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Fair Trade in Mankato, MNThe First Ten Years

Minnesota’s first “Fair Trade Town”

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May 5, 2009: Two Peruvian cooperative workers, Eva Pizarro & Ayde Riveros visited Mankato to share their personal stories about the benefits of ‘Fair Trade’ – economically and in terms of women’s empowerment.Christ the King Lutheran Church hosted a gathering organized by the Churches’ Fair Trade Network (CFTN), an informal Mankato area group formed in mid-2008 and drawn from several local churches. Eva, originally from Cuzco, worked unhappily for seven years in a jewelry factory in Lima. She and colleagues then set up a co-op, Munay Rumi, to design and export jewelry on Fair Trade terms.Ayde settled in Huancavelica, a town of 40,000 at an altitude of 12,000’, to escape rural poverty and violence. To help the family budget, Ayde joined the local El Mercurio handcrafts group which exported its products advantageously through the Fair Trade system.

Was her husband happy? Ayde said, “In the end, yes”.

Eva and Ayde were accompanied by Carrie Hawthorne (Partners for Just Trade, St. Louis, MO) and Yochi Zakai (Green America, Washington, DC), on a Midwest tour called “Resonating Change”.

The Beginning... Inspiration for a Fair Trade Town

https://www.partnersforjusttrade.org/producers/bridge-of-hope-peru/munay-rumi-jewelry-peru/https://www.partnersforjusttrade.org/producers/bridge-of-hope-peru/el-mercurio-knitting/http://www.partnersforjusttrade.orghttp://www.partnersforjusttrade.orghttp://www.greenamerica.org

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Partners for Just Trade is a non-profit organization that cultivates Fair Trade partnerships with impoverished producers in Peru, Haiti and Cambodia.

Green America supports Fair Trade because of its mission to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.

A Challenge - “Eva, Ayde, Carrie and Yochi left Fair Trade enthusiasts in the Mankato area with a simple question – “What can You Do? – the same challenge as they left with all their audiences between Boulder, CO and Chicago, IL”

When the visit of Eva and Ayde was advertised, the CFTN had little idea how many would attend the evening meeting on May 5. In fact, Christ the King Lutheran hosted 65 people from the Mankato area, much to the satisfaction of the organizers.

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Soon afterwards, building on the success of the event, CFTN members decided to stop working on an inter-church basis but to start a community-facing ‘Fair Trade Town’ project, Mankato Area Fair Trade Town Initiative, modelled on the first such town, Garstang, Lancashire, England (2001)…..and the first in the USA, Media, PA (2006).

In Media the moving spirit was local resident Hal Taussig, who ran Untours, a ‘people-to-people’ travel business. He came to recognize, through his visits to Mexico, the importance of fairer trade relationships with the producers of coffee and other Mexican goods consumed in the US. Hal supported workers’ rights movements and ultimately created the Untours Foundation to actively support Fair Trade businesses.In a ‘Fair Trade Town’ local support for the purchase of ‘Fair Trade’ products is encouraged to help in combatting poverty in

the Global South. Small farmers and artisans receive fairer rewards through minimum pricing, by-passing exploitative ‘coyotes’ and establishing long-term, principled business relationships between

producers and consumers.

Nationally, ‘Fair Trade Campaigns’, working from offices in Philadelphia, PA and Oakland, CA, has acted as a coordinating body since 2007 and developed criteria for recognizing not just Fair Trade Towns but also Schools, Colleges, Universities and Congregations.

The Fair Trade Town Project Fair Trade Campaigns

http://www.maftti.orghttp://www.maftti.orghttp://www.garstangfairtrade.org.ukhttp://mediafairtrade.orghttp://www.fairtradecampaigns.orghttp://www.fairtradecampaigns.org

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The Fair Trade Towns criteria, population-related, are:

1. A range of Fair Trade products are available in local stores, cafés and other venues.In 2009-10 some 13 product categories could be found in Mankato stores, small shops and cafes that were identifiable as ‘Fair Trade’. Fair Trade products could be found in 14 commercial outlets and accessed through a few more.(By 2018 the number of categories had risen to 28 and commercial locations to 17.)

