As a barista at Starbucks and new volunteer at TTV, it seems like fate that we’ll close the day out with Handmade Expressions to co-host a free outdoor movie showing at Jo’s Coffee about…fair trade coffee!

Delicious Peace is a movie about Jewish, Christian and Muslim coffee farmers who decided “social justice, environmental justice, and economic justice is not enough…what’s needed is peace.” It serves as a model of not just successful organic and kosher fair trade coffee distributors helping the economically disadvantaged, but also interfaith cooperation.

I have not seen the movie, as I’m going to see it at Jo’s on Saturday, but as someone new to the fair trade world, I’m intrigued by the premise of the movie and fair trade coffee.

So what makes coffee “fair trade?” Fair Trade USA takes some of the guesswork out by serving as an intermediary that reviews and certifies products like coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and more to make sure they meet fair trade standards that are established FTUSA. Basically, those standards are the same ones that make jewelry and novelty items fair trade: 1) farmers are compensated for their labor and products so they can maintain a reasonable standard of living; 2) they have safe working environments; and 3) they sell their products directly. This allows for transparency and empowers the communities to set their own prices and build up business skills.

Another cornerstone in fair trade is that the focus is on building up the community through projects designed to bolster education, health care, and basic social needs. Since FTUSA deals with mainly agricultural products, there is the added standard of “environmentally sustainable farming methods that protect farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations,” although environmentally friendly practices are common in other areas of the fair trade world beyond food.

The movie description makes sure to mention the coffee is kosher, so on a related note (and in the interfaith spirit of the movie), what makes coffee kosher? I mean, isn’t all coffee basically kosher? Generally, yes. This website from an organization that investigates and certifies kosher products is an excellent resource for not only explaining kosher as it applies to coffee, but also explaining how coffee is grown and processed.

Kosher concerns only really come into play with flavored coffee and the process of decaffeinating the coffee beans, as the chemical compound ethanol used to decaffeinate the beans is originally from a grain and therefore not kosher. Those are the main issues inherent to the coffee, but there is also the issue of the establishment selling the coffee.

“This problem stems from the halacha of marris ayin, the appearance of wrongdoing,” Star-K says. “This din states that a Jew is prohibited from doing things that others might interpret as violations of halacha.”

This is where things get tricky and it becomes a judgment call, but Star-K’s rabbis apply the standard that if the business is primarily concerned with non-kosher items, then it’s not kosher to get coffee there. If the business deals in just coffee or a mixture of kosher and non-kosher items, then it’s kosher to get coffee there.

Be sure to stop by Ten Thousand Villages on World Fair Trade Day to try some Fair Trade Certified coffee. It’s a dark, full-bodied French roast. Try it with a little bit of cream to bring out the smokiness in the flavor.

Photo Entry from 2013 Fair Trade Challenge:

Becca Ruiz poses with the fair trade
coffee section at Ten Thousand Villages

Also, don’t forget to show off your fair trade items in our World Fair Trade Day social media challenge for a chance to win a $50 gift card to the store!

- Kathryn
(Find me on twitter)

Typing this blog post is bittersweet for me.  On one hand, I’m graduating college; something that I’ve put long hours and sleepless nights into for the last four years.  On the other hand, I’m leaving an amazing group of people in Austin here at Ten Thousand Villages.

Troy from “Community” knows how I feel right now.

Let me first start by saying thank you to all the amazing people I’ve worked with during my internship.  Kitty, Catherine, Jessica, Becky, and Becca were amazing from the first day I stepped in the store.  They were so welcoming, hospitable, and kind everyday I came into the store to help with the impact of fair trade.  Even when I was stressed out, sick, or just plain old tired from a long week of college they were always supportive and uplifting.  They made a “job” become fun.  Also, a thank you goes out to all the amazing volunteers that I’ve met during my internship.  I always looked forward to someone coming to the back of the store to mess with me and give me a hard time.

