Trachtenberg-Manatt prize goes to free trade fighter
A fierce fighter for fair trade, Lina Musayev received the Manatt-Trachtenberg prize at Sunday's Commencement ceremony on the Ellipse.
While starting two organizations calling for fair-trade policies and volunteering at numerous local charity events, Musayev has been steady in advocating humane labor and improved environmental and social standards. She has also made a name for herself on campus and around the nation.
"I met her in the course of being a constructive pain in the neck," said University President Trachtenberg, who has spoken with Musayev on a number of occasions about the GW's vendors and their trade policies.
The prize, in its second year of existence, is named after Trachtenberg and the chairman of the University's Board of Trustees, former Democratic National Committee Chair Charles Manatt. It is meant to honor a graduating senior with impressive leadership qualities and comes with a cash reward.
Musayev said she was surprised that she received the award and said the prize comes from her involvement in co-founding United States for Fair Trade and founding GW Students for Fair Trade.
"My biggest accomplishment at GW is starting the national student fair trade movement," she said.
Musayev started USFT her sophomore year with a friend from Georgetown. She said the organization is based on "the belief that global trade does not have to ignore people ... trade can be informed by higher virtues of justice and morality."
Made up of 135 chapters in Japan, Senegal and the United States, USFT "is a comprehensive cross-sector, cross-ethnic global justice organization that is not only nurturing a new generation of fair trade leadership," said Musayev, who is executive director and mid-Atlantic coordinator.
Musayev said her mission and the goal of the organization is "to inspire a global economy that empowers communities everywhere through human relationships that are just and based on respect and dignity."
While starting two organizations calling for fair-trade policies and volunteering at numerous local charity events, Musayev has been steady in advocating humane labor and improved environmental and social standards. She has also made a name for herself on campus and around the nation.
"I met her in the course of being a constructive pain in the neck," said University President Trachtenberg, who has spoken with Musayev on a number of occasions about the GW's vendors and their trade policies.
The prize, in its second year of existence, is named after Trachtenberg and the chairman of the University's Board of Trustees, former Democratic National Committee Chair Charles Manatt. It is meant to honor a graduating senior with impressive leadership qualities and comes with a cash reward.
Musayev said she was surprised that she received the award and said the prize comes from her involvement in co-founding United States for Fair Trade and founding GW Students for Fair Trade.
"My biggest accomplishment at GW is starting the national student fair trade movement," she said.
Musayev started USFT her sophomore year with a friend from Georgetown. She said the organization is based on "the belief that global trade does not have to ignore people ... trade can be informed by higher virtues of justice and morality."
Made up of 135 chapters in Japan, Senegal and the United States, USFT "is a comprehensive cross-sector, cross-ethnic global justice organization that is not only nurturing a new generation of fair trade leadership," said Musayev, who is executive director and mid-Atlantic coordinator.
Musayev said her mission and the goal of the organization is "to inspire a global economy that empowers communities everywhere through human relationships that are just and based on respect and dignity."
