Azhley Rodriguez
Staff Writer
The Staff Benevolence Committee hosted Dominican’s annual Fair Trade Fair in the Parmer Hall Atrium this Wednesday.
For the past ten years, Dominican has hosted the Fair Trade Fair to promote fair trade and improving the lives of the people who live in developing countries.
This year, 8 vendors set up tables in Parmer Hall to sell products from international artisans.
Vendors were required to pay a $30 entry fee; the proceeds go to the Staff Benevolence Committee.
According to Jessica Mackinnon, the Director of Public Information and member of the committee, “the committee helps staff and faculty in temporary need.”
Some featured products were handmade face masks, handmade scarves from Guatemala, coffee grounds from Haiti and more.
Maggie Curtin, a junior, bought a notebook from the company, Mr. Ellie Pooh’s Handmade Recycled Paper.
The company sells notebooks that are made from a mixture of elephant waste and post-consumer paper. They sell stuffed animals, pins, stationery items and more. But their products are all made from 100 percent recycled waste.
“I love elephants and I think the recycling aspect of it is cool,” Curtin said.
Empowerment Collective, another company that participated, is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to exploiting forced marriage and extreme poverty. Their company sold handmade face masks and scarves from Nepal.
Senior Leslie Molina purchased facemasks from the table.
“We’re in a pandemic and I’m always running out of masks. I use disposable masks, but I think using ones that I can wash instead would be more ecofriendly. I also really liked the designs,” Molina said.