Now that I have the thank you’s out of the way, I’d like to take some time to reflect on the things I’ve learned during my stay.  First the International Women’s Day event.  This event involved the most planning I’ve ever done in my life.  I swear I must’ve created at least a hundred documents consisting of nominee bios, research, ideas, and logistics for this event, but by for the most rewarding part was reading about and meeting all these amazing women around Austin that work so hard to make the world better.  IWD also challenged me to balance multiple projects at once.  Back at school I had papers and films to work on and other events like St. Edward’s Homecoming and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Watch Party to plan and execute. Although this was a lot on my plate, I was able to learn how to manage my time and delegate work better.  On top of becoming a better event coordinator, I learned how to interact with people better.  During my internship I met many new and different people.  Each one of them gave me a different perspective on how people will talk to me; some were nice and sincere while other gave attitude and were rude.  But, at the end of the day, they taught me how to keep a smile on my face no matter what.

But the main thing that Ten Thousand Villages has taught me was the impact of people.  Fair Trade shows what can happen when you set aside selfish actions and think about those who might not have so much.  Knowing that I was able to help those in other countries that are not as fortunate as me really made coming to the store so much easier and more enjoyable.

So once again, thank you everyone for this opportunity that has taught a lot about the “real world,” event planning, and how to be a better person.  I will miss all of my new friends here, and hopefully I will see you sooner rather than later.

Corey

In celebration of Earth Day 2013, we’re introducing you to other environmental heroes and upcycling masters from South Africa, Burkina Faso, Nepal, Guatemala, India and the Philippines…

Intern Corey jams on a thumb piano for the soda can critters.

Atelier de Formation et de Promotion des Artisans and Africa Home

Burkina Faso and South Africa

The “thumb piano” or Kalimba has been played throughout Africa for thousands of years. Its song was believed to draw spirits from heaven back to Earth. Because they were commonly used by traveling storytellers called griots, an indigenous translation of the word is, “that which makes walking easier.” Our thumb pianos are handcrafted by the Atelier de Formation et de Promotion des Artisans of Burkina Faso, and are hand-tuned and handcrafted from cans, wood and metal.

Victor Chiteura and artisan George Gareta

The South African artisan group African Home was founded in 2002 by two women to provide employment in craft production for disadvantaged artisans. Now the group works with 500 artisans in 90 groups. Artisan Victor Chiteura, a Zimbabwean refugee, leads his team in Cape Town in the production of these soda can critters.

Upavim and Mayan Hands, Guatemala

Volunteers Rebecca (L) holds cosmetic cases woven from plastic bags and Kathryn wears a pull-tab necklace while holding butterfly earrings made of cans.

Upavim is in the spotlight for its awesome ability to upcycle products into adorable and attention-grabbing accessories like these colorful butterfly earrings made of soda cans, or this regal-looking pull-tab necklace. Supporting not only women in the community, Upavim has developed a medical clinic and a daycare center with Montessori-trained teachers.

Mayan Hands was established in 1989 and works with about 150 women in eight Guatemalan communities. Mayan Hands seeks to preserve the ancient Mayan weaving tradition while providing a fair work environment, and eco-conscious customers love their interesting and innovative approach to weaving with plastic bags.

Rolling out the Recycled Tire Products for Earth Day

with Ganesh Himal Trading Co. and Hope for Women!

Alice May with our tire display! We have lots of unique recycled-tire products from Ganesh Himal of Nepal, Sapia of Colombia, and Noah’s Ark of India.

Improperly discarded tires impose huge threats to our health and the environment. Tires become a breeding ground for disease-causing pests, and their incineration and decomposition release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere.

Groups that have mastered the art of stylishly upcycling tires include Ganesh Himal, an American importer that works mostly with Nepalese women and Tibetan refugees, and Hope for Women, a collective of women artisan groups in El Salvador, India and Colombia. Hope for Women also works with Sapia, which designs the ReStyle line of bracelets, wallets, and bags crafted from tires.

Rosa, a Hope for Women artisan: “I think the sky is the limit for me. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t have the chance to study when I was young. With this work, I know I will be growing everyday and I can take care of myself and my family.”

Mother and daughter volunteers Carmen and Eva display some recycled bike products: a clock, frame, bottle opener, and a birdhouse made of weaved candy wrappers!

