Students of Fair Trade

Student Experience Profiles. Volume 3. 

           Featuring:                         

                                                                      Michael Billotti

                                                       Class of 2015 

        Business Administration Major 

Putting his managerial skills to work on a daily basis, Michael is heavily involved in Amani and has played a large part in helping Fordham's Fair Trade business grow. Michael is enthralled by the fact that in the world of Fair Trade, AWARENESS is just as important as selling Fair Trade products. He believes that just making noise on campus about Fair Trade can have a huge impact. Awareness is pivotal part of any successful Fair Trade Campaign. We reached out to Michael to see what more he has to say about Amani and his coursework in Fair Trade. 

1. How did you initially get involved with Amani? 

I got involved with Amani specifically during my time in Kate's classes and I really didn't do much selling to be honest.  However Kate asked me to be her teaching assistant.  It wasn't until this past summer that Kate wanted me to undertake the management of the business. 

2. What is your favorite part of managing Amani? 

My favorite part of all this work was my trip to India, which also forced me to see how special Amani is.  When I went to India we got to see firsthand where all our work went.  We visited women's empowerment groups, companies that employed handicapped individuals, and a group that takes in abandoned street boys.  Put quite simply, it was one of the most moving trips in my life.  (See question 5 for more about Michael's trip to India). 

3. Do you plan to continue your advocacy of Fair Trade post graduation? 

I hope to continue to be active in Fair Trade, however I'm unsure as to my specific career path.  Regardless, my work with Fair Trade has caused me to be a more conscious consumer which will always continue to have an impact on everything I do.

4. Do you have any advice for students whose experiences with Fair Trade and Amani are just beginning? 

My advice for students just beginning with Fair Trade is to think of the big picture.  The work they might be doing by either working the cart or creating an event on campus has a much bigger impact than they probably imagine.  If they sell $20 worth of merchandise in a day at the cart its important to realize that that money could be buying schoolbooks for a child in India.  It could be providing dinner for a group of women workers in Dehradun at the foothills of the Himalayas.  Its easy for us to overlook the impact our actions can have because we don't immediately see them, but its important to realize that we make a difference.

5. If you attended the class trip to India, can you please tell us a little bit about your experience there? Your favorite part? A key takeaway? A realization you may have had? Anything you’d like to share about the trip with other students. 

Additional advice for students traveling to India would just be to have an open mind and be adventurous.  Its mentally and emotionally tough to put yourself into a situation where you're surrounded by so much poverty but it can be framed properly to be a motivating factor to continue moving forward with your efforts in Fair Trade. 

 Also, a random point of advice: bring granola bars.  The Indian food is fantastic, however I don't think our bodies are ready for the repetition of a single cuisine three times a day.