15 Minutes with Daughters of Cambodia, Leslie Sanazaro

15 Minutes with Daughters of Cambodia, Leslie Sanazaro

By Kristyn Potter

Singer-Songwriter Leslie Sanazaro is working to help victims of forced prostitution reclaim their lives.

Sanazaro, a native of Cuba, Missouri, obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from the University of Arts in Philadelphia in 1999.

As a singer for a Philly trip-hop band post college, Sanazaro started writing music with the group. It was then that she started playing the piano, primarily out of necessity for learning music. After the group broke up, she decided to do her own thing musically.

Sanazaro released her first solo album, Stars in the Attic, in 2006. She spent three months doing a swanky hotel gig in South Korea in 2008, and released her second album, On Your Roof, later that year. After the gig was up, Sanazaro moved back to the states, got married and spent some time in upstate New York.

“I was doing a lot of research about environmental issues, thinking about pursuing a graduate degree in environmental studies and information on women’s studies came up a lot,” Sanazaro said. “My husband brought home the book, ‘Half the Sky’. I spent a good week really emotional at home, I couldn’t stop crying after reading the stories about these women.”

Having been to Southeast Asia, Sanazaro felt a connection to what was expressed in the book and couldn’t stop thinking about the problems these women faced. She spent a lot of time scared, thinking about the individual people being bought and sold to men as prostitutes.

“It’s been hard and emotional,” Sanazaro said. “I had to do something with all of that feeling [I had]. It didn’t feel good anymore to not do something about it, I couldn’t be content knowing that forced prostitution is going on in the world.”

As a singer-songwriter who has been involved in music since 11, when she first started playing the saxophone, Sanazaro knew the platform needed to raise awareness was through her music. Through reflection and collaborative effort, Sanazaro decided to begin a Kickstarter fundraiser to allow her to travel to Cambodia with a photographer and perform original pieces of music compiled in an album, Daughters of Cambodia. Her goal is to perform these songs for victims of forced prostitution, and gather and create a multimedia presentation to raise awareness and funds in America while on a national tour.

“It was linking my emotional connection, art, and raising awareness,” Sanazaro said.

The Daughters in Cambodia project has received positive feedback- musicians, friends, and family members have donated art and services to the project to offer the financial backers of the Kickstarter fundraiser, as a way to show appreciation for the monetary donation. Additionally, local junior high and high school choirs will be featured in the album, along with her sisters, and friends from Philadelphia.

“Little by little the budget was becoming smaller, so I switched my Kickstarter fundraiser to a smaller amount to cover travel [expenses] and funds for pressing the album,” Sanazaro said.

Sanazaro stated that artistically and personally she has experienced growth since the inception of this project.

“This project and these feelings about this issue have turned something on in me that haven’t been there for a while,” Sanazaro said. “Personally and selfishly, I hope this sadness in me is released from this record … however, the real reason I am doing this is to get others involved and inspire the support of causes.”

The projected date for the release of the Daughters of Cambodia album is June 2011. The US tour will begin in the fall of this year, primarily at universities.

“I hope I can raise awareness. I hope I can make a difference,” Sanazaro said, elaborating on her desire to help empower women and reclaim their lives.

The proceeds from record sales will go to AFESIP Cambodia, a non-governmental, non-partisan organization established in 1996 to fight sex-trafficking and help victims of sex slavery.

Members of the College Femme staff and audience who donate to the Kickstarter fundraiser will be entered into a drawing to receive autographed copies of Sanazaro’s second album, as well as the Daughters of Cambodia album. To donate to this project, visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lesliesanazaro/daughters-of-cambodia-a-new-album. This project will only be funded if at least $4,900 is pledged by Friday Mar 4, currently Sanazaro has raised approximately $1,500.00 of the $4,900.00  goal.

For more information on getting involved with the project, email editor@collegefemme.com.

Photo credit of Leslie Sanazaro by Bob Reuter; To view the Kickstarter video, visit http://kck.st/dHiCKu