2. Fair Trade products are used by a number of local organizations, such as places of worship, schools, hospitals and offices.In 2009-2010 Fair Trade products were available at eight Mankato churches (plus two in North Mankato). Fair Trade coffee was

available, through Sodexo, at Minnesota State University-Mankato and ISJ, as the hospital in Mankato was then known.

Fair Trade at Grace Lutheran Church

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MAFTTI featured in the Free Press, through articles and letters, 14 times during the campaign period 2009-2011, and 20 mores times between the Fair Trade Town Declaration (October 24, 2011) and the end of 2019.

3. The local campaign attracts media attention and visible pub-lic support, including press, radio and television.

MAFTTI also enjoyed periodic access to the airwaves through Pete Steiner’s “Talk of the Town” slot on KTOE Radio Mankato, which enabled Fair Trade stories and experiences to be shared, and atten-tion drawn to local Fair Trade activities .

KEYC-TV News featured the Declaration in October 2011 and the 5th Anniversary conference and celebration in October 2016.

http://www.maftti.org/ftt-anniversary-conference

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4. Gaining the support of city councils is an essential step towards Fair Trade Town recognition.

This was done in Mankato on May 10, 2010 and North Mankato on December 20, 2010. (Progress towards Fair Trade Town status in North Mankato was, however, inhibited by the small size of the retail sector.)

Mankato Mayor John Brady and Council President Mike Laven with Proclamation of support and members of the MAFTTI Steering Committee.

This paved the way, once MAFTTI could demonstrate that the national Fair Trade Towns criteria had been satisfied, for the Mankato City Council to pass a resolution (carried unanimously) to enable Mankato to become Minnesota’s first ‘Fair Trade Town’ on October 24, 2011, the 25th in the nation.

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MAFTTI produced and distributed a celebratory poster widely.

“Fair trade is the way to go”

The following day, a Mankato Free Press editorial stated that “Fair trade is the way to go”, endorsing the Council’s decision and MAFTTI’s work as a means of encouraging “responsible consumerism”.

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MAFTTI found support among Catholics (Holy Rosary, St. John the Baptist plus SSND), Congregationalists (FCC/UCC), Episcopalians (St. John’s), Lutherans (Bethlehem, Christ the King, Grace, Messiah), Methodists (Centenary), Presbyterians (First Presbyterian), Unitarian Universalists (UUFM) and Hope Interfaith Center.

Fair Trade coffee has been used at First Presbyterian Church for nearly 20 years. MAFTTI’s formation in 2009 was made possible by the fact that several other churches had also heard about Fair Trade coffee through their own denominations and had begun to use it.

In 2010-11 MAFTTI recognized eight ‘Fair Trade Churches’. Fair

Fair Trade at St. John’s Episcopal Church

Trade Campaigns recognized two as ‘Fair Trade Congregations’ in 2014.

One enjoyable way of raising awareness and encouraging ethical purchasing was for churches to hold Fair Trade bazaars or markets, either in Fair Trade Month (October) or in the run-up to Christmas.Most of the MAFTTI-supporting churches held such events, some more regularly than others. Items for sale were usually from Ten Thousand Villages, SERRV, Equal Exchange and Bead for Life.

When purchasing Fair Trade items, Christians underpin a vision of economic justice with Biblical values. The sharing of Fair Trade stories within worship can draw on scriptural insights from as far back as Jewish prophets of old.

