Human Rights Awards Fair Trade Models Jocelyn, Rae, and Zarah

Here’s your roundup of Fair Trade news and updates:

FAIR TRADE MODELS A BIG HIT AT HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS GALA

The Ninth Annual Human Rights Awards was a great success!  The sold out event included inspirational speeches by three incredible honorees, witty banter by event emcees Ben & Jerry (in tuxedos!), and the participation of the entire Global Exchange staff, board, and community. Guests in attendance included folks from Ben & Jerry’s, Dr. Bronner’s, Fair Trade USA, Thanksgiving Coffee, and World of Good.

Check out photos from the evening!

Models donned Fair Trade outfits & accessories and “Ask Me About My Outfit” sashes or swatches. They strutted their stuff on the big stage to showcase some of the Fair Trade goodies being auctioned off during the silent auction, while guests enjoyed Fair Trade Certified Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream.

All in all, the 9th annual Human Rights Awards Gala was a great time. If you weren’t able to make it, we hope to see you there next year!

“RAISE THE BAR, HERSHEY!” RALLY IN TIMES SQUARE, NYC

The “Raise the Bar, Hershey!” Campaign is planning a rally in front of the Hershey Store in Times Square happening Wed! Kerry Kennedy, President, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, and Lee Cutler, Secretary Treasurer of New York State United Teachers Union, will both be there, along with school children and social justice, Fair Trade, labor rights, and faith based organization representatives. They’ll be calling on Hershey to stop child labor in its cocoa and start supporting Fair Trade.

When: Wed, June 8th 2011, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Where: In front of the Hershey Store in Times Square (1593 Broadway; Northwest corner of Broadway and 48th Street, Manhattan)
RSVP: On Facebook

Follow Rally Updates: Follow the hashtag #HersheyGoFair on Twitter for live tweets from folks at the rally (including us @gxfairtrade!)

More info: www.raisethebarhershey.org/rally
Read the Op-ed Why I am Marching at Hershey’s Store in Times Square by Ariana Taveras, a student in the class of 2012 at the Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Check out the post Kerry Kennedy to Join Youth in Rally to Demand That Hershey ‘Raise the Bar’ to find out more details about the rally, including who will be there.
Sign the petition telling Hershey Interim CEO John Bilbrey to Raise the Bar Hershey!

SAVE THE DATE: FAIR TRADE TOWNS & UNIVERSITIES NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The first ever Fair Trade Towns & Universities National Conference is happening this Fall. The conference will bring together Fair Trade campaign organizers who are promoting and advancing Fair Trade in their communities and on campuses across the country.

When: Friday-Sunday, September 9-11, 2011
Where: The Hub Conference Center, Philadelphia, PA
Registration: FREE!
More Info: www.fairtradetownsusa.org

WEBINAR: CHURCHES & COMMUNITIES ENGAGING THROUGH FAIR TRADE

Hear from pastors, theologians, Fair Trade experts and the Fair Trade Towns leadership on why and how churches are becoming powerful partners in the Fair Trade movement.
When: Tuesday, June 14 • 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Info:  Here
Register: Here

Coldplay's Chris Martin

FAIR TRADE NEWS LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

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Check back here on our Fair Trade blog for more Fair Trade News Round-Ups…your one-stop shop for current Fair Trade news and events. And if you’ve got big Fair Trade news to share, email me!

Have you heard about Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign’s upcoming rally in NYC’s Times Square happening on Wednesday June 8th?

The purpose of this rally is clear; to encourage Hershey to go Fair Trade.

You are invited to join us at this rally in front of the Hershey Store and ask Hershey to make the switch to Fair Trade.

EVENT DETAILS

When: June 8 2011, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Where: In front of the Hershey Store in Times Square
1593 Broadway (Northwest corner of Broadway and 48th Street, Manhattan)

Who will be there: We are reaching out to local NYC social justice groups, students, schools and faith groups that care about this issue. Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign groups (Green America, Global Exchange, International Labor Rights Forum) and our other allies will be there as well.