Noah’s Ark International Exports

Moradabad, India

In 1986 Samuel Masih founded Noah’s Ark in a family home in hopes of preserving the handicraft traditions of India, and it provided fair work for artisans at risk of exploitation. Today Noah’s Ark represents 49 artisan groups, employing over 500 artisans who all make fair living wages (which are 10%-15% higher than the average wage of the local economy). In addition to providing steady incomes and a safe work environment, Noah’s Ark developed the NGO Noah’s Ark Handicrafts and Artisan Welfare Society, which oversees four social welfare programs.

The Women’s Multipurpose Co-op

Baguio City, The Philippines

Volunteers Jessica (L) and Teresa with some of our coolest recycled newspaper products. The Women’s Multipurpose Co-op also makes products from juice boxes, candy wrappers and chip bags.

The Women’s Multipurpose Co-op was established in the Philippines to provide employment for women struggling during grim economic conditions following the 1990 Luzon earthquake, the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption, and the subsequent abandonment of the Clark Air Base by the American military. The Co-op was originally a group of 18 women pooling their resources to aid each other with training, product development, marketing, and savings and loans. After developing a line of products made of recycled materials like newspapers, juice boxes, chip bags and candy wrappers, the Co-op has expanded from the original 18 to 33 women, with an additional 200 artisans working on transforming trash into treasure!

Women’s Multipurpose Co-Op artisans working on a handbag woven from snack bags

Thank you for accompanying me throughout the world of fair trade upcycling! All over the world, people are realizing the dire situation of our planet and are taking a stand against wastefulness and destruction through the creation of beautiful crafts.

As author E. Knight said, “Waste not the smallest thing created, for grains of sand make mountains, and atomies infinity.”

Love,

Becca

First, a little history…

In 1909, the first National Women’s Day was celebrated in America in accordance with a Socialist Party declaration on February 28th. A year later, the second International Conference of Working Women met in Copenhagen, Denmark. The conference had over 100 women from 17 different countries, representing working women’s clubs, unions, and socialists. They all voted in favor of an idea presented by German advocate Clara Zetkin for an International Women’s Day for women all over the world to fight for the rights to equality, voting and holding office.

Clara Zetkin, the mother of International Women’s Day

The first day was celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switerland on March 19 in 1911; in 1913 it was decided that the date should be moved to March 8th, and has been celebrated on this day since 1914. March 8th is now a recognized holiday in 27 countries, including Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Russia, Uganda, and Vietnam.

Much progress has been made over the past century; however, the fact remains that women are still paid 30-40% less than men for comparable work. Seventy percent of fair trade artisans are women; the income generated by these women is often the sole income for the woman’s family, and with the fair wage provided by fair trade jobs, women are investing in the education, health, and future of their children, thus ensuring a more promising future.

Africa

Ngong Hills, Kenya

Namayiana means “we are blessed” in Maa

Namayiana was started in 1986 by a group of women of the  Maasai ethnic group of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. The women of Namayiana make beaded jewelry, a tradition that goes back to when “the first Maasai was born.” The Maasai culture places a strong emphasis on body painting, ornamentation and modification to help identify and differentiate individuals. The colors of the beads of the jewelry have special significance: white is peace, blue is water, red is warrior.

Maasai society is strongly patriarchal, with decision-making in the hands of elder men.  The women of Namayiana came together to try to create a way for their children to go to school. Agnes, a Namayiana artisan who recently learned to drive a car, explains:

Dzivarasekwa, Zimbabwe

Batsiranai translates to “helping each other” in Shona, the local language. Their motto is “Batsiranai has made us fat and fatter!”

Batsiranai Craft Project was formed in 1998 as a support group of 14 for mothers of disabled children. In Zimbabwe, the disabled and their families are often shunned from society and extended family, forcing many into extreme poverty. When the 14 women realized their shared talent for embroidery, they decided to create a handicraft business that would provide income to support their families. Since 1998, the success of the business has allowed Batsiranai to expand to 100 members, and purchase two houses used as a daycare center, physical therapy center, office and work space, and housing for three families. They are managed by a committee of seven who are democratically elected. They are members of the World Fair Trade Organization and the Zimbabwe Parents of Disabled Children Association. Ten Thousand Villages sells “Sharing Dolls” from Batsiranai: Each time a doll is purchased, its twin is given to a child affected by HIV/AIDS.