“NO CHURCHES, NO MAFTTI-------NO MAFTTI, NO FAIR TRADE TOWN-----Without the presence of a Fair Trade store in Mankato to act as a hub for Fair Trade activity, it is not too much to make this statement.

http://www.tenthousandvillages.comhttp://www.tenthousandvillages.comhttp://www.serrv.orghttp://www.equalexchange.coophttp://www.beadforlife.org

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School Sisters of Notre DameDeclaration for Fair Trade

The School Sisters of Notre Dame on the campus of Our Lady of Good Counsel were very receptive to supporting Fair Trade. The experience of some Sisters in living and working in Africa and Central America enabled them easily to identify with the vision. On October 1, 2014, the Sisters published a “Declaration for Fair Trade” as the basis for their own approach to food purchasing and as an example to other houses in the SSND Central-Pacific Province.

Alfred Mukamuri tells Christi Smith and the congregation about Alta Garcia garment factory in the Dominican Republic at First Congregational/UCC Mankato, May 21, 2015.

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In 2009 there was only one verifying product label – “Fair Trade Certified”, issued by Transfair, called Fair Trade USA since 2012. Now other labels are seen, e.g. the Fairtrade label of the international Fairtrade system, promoted by Fairtrade America.

“Fair for Life” (a Swiss certification) and the “Small Producers’ Seal” (Latin America-Caribbean) can also be found on products in stores in the area.

But - not all Fair Trade products carry third party certifications. For example, Peace Coffee (Minneapolis) is a founding member of the 23-strong Cooperative Coffees network of “Fair and Direct” coffee roasters in North America that stretches from the Yukon to Florida.

Handcraft products are not easily certifiable because of the diversity among their component parts, but Fair Trade business associations (Fair Trade Federation; World Fair Trade Organization) verify producers’ adherence to Fair Trade principles.

Fair Trade Products What to look for

http://www.fairtradecertified.orghttp://www.fairtradeamerica.orghttp://www.fairforlife.org/pmws/indexDOM.php?client_id=fairforlife&page_id=home&lang_iso639=enhttp://www.smallfarmersbigchange.coop/2013/08/12/by-small-farmers-for-small-farmers-the-next-step-in-the-evolution-of-fair-trade/http://www.smallfarmersbigchange.coop/2013/08/12/by-small-farmers-for-small-farmers-the-next-step-in-the-evolution-of-fair-trade/http://www.fairtradefederation.orghttp://www.fairtradefederation.orghttps://wfto.comhttps://wfto.com

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The colorful Mankato Area International Festival, first at Mankato East HS and, since 2012, at MNSU, provided opportunities for MAFTTI to make a splash with its wholly Fair Trade T-shirts.

MAFTTI was present at this Sunday event in April from 2010 onward. Visitors could purchase Fair Trade products, take away Fair Trade literature and talk with MAFTTI representatives on progress of the Fair Trade movement in general to what more they could do themselves to promote the cause locally.

The international student contingent at MNSU always made this event worthwhile for MAFTTI to be represented.

While the Fair Trade scene was becoming more complex, MAFTTI tried to raise awareness amongcommunity groups through sharing stories of FairTrade producers and selling some of their products.Groups to which MAFTTI presented the Fair Trade vision include Envision 2020, Kiwanis, Humane Society, Life-Long Learners, Mankato Area Ministerial Association, Sertoma, SSND, VINE, Women Executives in Business, YMCA, YWCA, Zonta.

Campaigning for Fair Trade

Mankato Area International Festival

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MAFTTI’s program had three elements: At MAFTTI’s request, Barnes & Noble has provided a display of books relevant to Fair Trade since 2011.

The Coffee Hag was the first Fair Trade coffee shop in Mankato. Fair Trade coffee can now be found inseveral others. They have been happy to host information boards commending the merits of FairTrade during the week running up to World Fair Trade Day.

This board was mounted at INdiGo Organic to mark World Fair Trade Day on May 10, 2014.

Fair Trade coffee sampling at Hilltop Hy-vee and at one or other of the Cub stores has been a good wayfor MAFTTI to interest new people.

Audrey von Holt (Grace Lutheran Church, Mankato)(r) and Julie Gruber (Holy Rosary Catholic Church, North Mankato)(c) provide a welome to theFair Trade stand at Cub East on May 12, 2018.