For up to date info about the rally visit www.raisethebarhershey.org/rally or contact info@raisethebarhershey.org.

To download the event flyer click here. (Great for printing out and sharing with others; 2 fliers per page)

Happy almost Mothers Day! Here’s your roundup of Fair Trade news and updates:

CHECK OUT THE WINNERS OF THE HERSHEY BRAND JAMMING CONTEST
Contest entries mock Hershey’s refusal to crackdown on controversial labor practices.

The Raise the Bar, Hershey Campaign – sponsored by Global Exchange, Green America, and the International Labor Rights Forum – announced on April 28th, 2011 the winners of their “brand jamming” contest in order to bring attention to Hershey’s failure to crack down on child labor and other abuses in its cocoa supply chain.

The grand prize winner is Jason Pearson of San Clemente, CA for his mock advertisement Brand Jam, a one minute video that tells the real story of where Hershey’s cocoa comes from.

Why not watch it right now? It’s pretty awesome:

The announcement of the Hershey “brand jamming” winners coincided with Hershey’s Annual General Meeting for shareholders in Hershey, PA. Thousands of people nationwide voted to choose their favorite entries for best slogan, best video and best poster.

Here are the other winners:
Best Video: Behind the Hershey Smiles submitted by Aaron Thurman: Indianapolis, IN

Best Slogan: “Hershey: Sweet Chocolate. Bitter Story” submitted by Tyson Weems of Portland, ME
Best Poster: Children Behind Bars submitted by Jason Pearson of San Clemente, CA

Find out what the winners received and what the Raise the Bar Hershey campaign folks plan to do with the mock ads on the campaign website.

Oh, and by the way, there’s going to be a Raise the Bar Hershey Rally in NYC’s Times Square on June 8, 2011 at 10:30 am. More details to come.

TAKE A FAIR TRADE COFFEE BREAK ON WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY
World Fair Trade Day coordinating organization Fair Trade Resource Network (FTRN) and sponsors (including us!) are reaching out to inspire 100,000 people to take a break from our busy lives to increase awareness of Fair Trade, by taking a Fair Trade coffee (or chocolate or tea or music, etc) break.
Here are three ways you can participate:

  1. Enjoy a Fair Trade coffee break in the comfort of your own home or office, and register it on Global Exchange’s World Fair Trade Day Coffee Break page, so your participation can be counted.
  2. It’s even more fun if you organize a small or large coffee break in your workplace, school, or community. If you do, register your event on Global Exchange’s World Fair Trade Day Coffee Break page. If it’s open to the public please register on Fair Trade Resource Network’s webpage too.
  3. Attend a World Fair Trade Day event in your area. Dozens of Fair Tradetastic events nationwide are listed on FTRN’s website. Celebrate with Global Exchange at events in Berkeley, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Shirlington, VA, and Washington, DC, listed at the end of this email.

MOTHERS DAY EVENT ON SUNDAY, MAY 8TH IN SAN FRANCISCO
If you’re in the Bay Area this weekend, stop by our San Francisco Store for an in-store event. Fair Trade treats, live music, and a wide selection of Fair Trade gifts made by mothers for mothers. Find out more details here.

 

CRAFTING CHANGE: A FAIR TRADE TOUR
Hear Peruvian artisans Yody Moran and Sonia Anahue’s compelling stories of their turbulent lives and learn how Fair Trade has helped them achieve economic and social stability.
Get free Fair Trade resources and learn how you can use your purchasing power to impact the world.
When: Wednesday, May 11, 7 pm
Where: Global Exchange, 2973 16th Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA
When: Saturday, May 14, 12:30-2:30pm
Where: Global Exchange Fair Trade store, 2840 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA
Brought to you by: Fair Trade Towns USA, Global Exchange, Green America, Partners for Just Trade
Also: Fair Trade crafts available for sale!
For more information CALL: 415 255 7296

100% FAIR TRADE STORE GOES 100% SOLAR!
How cool is this? Kimberly and Marco of Made By Hand International Cooperative sent out an exciting message earlier this week. The news? That their 100% Fair Trade retail store, Made By Hand International Cooperative located in South Bethany, Delaware, now runs 100% on solar energy! Thanks and congrats Kimberly and Marco for leading by example.

