Send me to Berkeley!

Hello everyone,

 My name is Sana Farooq Khan and I am based in Karachi, Pakistan. I am currently a Junior at Habib University on a 50% merit scholarship majoring in Social Development and Policy.

One of the most crucial aspects of my major is the unlearning that accompanies it; a process I have deeply enjoyed and cherished. That is not to say that it has been easy, if anything, it's been deeply uncomfortable and confusing, it has pushed my boundaries and placed me outside of my comfort zone, and I am so glad that it has.

During the past three years at Habib, I have been very fortunate to study gender theory and development closely, disentangling its intersections with caste, class, culture, race, environment and realizing its many interactions with one’s life.

This summer I have been lucky to receive an opportunity to study Public Health and Gender and Development at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley. Unfortunately, my current scholarship does not extend to external programs. This is where I need your assistance- to propel my journey to Berkeley by sharing my journey, connecting me to potential sponsors & contributing to this once in a lifetime academic opportunity. 

In the Fall of 2018, I first explored the prevalence of HIV amongst transgender sex workers (TGSW's) in Sindh and was introduced to some very painful and disquieting aspects of the trans experience. My research on TGSW’s brought into sharp contrast the issue of health and inequality among marginalized genders and class minorities in Pakistan. Deeply troubled by the health disparities I witnessed up-close as part of my course field work, I pitched the idea for reusable sanitary pads at UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited Challenge where my startup ‘The Red Code’ was shortlisted as one of the five global winners.

For the past few months my team and I have been committed to improving the menstrual hygiene management (MHM) of women residing in lower income neighborhoods of Karachi; we are currently working with communities in Baldia town, attempting to understand the intricacies of the disparity that exists between health systems and populations. In efforts to narrow this gap, my startup, The Red Code is incorporating the community’s feedback into a niche product, the reusable sanitary pads which are culturally sensitive, affordable and environmentally friendly. You can follow our work here: https://www.instagram.com/the.red.code/

The nature of my research and work involves interacting closely with women from resource poor settings; helping me deconstruct the politics of women’s intrapersonal and interpersonal relations. Both intrigued and frustrated by the information that would unravel before me, I started delving deeper into female sexuality; understanding gender performativity, assessing women’s accessibility to health systems and deciphering the repression of South-Asian sexuality from a cultural and religious standpoint. The unconventional and daunting nature of my research, ‘The Repression of South Asian Sexualities’ also gained recognition nationally as I presented my research paper at the Saida-Waheed Gender Colloquium at LUMS in April 2019. Last summer I was also very fortunate to do my research practicum with senior journalist Zofeen Ebrahim; conducting an inquiry into why fewer female journalists were writing about the environment in Pakistan, an issue that disproportionately impacts them. This research opportunity was particularly intriguing because it was the first time that I disentangled the complicated relationship between gender and environment.

Furthermore, this fall I was presented with another opportunity to moderate a panel on 'Empower Women, Empowered Women'. The panel hosted Dr. Shama Dossa, Haya Fatima, Atiya Abbass and Ameena Sayyid; academics, filmmakers and activists dedicated to empowering women and gender minorities through various mediums. We talked about how the meaning of empowerment has evolved over the decades, how though our fights have altered, our fights still remain.


UC Berkeley is an exciting place to be at intellectually. At Berkeley I am presented with a research opportunity at the Bixby Center for Population, Health, and Sustainability. The center investigates the critical impact of population on public health and the environment; working as a student researcher at the center will help me expound upon my existing knowledge of public health and help me contextualize this with my own thesis research and startup. It will also give me a chance to explore the Silicon Valley and get exposed to the Global North’s startup ecosystem; forge meaningful connections with investors, students, developers and mentors in the Bay Area allowing me to furbish my startup.

For me, another pull factor is Berkeley’s research facilities. The ones that really excite me are the Gender Consortium and The Center for Race and Gender. Working with the Gender Consortium at UC Berkeley will give me a profound insight tothe operations of gender and sexuality on campus spaces, a conversation that is more relevant today than ever in Pakistan. Moreover, I hope to work at The Center for Race and Gender (CRG). Owing to the marginalization of the LGBTQIA community in Pakistan, an academic study through the queer lens might not be possible here in the near future. During my time at Berkeley I would like to explore all that I can’t due to the limitations back home.

Having a longstanding history of dissent, the campus invites individuals from all walks of life, asserting that we are strong because of our differences and not in spite of them. As a student researcher and startup owner there is no better place to experiment, make mistakes, learn and unlearn than Berkeley.

Here is the cost breakdown:


Subsidized Tuition Fee for Eight Weeks: $ 3300

Housing and Dining: $ 2805

Health Insurance: $ 1300

Books and Supplies (estimated): $ 350

Berkeley Enrollment, Document, International Service Fees: $ 735

FI Visa & SEVIS Fees: $ 390

Karachi-San Francisco Round Trip (estimated): $ 1700

Total Program Cost:   $ 10,875

 

If you’d like to be posted about my time at UC Berkeley, please follow my Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/saanfrannn/. Thank you so much for reading my story and supporting my journey in whatever capacity that you have. It means a lot more to me than I can ever let on.


Please help spread the word!