As Rose Yuan researched and discovered the experiences of sex-trafficking survivors, she knew that she had to share their struggles so that their voices would not be forgotten. That’s when Yuan had the idea of bringing her discovery to her broader school community. Now, Yuan ‘28, a  project manager of Masters Interested in Sharing and Helping, strives to bring that same advocacy to Masters.

 Masters Interested in Sharing and Helping, or MISH, has served a prominent role in the Masters community for 147 years. MISH has aimed to connect Masters’ students to the greater cause of service. Over the years, MISH has organized numerous food drives and service fairs and at the forefront are its project managers, who propose and discover new organizations for MISH to connect with.

 Though this year marks Yuan’s first year as part of the project management staff,  her previous efforts have played a pivotal role within other communities, creating a strong basis for her this year.

Originally from Dongguan, China, Yuan previously worked with Eden, an international organization that spans over eight countries. This organization supports survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation by selling survivors’ handmade jewelry and donating the profits to fund their path of independence. 

At her former school, Yuan organized fundraisers and campaigns to share the organization’s mission. “I got to help them [Eden] advertise and get more people at my old school to know their stories,” Yuan said.

For Yuan, advocacy isn’t just about action, but awareness as well. Yuan said, “I feel like it’s an opportunity for the students to get to view the world in a different perspective, because a lot of students don’t even know that there’s sex trafficking still existing until now.”

 She added, “I think it’s very important to acknowledge the privileges we have, how we can help them, and how even to raise awareness is some form of helping.”

 Though she has not continued to work with Eden during her time in Masters, she strives to broaden her area of focus as a MISH project manager by bringing light to the importance of cancer awareness and research. Yuan had been inspired by the research that she had conducted at  St. John’s University this summer, and wanted to bring a new perspective to Masters.

Marie Louis Miller has been the MISH advisor for the past two years. Miller has worked closely with Yuan and other project managers to fully form service proposals and understand their impact. 

Yuan hopes that the previous contributions and skills that she has learned will help deepen her commitment and involvement in MISH. Yuan said, “I feel there’s a huge opportunity and potential in MISH, because of the platform that Masters has provided, how they promote students, and they encourage students to reach out to, especially out-of-school organizations.”

Yuan’s consistent advocacy reminds students that as high school students, they have the capacity to shed light on important issues and share that impact with each other.