often, their family members would sell them back into slavery.”
Matt said he was surprised at the extent of the problem. “It’s a real shock to read the stories of these women,” he said. “It’s incredibly shocking how prevalent it is.”
Because the sex trade is illegal and underground, it is difficult to know the numbers of women and children who are sold and kidnapped into slavery. However, the United Nations estimated in 2001 that one million women and children are trafficked across borders annually, with anywhere from 45,000 to 50,000 brought to the United States.
“It’s not talked about because it’s taboo,” Matt said. “What also interests me is how important this reintegration is because it stops the cycle of women and children being trafficked.”
Hagar International runs shelters in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Vietnam and provides women and children there with educational and job opportunities so that they can reintegrate into their communities.
The students will make a presentation about their findings at the dinner, which is part of one of the class requirements.
“The final phase is implementing some sort of strategy such as fundraising or spreading information about the cause or getting people involved in the cause,” Matt said. “One of the key elements is to involve at least two other people for each group member.” So the dinner meets all three of the criteria.
The June 7 dinner is at 7 p.m. and includes wine pairings. Tickets are limited to 40 diners and cost $125. Half of the proceeds will be donated to Hagar International.
For dinner reservations, call Restaurant James Randall at 408.395.4441.