Sammi is a third year double major in Sustainable Community Development and Sustainable Food and Farming. Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, she is the self-proclaimed rose that grew from concrete. Both her mother and her city watered the planted seeds of justice and resilience in her. She has carried these traits with her to Amherst. Here, she’s grown more into herself in many capacities. In her short three years, she’s learned about blatant injustices (on both personal and institutional levels) more than ever before. On the other hand, Sammi learned to appreciate the endless benefits of having powerful, radical, and loving communities and spaces. The latter has really transformed her life and academic career in ways unforeseen. For this campus to thrive, as a collective, UMass needs to foster these types of environments, especially for marginalized communities.
Working through different campus avenues, she’s tried to do just that. Being an RA has allowed her to connect and learn with many folks who have different spheres of influence on campus. With this position, she has aimed to not only be a resource to her residents and their peers, but also ensure that campus housing is a safe and welcoming place for every resident. She also works within different realms of the campus food system. As a student garden coordinator for UMass Permaculture, Student Farmer, and a food justice advocate and activist, Sammi is on a journey to reconstruct the global food system as we know it through practice and policy change. Food is often used as a tool of oppression by governments and big businesses, but is a connecting point to each being on social, environmental, and economic platforms. As individuals of this institution, everyone has a huge stake in both our local and global food movements. As a former employee of the Stonewall Center, Sammi has learned the institutional and social inner workings of a queer center on campus, while also building with members of the queer community. The main themes during her time engaging with campus has been strengthening communities. With these involvements, she is unlearning power, access, colonization, and love by listening and acting with a strong emphasis on social interactions.
For fun, Sammi enjoys sitting in the sun, getting her hands dirty, eating all of the vegetables, talking on the phone with her mom, sitting in Earthfoods for too long, listening to Drake and decolonizing with her incredible Pioneer Valley family. If elected, Sammi plans on working to increase the recruitment/retention rate of students of color, help provide spaces and resources for queer students of color, and building community between UMass and the greater Pioneer Valley.
Working through different campus avenues, she’s tried to do just that. Being an RA has allowed her to connect and learn with many folks who have different spheres of influence on campus. With this position, she has aimed to not only be a resource to her residents and their peers, but also ensure that campus housing is a safe and welcoming place for every resident. She also works within different realms of the campus food system. As a student garden coordinator for UMass Permaculture, Student Farmer, and a food justice advocate and activist, Sammi is on a journey to reconstruct the global food system as we know it through practice and policy change. Food is often used as a tool of oppression by governments and big businesses, but is a connecting point to each being on social, environmental, and economic platforms. As individuals of this institution, everyone has a huge stake in both our local and global food movements. As a former employee of the Stonewall Center, Sammi has learned the institutional and social inner workings of a queer center on campus, while also building with members of the queer community. The main themes during her time engaging with campus has been strengthening communities. With these involvements, she is unlearning power, access, colonization, and love by listening and acting with a strong emphasis on social interactions.
For fun, Sammi enjoys sitting in the sun, getting her hands dirty, eating all of the vegetables, talking on the phone with her mom, sitting in Earthfoods for too long, listening to Drake and decolonizing with her incredible Pioneer Valley family. If elected, Sammi plans on working to increase the recruitment/retention rate of students of color, help provide spaces and resources for queer students of color, and building community between UMass and the greater Pioneer Valley.