World Fair Trade Day

World Fair Trade Day, on the second Saturday in May,is a global celebration of Fair Trade promoted by theWorld Fair Trade Organization.

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MAFTTI much appreciated the hospitality of the Board of the Farmers’ Market in freely providing space, 2010-2017, for a MAFTTI informational presence whenever it was wanted and available.

MAFTTI started modestly, offering Fair Trade information in the open during the 2010 season atMadison East. Before the 2011 season started, MAFTTI had invested in a canopy to provide a moreconspicuous (and protective) presence, both there and later in the Best Buy parking lot.

Three Presbyterian ladies provided time at the MAFTTI table on September 18, 2010 – (l-r) Carol Budde, Joyce Finkler, Muriel Schoon.

MAFTTI’s presence increased to a peak of nine times during the 2011 season. As part of MAFTTI’s drive to secure a Fair Trade Town Declaration from the Mankato City Council, a petition was drawn up. The Farmers’ Market provided a very useful point of contact for obtaining signatures.

A cycling reverend, Rebecca Sullivan, in conversation with Audrey von Holt and Diane Osborne, all Lutherans, on July 20, 2013

Mankato Farmers’ Market The Mankato Farmers’ Market is a ‘kindred spirit’ project. “Buy Local, Buy Fair!” The essence of the Farmers’ Market is to provide direct trading opportunities for local vendors. Local, in this instance, means within a radius of 40 miles around Mankato.

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On June 4, 2011 the international Fair Trade Towns movement marked the declaration of the 1000th FairTrade Town through publicizing the call to “Make Trade Fair”.

(l-r) Betty Winkworth, Paul Renshaw, Arlene Renshaw, all members of the MAFTTI Steering Committee.

On any Saturday when MAFTTI was present, the four hours, 8:00-12 noon, often produced surprises in the responses of people who stopped. Some knew little about Fair Trade, others quite a bit. As the Fair Trade world is dynamic there was always something new to share, about Fair Trade products.

Drew and Dawn Campbell get updated on locally available Fair Trade products, May 23, 2015.

In 2014 two Mankato bank officials, Eric Poppler (l) and Clay Sharkey (r), appeared at the Farmers’ Marketselling locally-roasted “small batch coffee”. They soon started receiving enquires, “Is your coffee Fair Trade?” Interested in satisfying customers and growing their fledgling business, Eric and Clay quickly ensured that their Beans Coffee Company was able to offer Fair Trade Organic coffee. Now 11 of their 12 brews are Fair Trade Organic.

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Attention of parade watchers was drawn to a display of Fair Trade products.

‘Carmen Miranda’ (played by Amy Friedman), complete with specially designed, fruit-laden head-dress and accompanied by Caribbeanmusic. Here she is pictured at MAFTTI’s first appearance, on July 10, 2010. “Bananas is our business”, especially 2012-2014 whenMAFTTI persuaded Cub West to have Fair Trade bananas available in the store.

North Mankato Fun Days ParadeFor seven years from 2010, MAFTTI participated in this annual July event in North Mankato (there being no 4th of July Parade in Greater Mankato).

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Carmen Miranda’s ‘skirt’ was an ingenious creation ofseveral MAFTTI activists led by retired art teacher, Barb Girtz (Bethlehem Lutheran). Along with an accompanying palm tree and parrot, it served MAFTTI’s needs for the parades in 2010 and 2011….….and was also lodged for a month at a time in a succession of churches as a focus for more awareness-raising about Fair Trade, as here at First Presbyterian Church in July, 2011.

Carmen Miranda had more space on MAFTTI’s second, garlanded, float but she had to share it with agorilla hitching a lift and proclaiming “Don’t monkey around. Buy Fair Trade!” Images of Fair Trade products surrounded the float on three sides as it wended its way along the parade route atop Jerry Trump’s antique Ford pickup, here shown on July 7, 2012.

