OHIO FAIR TRADE EXPO WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS – 10/22/11 – Click HERE to Register!
SESSION A – 10:30 AM – 11:20 AM
A.1 – Fair Trade 101
Jeff Goldman, Fair Trade Resource Network
Room: W 220
How Personal Purchases to Help Poor Seamstresses Grew Into a Multi-Billion Dollar Force for Social Justice. How did we create Fair Trade bananas, jewelry, wine and more? What are Fair Trade organizations & labels? Get the big picture of Fair Trade in over 65 countries.
A.2 – Fair Trade 201: Hand Made, Fair Trade
Chris Solt, Ten Thousand Villages
Room: E 227
Follow a product along its amazing voyage from an artisan’s hands to yours, ending up at your favorite local fair trade retail store. Then, engage in a dialogue to help deepen your understanding of the Fair Trade difference.
A.3 – Cooperative Farming: Building Relationships, Sustainable and Organic
Pedro Antonio Ascencio, Las Colinas Cooperative, El Salvador
Room: E 138
In 1997, Las Colinas Coffee Cooperative joined the organization of Salvadoran Fair Trade Coffee producers, APECAFE, and for the first time established direct contact with their coffee buyers. In a 16-year relationship, Equal Exchange has supported Las Colinas by providing advice and market access, as they develop sustainable and organic farming techniques. In 2009 and 2020, Catholic Relief Services helped them create a system to recycle coffee-processing water for irrigation. Located next to a national forest, the cooperative protects the water source for the town of Tacuba as it runs down the mountain through their farm. And they’re replanting deforested hillsides to prevent erosion.
A.4 – Workshop Title: Fair Trade & the Environment
Megy Karydes, World Shoppe
Room: E 116
One of the principles of fair trade is being a good steward of the environment. Learn how many fair trade organizations take it one step further and recycle or “upcycle” raw materials to create fair trade designs such as tires, remnant fabrics or bone.
A.5 – Using Consumer Power to End Sweatshops
Todd Larsen, Green America
Room: E 134
For the past two decades consumers across the US have used their voices and their economic power to speak out against sweatshop abuses. Find out about the successes, and the ongoing challenges, facing the movement to oppose sweatshop abuses.
A.6 – Unpacking Fair Trade Labels
Dana Geffner, Fair World Project
Room: E 228
Did you know that there are over 600 social, fair and environmental seals and standards? Fair trade, sweat free, direct trade – what does it all mean? This discussion will unpack and analyze the growing number of social justice seals and standards in the marketplace.
A.7 – The Politics of Food and Trade
Adam Olson, Oxfam America
Room: W 230
Learn how current trade practices contribute to our failing food system and how simple reforms can help break cycles of poverty.
A.8 – Fair Trade Starts at Home: The CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food
Santiago Perez and Marc Rodrigues, Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Room: E 120
Learn how farm workers are forming alliances with students and faith
groups to fight sub-poverty wages, widespread labor rights violations and even modern-day slavery. Fair Food activists have successfully fought McDonald’s, Subway and Whole Foods. Now it’s on to Trader Joes’s.
A.9 – Workshop Title: What Are You Wearing?
Presenter: Yasmin Flor, Teach Fair Trade LLC
Room: E 346
Learn more about the clothing you are wearing, where it comes from, how much it costs to be produced, and how the people who make it are treated.
A.10 – FILM: “Birdsong and Coffee: A Wake Up Call”
Room: E 335
This film uses a series of interviews to communicate the sincere, respectful relationship that exists through Fair Trade among the parties involved in coffee production. In this film we hear from experts and students, from coffee lovers and bird lovers, and-most importantly-from coffee farmers themselves. We learn how their lives and ours are inextricably linked, economically and environmentally. (Old Dog Documentaries – 56 minutes – 2005 – General Audiences and Academic Settings)
SESSION B – 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
B.1 – Key Issues in Fair Trade
Jeff Goldman, Fair Trade Resource Network
Room: W 220
Discuss the various perspectives on evaluating impacts for producers, different certifications/labels, collaboration in the movement, fairwashing vs. expanding sales through large corporations, and more.