South Asia

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Corr-The Jute Works: Christian Organization for Relief and Rehabilitation

In 1971, Bangladesh suffered a brutal genocide, leaving many of the surviving women destitute and alone. CORR- The Jute Works  was founded in 1973 to provide job opportunities to uplift and empower the mothers, daughters, and sisters of this ravaged nation. CORR has hired more than 4,000 women regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or caste level. Many women work from their own homes and self manage by democratically electing a president and a secretary to distribute work amongst their group. If a woman is having a particularly hard time financially, this is considered in the distribution of work. CORR has also established a number of community welfare projects like installing sanitation in artisans’ homes, building wells to provide pure water, offering financial help with medical emergencies, and starting health programs for pregnant women.

Artisan Haricha Begum, who has worked with CORR since 1980, says:

“My dream came true. My sorrows have all gone and my hope has been fulfilled.”

East Asia

San Patong, Thailand

Grassroots HQ Co. ltd

Grassroots HQ Co. ltd is an alternative trade organization that markets for Thai cooperatives, like White Lotus, whichworks to empower and employ women in San Patong, Thailand. San Patong is a very poor area where women are often lured or sold into prostitution. This area also has a very high rate of HIV infection. Grassroots provides AIDS education, awareness and training for care of those affected by AIDS. White Lotus hand-makes beautiful batiked paper from mulberry leaves, which are renewable resources.

Middle East

Galilee Region, Israel

Sindyanna of galilee

Sindyanna of Galilee is a women-led nonprofit established in 1996 to empower Arab women in northern Israel, as well as olive farmers and other artisans in Palestinian Occupied Territories. Sindyanna strengthens the economy of the Arab-Palestinian population and emphasizes cooperation between Arabs and Jews. It provides maternity and retirement benefits, educational projects, and organizes a summer camp for artisans’ children. The name of the organization is a reference to the Palestine Oak, symbolic for its endurance, stability and of the Arab population who remained in Israel. On March 8th, the Arab and Jewish women of Sindyanna will meet in Tel Aviv with other organizations  to march for equality and celebrate International Women’s Day together.

Latin America

Santiago, Guatemala

Creaciones Chonita

Creaciones Chonita is a small business located on the coast of Lake Atitlan and was founded in 1981 by Concepción Sojuel Mendoza, an indigenous Mayan woman who lost her husband in the violence of the Civil War and needed a way to support herself and her children. Since 1981, Creaciones has grown to support 45 widows and young women full-time and 35 part-time. The women make a fair wage for their work, and a percentage of the proceeds are put aside for social projects, such as a scholarship fund for needy children, and a program that provides monthly food packages to elderly widows. Additionally. Creaciones has taken part in building a school for 225 children and is working on a senior citizens center.

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Unidas Para Vivir Mejor: United for a Better Life

UPAVIM was started in 1988 to provide health and education services for women on the outskirts of Guatemala City living in a squatter community called “La Esperanza.” The women of UPAVIM are mothers, homemakers, widows and in many cases the sole breadwinners of their families. The women must first volunteer 32 hours, and continue to volunteer two hours a week at the UPAVIM community care center. In addition to crafts, UPAVIM has started other small businesses such as a bakery, pharmacy and an internet center. Through UPAVIM, donors also fund scholarships for 430 elementary and junior high students. Profits also go to running a Montessori Infant Education Center and an Alternative Elementary School.

So, in the spirit of all women, let’s share in the success of our sisters everywhere, and as we move forward remember all that our fore-mothers have fought for and accomplished. Keep fighting for equality and respect for all women of the world in their honor!

With Love,

Your Sister,

Becca

Animal Advocate
   • Karen Cole – Founder, Lizzy’s Hospice
   • Liz Parker – Emancipet Board & Austin Pets Directory Publisher
   • Sheila Smith – President, Shadow Cats Rescue

Finalists were chosen by a judges panel comprised of previous IWD winners and leaders in Austin’s nonprofit community: Brandi Clark Burton, Founder of Austin EcoNetwork; Meg Goodman Erskine, Executive Director of Multicultural Refugee Coalition; and Abigail Smith, Chief Animal Services Officer for the City of Austin.

