Member Spotlight 2023 V3
orange
What is your name?
Amina Butoyi Shabani
What is your occupation?
Lecturer in Spanish at Princeton University
Where do you live?
Plainsboro, New Jersey
Have you had an especially good experience with UMassFive? Please describe.
Yes, two experiences in particular stand out to me. The first one was in Boston, in 2021, when I took several financial workshops led by Cait Murray. I learned so much and still use the handouts she shared every month. The second one took place this month, when UMassFive generously supported several farms affected by the devastating floods. I was a CSA member of Stone Soup Farm in Hadley and I used to staff one of their Boston pickup sites. I was deeply moved to see how UMassFive stepped in to lend a helping hand to Stone Soup Farm, Somali Refugees, and many other farmers in this difficult time.
What do you do in your free time?
I love to knit, spin wool, crochet, play piano, read, and garden.
What is your favorite food?
It is hard to choose one. I love Senegalese food! I also regularly cook Swahili food, which is so comforting, nourishing, and delicious. One side dish I love in particular is “wali wa nazi,” rice cooked in coconut milk. Simple yet good for the soul!
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I would be a flower farmer. I love growing flowers, and medicinal and culinary herbs.
What is an accomplishment you’re proud of?
That would be earning my PhD. It was not easy at all and I am so happy I persevered.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?
It is my dream to go one day to Zanzibar in Tanzania.