MAFTTI’s first float could not have accommodated the growing availability of Fair Trade products – Fruits, Cooking, Tea, Chocolate, Coffee, Snacks, Drinks, Décor, Sports, Textiles, Sweeteners and Baking.

(l-r): Joyce Finkler, Dena Fischer, Rev. Dawn Carder and Muriel Schoon.

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A trifold display on Fair Trade mounted in the Taylor Library, North Mankato.

In the Blue Earth County Library, Mankato, thecontents of six perspex-covered boxes sought to draw readers’ attention to MAFTTI’s message.Whenever possible, a new publication on Fair Trade was featured - with copies donated to the two libraries at the end of Fair Trade Month.

Fair Trade MonthOctober is Fair Trade Month in the USA.MAFTTI usually staged a major event during the month and tried to feature on local radio and in the Free Press.

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Since 2010 MAFTTI worked to supply volunteers tohelp Joyce Bucklin of the Ten Thousand Villages storein Mountain Lake to have a kiosk at the River HillsMall between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Throughthis venture, shoppers have been able to purchasehandcraft items from the Global South locally.

Other sources, apart from Mountain Lake, are thebigger Ten Thousand Villages store in St.Paul or, 2015-2019, the Fair Emporium in St. Peter.

Following up their “Declaration for Fair Trade” in October 2014, three School Sisters helped to staff the Ten Thousand Villages kiosk, as here in December 2015.

(l-r) S.Therese Ann Zanmiller, S. Virginia Bieren and S. Marylyn Irrgang

Ten Thousand Villages kiosk, River Hills MallMennonite-inspired Ten Thousand Villages sees itself as more than a network of Fair Trade stores. “We’re a global maker-to-market movement. We’re a way for you to shop with intention for ethically-sourced wares— and to share in the joy of connecting.”

http://www.tenthousandvillages.comhttp://www.tenthousandvillages.com

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Part of a Global Story

In October 2011, Mankato became the 25th Fair Trade Town in the USA and part of a global network of 1,048 such towns (and large cities) in 22 countries. By the end of 2019 there were 45 Fair Trade Towns in the USA (including Boston, Chicago, Houston and San Francisco) and over 2,000 in 33 countries from Latin America to the Far East. The Fair Trade Towns idea has come a long way from Garstang, north-west England, population c. 5,000. Media, PA is not much larger.

http://www.fairtradetowns.orghttp://www.fairtradetowns.org

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In April 2012, Margo Druschel, then MAFTTITreasurer, visited Fair Trade producers of coffee, cacao and bananas in the Dominican Republic.

In October 2012 Jorge William Restrepo and Felipe Echevarri Zapata, Fair Trade banana farmers in Uruba, Colombia, spent a long weekend in the Mankato area. They shared their stories in public meetings, on the radio, in college class, with Cub West staff and the Mankato City Manager.

In July 2013 MAFTTI Vice-Chair Jane Dow (l) visited Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico and witnessed the importance of Fair Trade in promoting cooperative development and strengthening producers, be they woodworkers or coffee farmers.

Exchanging Experiences

Margo and Phyllis from Café Feminino, with whom she left a copy of MAFTTI’s Fair Trade Town Declaration Poster.

At the St. Peter Food Co-op, Jorge spoke with Emily Kracht, who spearheaded Loyola Catholic School’s drive to become a Fair Trade School in May 2012.

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MAFTTI’s work benefited from being represented at several US conferences:

Boston (9/10),Philadelphia (9/11), Chicago (10/12), Milwaukee(4/14), Washington (3/18), Chicago (3/19)….

…and at two of the annual conferences of Fair TradeTowns International – the 5th at Malmo, Sweden(11/11) and the 9th at Bristol, England (7/15).

Jorge and Felipe have been chatting withArlene Renshaw during the final event in their program in the Midwest in October 2012.

Bruce Crowther of Garstang, England, the‘founding father’ of the Fair Trade Towns movement makes a point to the Media, PA, delegation at the Bristol conference.