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Saturday Aug 14, 11am-4pm
Global Exchange Fair Trade Store
4018 24th Street @ Noe Street, San Francisco

Bring your kids out to the Global Exchange store in San Francisco to join in the making of a mural that follows “Fair Trade Chocolate’s Journey from Bean to Bar”.

A fun educational neighborhood activity to foster learning about Fair Trade and a time for parents to taste FREE Fair Trade Divine Chocolate!

The cocoa for Fair Trade Divine chocolate is grown in the southern regions of Ghana by a farmers’ co-operative called Kuapa Kokoo. Most Ghanaian cocoa is grown on small family farms, and is usually intercropped with other plants and trees, such as plantains, maize and spices.  Cocoa trees grow to between 12-15 meters high and produce blossoms which when pollinated turn into cocoa pods.  Each pod contains 40 seeds which become cocoa beans.  It takes one tree’s whole crop for the year to make three big bars of Divine.

To harvest the cocoa, the pods must be cut from the trees, split open and the slimy pulp containing the beans scraped out. The bitter cocoa bean is subsequently wrapped in plantain leaves to ferment and then dried under the sun.

The beans are then shipped to Europe where they are roasted, crushed, and ground into a rich cocoa butter.  The cocoa butter is combined in varying proportions with sugar and milk and stirred continuously over several days, then cooled and molded into the delicious chocolate bars we enjoy at home!

Global Exchange Fair Trade San Francisco Store
4018 24th Street (near Noe)
San Francisco CA 94114 (map)
415.648.8068

Fair Trade Fashion Show
Sweatshop-free Style!

Saturday Aug 7, 11am-4pm

Join us at the Global Exchange San Francisco and Berkeley stores to celebrate Fair Trade fashion!

Come enjoy a free Fair Trade iced tea while we feature our colorful, comfortable and affordable line of Fair Trade women’s clothing and accessories.

  • 100% cotton, colorful dresses hand block printed in India
  • Beautifully embroidered light cotton blouses also from India
  • Everyone’s favorite line of simple, soft cotton dresses and fitted shirts in a wide selection of this seasons colors. Handmade in Bali
  • Silk and cotton scarves from around the world.  Perfect for summer evenings or to add a dash of color to your outfit.

All of our Fair Trade clothing and accessories are handmade by women’s cooperatives and artisan groups. Livable wages, good working conditions, no assembly line factory production – that’s what you’re getting when you shop Global Exchange.

Global Exchange Fair Trade San Francisco Store
4018 24th Street (near Noe)
San Francisco CA 94114 (map)
415.648.8068

Global Exchange Fair Trade Berkeley Store
2840 College Ave (Between Russell St. and Stuart St.)
Berkeley, CA 94705 (map)
510.548.0370

July 24: A Million Hearts for Haiti
A Nationwide Fair Trade Movement to Rebuild Haitian Artisan Communities

Join us Saturday July 24, 11-4pm
at the Global Exchange San Francisco and Berkeley stores.

Come check out handmade hearts pieced together from recycled plastics, cut from recycled oil barrels  and carved from river stones in Haiti, sold in support of the “Million Hearts” program, which aims to generate an estimated $1,000,000 to benefit Haitian artisans.

This nationwide Fair Trade movement will get much-needed commerce flowing through Haiti’s culturally and economically important artisan businesses. In addition, a portion of the purchase price of each heart is donated to the HAND/EYE Fund’s Artisan Grant program. The program, which is already assessing the needs of artisan businesses on the ground in Haiti, gives cash grants between $50 and $2000 to artisan businesses who apply for funds to replace earthquake-shattered equipment and shelter, or other assistance needed as a result of the devastating January 12 disaster.