“The judges had incredibly tough decisions to make,” Kitty said. “At the same time, it’s inspiring to learn about so many amazing women in our community who are making meaningful social impacts. This event is about celebrating all of them.”

For five years, Ten Thousand Villages has been celebrating and honoring women at this time of year. One day isn’t enough, so Ten Thousand Villages celebrates International Women’s Day for a week with cultural events and benefit shopping nights that support other nonprofits, culminating in the IWD Awards Ceremony on March 8th.

All events are free:

Monday 3/4
5-9 pm: Out of Africa
See Nobelity Project’s Building Hope documentary, enjoy traditional African food, and get 10% off all fair trade products handmade in Africa. A portion of all purchases supports local nonprofit Well Aware, which brings clean drinking water to rural villages in Kenya.

Tuesday 3/5
10:30-11:30 am: FREE Yoga Class! Courtesy of Mimi Curry at beradiantbliss.com
5-9 pm: South Asian Bazaar: Mehndi, Mandalas & More
Sari wrapping, henna art, music, food and 10% off all fair trade products handmade in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. A portion of all purchases supports Austin-based Tender Heart Foundation, which helps bring education and socioeconomic development to rural communities in Northern India.

Wednesday 3/6
5-9 pm: Latin America Romance
Come hear Latin American music performed live and get a 10% discount on all fair trade products handmade in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Ecuador, Chile, Haiti, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, El Salvador, Honduras or Colombia.

Thursday 3/7
5-9 pm: 1st Thursday on South Congress
Ten Thousand Villages stays open late for this popular monthly block party that lets Austin fly its weird flag. This event is about as Austin as it gets — don’t miss it!

Friday 3/8
6-8 pm: 5th Annual International Women’s Day Awards – Hosted by Sara Hickman! This night is all about celebrating women who have made exceptional contributions in our community and who make a difference in the lives of those around them. Limited seating; RSVP required: Facebook or email.

It’s going to be a week about social change and powerful women. Hope you will come and celebrate with us — and share this news with your friends!

When we talk about Fair Trade, we can include a variety of facets. First and foremost, Fair Trade means a fair price for the artisan, but Fair Trade also encompasses nine other principles recognized by the World Fair Trade Organization.

The 10th principle on that list is Respect of the Environment, and Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts exemplifies this by supplying recycled coiled magazine products. Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts was founded in 1991 as a program to assist Vietnamese street children who could not pay for school tuition and lacked the necessary legal papers. Since schooling in Vietnam is now offered for free, Mai has expanded its focus to marginalized ethnic minorities and disadvantaged women in rural regions. Mai works with several craft production companies by providing marketing and design assistance, and 90 percent of the 1,669 artisans working for Mai are women. Some of the proceeds from the sales of handicrafts still go to the program for children.

The small business that makes the coiled magazine products, GAP Co. Ltd. based in Ho Chi Minh City, was founded and began working with Mai in 2006. The popularity of these products has allowed this small business to expand from 15 employees to 20 workers coiling paper in the workshop and 40 workers folding paper from their home. The paper comes from excess printings, purchased from a publishing house, that would otherwise be thrown away. Artisans use traditional basket-making techniques to create super fun, contemporary, eco-friendly coiled magazine bowls. Check out these new, smaller “World News” bowls:

You can also enjoy some of Mai’s other amazing products — like this Silk Market Jacquard Pillow, which was recently featured in Austin Woman magazine’s “Home” issue! It’s also available as a cool circular yoga pillow.

Mai’s products are incredibly diverse, too. They also paint these koi fish paperweights by hand:

And here’s everyone’s favorite measuring tape:

Lastly, don’t forget these fun and deliciously fragrant cinnamon bark boxes:

With Love,

Chief Becca

Speaking of hearts … we have PLENTY, and from all over the world!

Kisii, Kenya

Take these gorgeous hand-carved and painted stones from Kisac Fair Trade Ltd. in Kenya. Kisac is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization, and has been working with Ten Thousand Villages since 2010. They provide work for 1,200 artisans in Kenya. This stone is named for Kisii County, where it originates from in Southwest Kenya. This soft soapstone is not found anywhere else in the world! Luckily, there is about 22 billion tons of soapstone found in the Kisii hills. Men and women learn to carve, sand and decorate the stones from their families and the finished product is an incredibly smooth vibrant gift for your beloved!