Sharing StoriesSharing stories is very important in the Fair Trade world.

http://www.fairtradetowns.org/20-news-events-conferences/207-bristol-international-fair-trade-towns-conference-2015

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When Transition Mankato started up and organized the first Sustainability Expo in April 2014, MAFTTI was keen to be present because Fair Trade contributes to Sustainability, not least by supporting small farmerswho produce organically.

NetworkingIn the community

http://www.facebook.com/TransitionMankatoMn

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NetworkingAmong university students

From time to time MAFTTI members gave talks aboutFair Trade to students in three departments at MNSU,Communications, Sociology, and Marketing andInternational Business, and at South-Central College.

Tabling at MNSU’s Campus and Community Fairs and at SCC’s Global Connections conferences was anotherway of trying to make connections and stimulate on-campus initiatives.

Marketing and International Businessstudents visiting Fair Trade producers in Belize in 2015.

Holly Schwichtenberg, MNSU student liaisonwith the MAFTTI Steering Committee, engages with an international student in 2012.

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When MAFTTI became aware of an independent FairTrade School initiative at Loyola Catholic School, amutually-supportive relationship ensued. Loyolastudents skate-boarded along with MAFTTI on the FunDays Parade! In May 2012 Loyola became the first K-12 Fair Trade School in the nation.

In May 2017, to mark the 5th anniversary, Radio Mankato’s Pete Steiner hosted LCS teacher Brigid Prehn (l), Fair Trade Club President Ellie Hodapp and, at the back, Emily Kracht for a conversation on“Talk of the Town”

In January 2013 LCS received a Young Pathfinder Award from Greater Mankato Diversity Council.

At K-12 level

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Jane Dow and Betty Winkworth led the way in liaising with local teachers from elementary, middle and high schools. They introduced educational resources on topics related to Fair Trade, drew up lists of online resources and encouraged experimentation in Social Studies lessons with Fair Trade themes.

Cover of a Grade 4-9 online curriculum (124 pages) produced by Equal Exchange.

NetworkingCurriculum Development

Jane Dow Betty Winkworth

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With young people at church and school

Reverse Trick or Treat

Young people in both churches and elementary schools participated every Halloween in “Reverse Trick or Treat”. Instead of visiting local homes andmaking the traditional demand, they offered (a) a chocolate mini from Equal Exchange, longstanding Fair Trade co-op in Massachusetts.(b) information about how Fair Trade certification fights the use of child labor on West African cacao plantations and where to buy Fair Trade chocolate in the Mankato area.

At First Congregational/UCC in Mankato, on Sunday,May 18, 2014.Pastor Dana Mann (r) with Laurie Palesotti behindher), Amy Mukamuri (center at back) and Christi Smith (5th from left) with participants in Fair Trade service - and Fair Trade chocolate samples.

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Special Events

May 12, 2010: World Fair Trade Day

October 18, 2010: Dinner/Fundraiser at the UCC.

October 18, 2012: Bananamania

On January 12, 2010 a massive earthquake struck theCaribbean island of Hispaniola, affecting theDominican Republic and, especially, Haiti. Transfairissued an appeal on behalf of displaced Fair Tradeproducers.MAFTTI raised $750 in toto towards the appeal.

The guest speaker was John de Graaf, a well-known documentary film-maker. His 2006 film “Buyer, Be Fair” focused on two major trade goods, timber and coffee, and on whether certification schemes like Fair Trade help the poor. John spoke and showed his film to MNSU students before the MAFTTI event.

Audience hangs on every word of Colombian Fair Trade banana producer Felipe Zapata at MAFTTI’s Bananamania event at the UCC – when everyone was also treated to a range of banana-based desserts.

Barb Girtz (I) and Jan Boyum (r) ready to offer a Fair Trade rose to a young lady in exchange for a donation to Transfair.