B.2 – Cooperative Farming: Building Relationships, Sustainable and Organic
Pedro Antonio Ascencio, Las Colinas Cooperative, El Salvador
Room: E 138
In 1997, Las Colinas Coffee Cooperative joined the organization of Salvadoran Fair Trade Coffee producers, APECAFE, and for the first time established direct contact with their coffee buyers. In a 16-year relationship, Equal Exchange has supported Las Colinas by providing advice and market access, as they develop sustainable and organic farming techniques. In 2009 and 2020, Catholic Relief Services helped them create a system to recycle coffee-processing water for irrigation. Located next to a national forest, the cooperative protects the water source for the town of Tacuba as it runs down the mountain through their farm. And they’re replanting deforested hillsides to prevent erosion.
B.3 – Sales Skills for Fair Trade Retailers
Chris Solt, Ten Thousand Villages
Room: E 227
How can fair trade products be marketed properly to engage today’s consumer?
B.4 – The Politics of Food and Trade
Adam Olson, Oxfam America
Room: W 230
Learn how current trade practices contribute to our failing food system and how simple reforms can help break cycles of poverty.
B.5 – Using Consumer Power to End Sweatshops
Todd Larsen, Green America
Room: E 134
For the past two decades consumers across the US have used their voices and their economic power to speak out against sweatshop abuses. Find out about the successes, and the ongoing challenges, facing the movement to oppose sweatshop abuses.
B.6 – Fair Trade & the Environment
Megy Karydes, World Shoppe
Room: E 116
One of the principles of fair trade is being a good steward of the environment. Learn how many fair trade organizations take it one step further and recycle or “upcycle” raw materials to create fair trade designs such as tires, remnant fabrics or bone.
B.7 – Fair Trade Starts at Home: The CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food
Santiago Perez and Marc Rodrigues, Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Room: E 120
Learn how farm workers are forming alliances with students and faith
groups to fight sub-poverty wages, widespread labor rights violations and even modern-day slavery. Fair Food activists have successfully fought McDonald’s, Subway and Whole Foods. Now it’s on to Trader Joe’s.
B.8 – United Students for Fair Trade: Get Organized
Josh Eyre & Maria Louzon (via Skype), United Students for Fair Trade
Room: E 228
Learn how your campus can get involved (or become further involved) in the United Students for Fair Trade’s efforts.
B.9 – FILM: “Banana Split”
Room: E346
Each copy of the film comes with an educator’s guide; more information on integrating Banana As one of the cheapest, most readily available fruits in the supermarket, this film provides an important look at understanding “the curvaceous fruit from the herbaceous plant.” (Kelly Saxbery & Ron Harpelle – 47 minutes – Shebandowan Films – General Audience)
SESSION C – 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
C.1 – Unpacking Fair Trade Labels
Dana Geffner, Fair World Project
Room: E 228
Did you know that there are over 600 social, fair and environmental seals and standards? Fair trade, sweat free, direct trade – what does it all mean? This discussion will unpack and analyze the growing number of social justice seals and standards in the marketplace.
C.2 – Fair Trade Starts at Home: The CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food
Santiago Perez and Marc Rodrigues, Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Room: E 120
Learn how farm workers are forming alliances with students and faith
groups to fight sub-poverty wages, widespread labor rights violations and even modern-day slavery. Fair Food activists have successfully fought McDonald’s, Subway and Whole Foods. Now it’s on to Trader Joe’s.
C.3 – Fair Trade & Your Congregation
Peter Buck, Equal Exchange Interfaith Program
Room: E 138
Overview of fair trade principles and Equal Exchange interfaith project. Share, brainstorm, and discuss your experiences and ideas of fair trade projects at your congregation.
C.5 – Sustainability, Fashion & Fair Trade
Lisa Dunn, Revive Fair Trade Botique
Room: E 116
Description TBA
C.6 – FILM: “Dark Side of Chocolate”
Room: E 227
This film goes undercover to Mali and Ivory Coast to document child trafficking, forced labor and other worst forms of child labor that should have been eliminated under the Cocoa Protocol signed by major chocolate industry groups in 2001. It also shows footage of major chocolate company executives in Europe uninterested in the transgressions and solutions presented by the film. (Miki Mistrati and U. Robert Romano – 45 minutes – 2010 – General Audience)