Lahore, Pakistan

These beautiful onyx hearts were made by artisan group Bunyaad, based in Lahore, Pakistan. Bunyaad means “foundation” in Urdu and provides work for  800 artisans in more than 100 villages. These artisans range in age from about 20 to 60 years old, with 60% women. Bunyaad emphasizes equality with equal pay and opportunity for men and women, and a peaceful environment for Muslims and Christians to work together. The company was formed over 30 years ago, and has accomplished some amazing things, such as focusing on bringing higher education to villages and a housing project for earthquake victims in 2008.

Beit Sahour, West Bank

Our olive wood hearts come from the El-Atrash Workshop in Beit Sahour. El-Atrash is a Palestinian family workshop with seven employees, founder George El-Atrash, his brothers and his sons. George began his olive wood carving business in Bethlehem in 1967, and moved to Beit Sahour in 1976; Ten Thousand Villages has been purchasing carved biblical figures, nativities and household items from him since 1978. Artisans do not cut down trees for wood; rather they prune young tree branches for their craft. An olive branch is widely regarded as a symbol of peace, so what could be better for your sweetheart than this peacefully loving heart from the Holy Land!

Leogane and Gressier, Haiti

Riverstone Hearts come from The Comité Artisanal Haitïen, a non-profit formed in 1973 to help provide stable income, equality and a safe workplace for Haitian artisans. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with a history of violence, dictatorship, the 7.0 magnitude earthquake of 2010 and subsequent cholera outbreaks. CAH employs over 200 artisans who meet fair trade standards and display a wide variety of resourcefulness, vibrancy and creativity. The riverstone is soaked in water, and then carved by hand with chisels and saws. After sanding these hearts, artisans apply beeswax for luster. Riverstone comes from a mountainous region of Haiti known for its stone carving. Master stone carvers working for CAH have even had their work displayed in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC!

If your loved one would rather wear her hearts than hold down paper with them, we have some very exciting up-cycled hearts for your eco-friendly Ellie, Emily, Ernie or Emanuel!

The “Love Me” Pin is made from recycled soda cans, wire and beads and is brought to you by Bombolulu Workshops in Kenya. One hundred thirteen artisans work for Bombolulu, including blind and physically disabled people who would have no chance of work otherwise. Bombolulu Workshops were established in 1969 and are a branch of the Association of the Physically Disabled of Kenya. They have a campus near Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city, that includes housing for artisans, a clinic, social hall, nursery school and a guesthouse.

The “Double Your Love” earrings were crafted from recycled air freshener cans (!) by artisans working for KICK Trading Co. based out of Kisumu, Kenya. Kisumu suffers high unemployment and many residents have HIV/AIDS. The company began simply as KICK in 1994, and developed into a fair trade company and its current incarnation in 2005. KICK is an independent company, with artisans holding 20% of the shares. When artisans develop a design for a product, they receive a percentage from the sales, fostering design skills within their own pool of artisans. My favorite design of theirs would have to be these innovative “Double Your Love” earrings.

The eco-friendly parade doesn’t stop there, my friends!!! May we present …

ELEPHANT POO PAPER ROSES!

The poo that eventually became this rose originated from elephants in Thailand. The process for this unorthodox paper-making is to extract the fiber from the poop, rinse and boil it, make a pulp, and then create rolls and sheets of paper to make hundreds of poo-tastic products! Functional and fun for your sweet Fannie, Fred or Frida, don’t you think?

Or, if you’re like me and prefer to celebrate Singles Appreciation Day on February 14th, why not make your way down to the store and treat yo’self  to some of our delicious bars of Equal Exchange Chocolate (like CARAMEL CRUNCH WITH SEA SALT, mmm…) or some of our fabulous handmade fair trade jewelry!

With Love,

Becca

Chief Storyteller

My name is Corey Lee and I’m interning here as the International Women’s Day Event Coordinator from January to May. I am a senior at St. Edward’s University majoring in Communication and originally from the Greater New Orleans area, but I am planning on staying here in Austin once I graduate in May.