The stone hearts, available at Global Exchange are made in the Haitian town of Leogane, located very near the quake’s epicenter. The town was leveled in the quake. Since then, nearly 13,000 hearts have been produced and shipped to the US. Through the purchase of these hearts, $15,000 has already gone to build shelters for the stone artisans of Leogane. As of May, 10 temporary homes had been constructed.

Come support Haiti’s hands and hearts at work!

Global Exchange Fair Trade San Francisco Store
4018 24th Street (near Noe)
San Francisco CA 94114 (map)
415.648.8068

Global Exchange Fair Trade Berkeley Store
2840 College Ave (Between Russell St. and Stuart St.)
Berkeley, CA 94705 (map)
510.548.0370

image: hand/eye/blog.

July 17: Fair Trade Olive Oil tasting
From the Native Olive Trees in Palestine to Your Table

Join us Saturday July 17, 11-4pm at the San Francisco and Berkeley Global Exchange stores to taste Canaan FairTrade, organic olive oil from Palestine, the ancient home of olive oil.

Canaan olive oil is produced by farmer cooperatives that are members of the Palestine Fair Trade Association.  Canaan Fair Trade uses the fair trade concept to empower marginalized Palestinian rural communities caught in conflict so they can sustain their livelihoods and culture. To that end, they have built direct working relationships with these communities, paying sustainable prices for their agricultural products to ensure fair wages for labor along the supply chain.

Also check out our colorful cotton aprons from around the world perfect for hosting a Fair Trade dinner party!

Global Exchange Fair Trade San Francisco Store
4018 24th Street (near Noe)
San Francisco CA 94114 (map)
415.648.8068

Global Exchange Fair Trade Berkeley Store
2840 College Ave (Between Russell St. and Stuart St.)
Berkeley, CA 94705 (map)
510.548.0370

(image: Canaan Fair Trade)

Recyled Tire Messenger Bag

Join us at the Global Exchange Fair Trade stores in San Francisco and Berkeley where we will be featuring the most creative designs in Fair Trade gifts made from trash!  Purses, pouches, and a wide selection of accessories made from discarded truck and bike tires in El Salvador ; tableware made from recycled magazine in Vietnam; doormats made from recycled flip flop byproduct in the Philippines; and designer jewelry and accessories made from recycled pull tabs from Brazil.

Come learn about the production and impact on the local community!

SAN FRANCISCO STORE
4018 24th Street (near Noe)
San Francisco CA 94114
415-648-8068
map

BERKELEY STORE
2840 College Avenue (at Russell)
Berkeley CA 94705
510-548-0370
map

Join Us at All Our Global Exchange Store locations in San Francisco, Berkeley, Portland, DC and Virginia

Saturday June 19, 2010 for a Fair Trade Tea Tasting
and Gift Recommendations for Dad

Enjoy a free cup of premium loose leaf tea harvested according to the highest Fair Trade standards* and receive a 10% discount on our rustic black and bright color tea infuser cups and tea pots handmade in Vietnam. Offer also available online! Perfect for the Dad who likes to settle in with some Fair Trade tea  while he reads the paper.

Also check out our wallets and toiletry bags made out of recycled tires for the utilitarian guy on the go.

And our Black Chamba Colombian cookware line, perfect for the outdoor grill, stove top and oven to table family style service, makes a great gift for the Dad who loves to cook!

See you Saturday, June 19 at the Global Exchange Stores!

*Fair Trade tea offers consumers an opportunity to enjoy a quality product that directly benefits the lives of producers and their families in developing countries worldwide. There are over 70 FLO-certified tea estates and small-scale producer groups in 11 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America.  Fair Trade supports a better life for tea workers by guaranteeing compliance with national and regional minimum wages and labor standards.  Fair Trade secures freedom of association for farmers and workers, and facilitates democratic decision-making processes.  Small-scale tea producers gain direct market access and improve business capacity.  Fair Trade promotes the use of sustainable farming methods that are safer for humans and the environment.

photo: Equal Exchange

Join Global Exchange to Fair Trade your Home

It’s an opportunity for neighbors, colleagues, classmates, and friends to commit to integrating Fair Trade throughout their lives and every room of their homes.