Students for Fair Trade at Fordham University reconvened after a month long of virtual communication last Tuesday, January 19th at 9:30 p.m. A flurry of New Year greetings and hugs were exchanged as Kate (our professor) recounted her trip to Kenya. The real surprise came moments later when she announced that we were all invited to visit Kenya over Spring Break to meet our partners in trade. The response to her statement was joy mixed with confusion and disbelief. We had been talking about visiting our partners since the beginning of the school year, constantly asking Kate if we could go, Kate telling us that she had to make sure it was safe enough, and us forming whole narratives in our minds – from plane rides to village life, and basic accounting to actually carrying out a microloan.

In the beginning, Kate told us that this college course would not be like any other. She told us that it required all of us – our minds, talents, skills, and most especially, our hearts. Some of us find it hard to grasp this concept, after all we have been taught to equate college with the development of our minds alone, the golden torch held high symbolizing academia, double major in accounting and international business, minor in philosophy and economics. Theory is studied rigorously and action is almost always forgotten. This course asks us to go beyond what we are used to. It asks us to rethink the status quo. There are no rigid lines put in place, no limitations to our learning, because with the gift of rethinking we are also given an opportunity to create. We have created another way of learning and another way of doing business… another way of living. All of a sudden we have a greater grasp on reality, because every earring, necklace, bracelet, jewelry box, bag, or piece of chocolate that is sold empowers another human being and brings us all a step closer to a just world. There is an equal exchange, a handshake, a covenant whispered and carried on the wind that says,

“I value you and what you can do. Here is a fair wage.”

“Thank you, I value you too. Please, enjoy the labor of my hands.”

When did you realize that your actions have value? When did you come to understand that some of the things rotting in your attic are products made by the small, calloused hands of a child? What have your hands done to help another? What have they done to oppress another?

I know. The questions are hard to digest, but they need answers.

We are students for fair trade. We create opportunities for economically and socially disadvantaged producers. We develop transparent management and accountable relationships. We build capacity. We promote fair trade and the possibility of greater justice in world trade. We pay a prompt and fair price. We promote gender equity. We require safe and healthy working environments. We ensure the rights of children. We cultivate environmental practices. We respect cultural identity. We are students for fair trade.
Do you trade fair?

For more information about our class and business, please visit us at http://studentsforfairtrade.com or e-mail us at fordham4fairtrade@gmail.com

Tags: consumer consciousness, economic justice, fair trade, Fordham University, students for fairtrade

This entry was posted on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 1:55 am and is filed under Trade & Economic Justice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.