One of the things I am most known for amongst my friends is my obsession with everybody’s favorite web-slinging superhero, Spider-Man. I remember my dad waking me up early each Saturday morning to watch the cartoon and my grandpa bringing me to flea markets to see some Spider-Man comics and the joy it brought me. Looking back, I think being such a fan of this comical superhero helped me get out of my shell, while teaching me the famous adage, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

One of my favorite things to do to pass time is listen to music. Although I feel I listen to a large majority of mainstream music, my heart will always be with R&B. I remember the first time I listened to Usher’s 2004 album Confessions and how much I listen to that CD because of the emotion in it. My favorite artist, however, has to be Ne-Yo. Not only does his music bring me on a journey, but he also sets an example of being a good person, which is why I modeled myself after him once I learned more about his choices and career.

But to really get to know me, you have to understand one of my greatest passions in life: The New Orleans Saints. You might be wondering how a football team could be so special to someone. Well, we New Orleanians have never had a reason to celebrate.  Of course, we party during Mardi Gras and other holidays; but there was never a reason to celebrate outside of tradition. Then Hurricane Katrina struck the city I held so deep in my heart. My family had to evacuate to Houston and a cloud of uncertainty hung around my future. Four months later, my family and I moved back, repaired our house, and I began going to high school in trailers. During the same time the Saints organization was rebuilding, starting with a quarterback named Drew Brees, who just had surgery to repair his torn shoulder. Despite all that, the Saints eventually won a championship — and made me feel like a winner for the first time in my life! I’m still a legend in my old dorm for yelling and screaming during the game and crying my eyes out in joy when they won Super Bowl 44. Even today, when I watch the recap of that season on DVD or read a chapter from Drew Brees’ memoirs, I tear up because it was so much more than a game.

It was liberation from tragedy.

During my internship here, I hope to learn the processes involved with making a large event such as International Women’s Day a success and also forge my personal skills to prepare me for my career once I graduate. I decided to join Ten Thousand Villages because of two reasons. The first was a recommendation from my friend, Baillee Perkins. She interned here last fall and explained how she really enjoyed her experience working here. The second reason is the passion and happiness I noticed in the staff and volunteers; they expressed clearly the importance of fair trade and Ten Thousand Villages‘ mission.

I look forward to meeting many new people, working on meaningful projects, and creating joyful memories during my stay here. I hope you enjoy this journey with me!

- Corey J. Lee

Please allow me to introduce you to Ana Maria Piedrahita, her artisan group from Columbia, Sapia, and their use of the ecological wonder-nut tagua and dried orange peels! Ana Maria founded Sapia in Columbia’s capital of Bogota to assist artisans working in the lower income brackets. Sapia employees 40 people directly; as the company grows, it reaches out to other artisan groups in rural areas to assist more than 50 other artisans.

Columbia ranks as one of the highest per capita in orange juice consumption. In Bogota, many street corners are occupied by venders selling fresh squeezed orange juice, and Ana Maria innovativly recognized the discarded peels as a nice material to create beautiful products.

Sapia thus provides additional income to these juicers by paying for their orange peels so that they can create the items that Catherine is modeling for us here: the Orange Peel Angel, Orange Peel Garland, and the Orange Peel Christmas Trees.

Sapia also crafts items out of Tagua, otherwise known as the “vegetable ivory.” Tagua is seen as a highly eco-friendly material because its strong resemblance to ivory helps combat the poaching of elephants. In fact, the scientific name of the palm the tagua comes from the Phytelephas, which translates to “plant elephant.” Taguas are harvested when the nut ripens and falls from the tree, making this resource material environmetally friendly as it discourages rainforest deforestation.

Ana Maria feels like the most important benefit to fair trade are the long-term relationships that allow for her and her employees to plan for the future and grow their business, as well as the respect that a fair trade business relationship provides. She would like customers to understand that they are not doing charity, “they are supporting the lives of people who want to work.” Ana Maria says that she “feels really happy and connected to the people. I think my work can connect me to people like sharing smiles.”

Celebrate the intimacy that fair trade provides and share a smile today!

Your Chief Story Teller,

Becca