(l-r) Jane Dow, Paul Renshaw, Amy Friedman John de Graaf

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October 21, 2012: Mankato Marathon

April 28, 2013: Fair Trade Tea

October 22, 2103: Oaxaca-Chiapas

The MAFTTI Steering Committee supported one of its members, Keri Johnson, who competed in the marathon. A MAFTTI-Loyola Cheer Team played its part and offered Fair Trade banana bites to runners as they passed by…..and then had to pick up the skins where they had been discarded!

Jane Dow reported back on her July visit to southern Mexico, where disaffection with the government is widespread among indigenous people. During the trip she encountered CEPCO, the largest association of small coffee producers in Oaxaca, established in 1989at the height of the coffee crisis. She learned at first hand why Fair Trade is so important, not least the Social Premium for funding development projects thatis part of the price of every cup of Fair Trade coffee.

Messiah Lutheran Church offered to host MAFTTI’s first Fair Trade Tea. Four teas (with a variety of edibles) were offered, from southern Africa and south Asia. A dozen individually prepared table settings revealed ingenuity in design and execution – and that banana monkey again!

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June 10, 2014: MAFTTI 5th Anniversary

September 11, 2014: Fair Trade Fashion

This provided a timely moment for MAFTTI to focus again on Peru. Joyce Bucklin, having visited Peruvian partners of Ten Thousand Villages in February, was able to give a vivid, illustrated talk on her experiences and, of course, make a sale or two.

MAFTTI achieved a record attendance of 140 at itsfirst Fair Trade Fashion show, hosted by the UnitarianUniversalists. An added attraction was guest speaker Kelsey Timmerman, author of “Where Am I Wearing?”Kelsey also spoke at Loyola the following day.

MAFTTI found that providing desserts featuring ethnicfood products, in this case from Peru, and Fair Trade certifiedwhere possible, was a great way to attract an audience.

Kelsey (back center) with models organizedby Margo Druschel (r) wearing Fair Trade apparel from Mata Traders and Alta Gracia.

http://kelseytimmerman.com

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March 3, 2015: MNSU Social Justice Lecture

June 4, 2015: Chiapas, Mexico

October 8, 2015: Guatemala

MAFTTI co-sponsored this lecture by two sociologists from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. Dr. Mark Hudson and Dr. Mara Fridell talked about “Fair Trade, Sustainability and Social Change”, the theme of their 2013 book.

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church hosted this event. As well as enjoying ethnically-inspired food, the audience heard from both Catholic and Congregational church sources about their relationships with and knowledge of Guatemala - the long Catholic link with the San Lucas Toliman missionand the Congregationalists’ awareness of village life around Antigua through Common Hope.

Tamika Bertram, owner of River Rock Coffee, St. Peter and Helena Shanks, Lead Barista, spoke at a meeting at Grace Lutheran Church about their long-term FairTrade relationship with coffee co-ops in Chiapas and their fund-raising to support water projects for the benefit of Mayan families in the region.

Mark & Mara (2nd and 3rd from left) with five MAFTTI Steering Committee members, Arlene and Paul Renshaw, Margo Druschel, Dr. Paul Prew (MNSU Sociology) and Jane Dow.

Paul Prew (MNSU/MAFTTI) and Tamika. Helena in background.

http://www.sanlucasmission.orghttp://www.commonhope.orghttp://www.rrcoffee.com/project-chiapas

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April 24, 2016: Fair Trade Tea & Fashion Focus

Returning to Messiah Lutheran, MAFTTI’s second Fair Trade Tea had an additional twist, a Focus on Fashion through a special exhibit created by Paulette Bertrand and Deb Fitzloff. The stimuli for this were:(a) The third anniversary, to the day, of the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh.(b) MAFTTI’s desire to keep alive interest in the unsustainability of “fast fashion” and the apparel industry issues raised by Kelsey Timmerman.

https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/04/30/525858799/4-years-after-rana-plaza-tragedy-whats-changed-for-bangladeshi-garment-workers

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To mark this milestone MAFTTI organized two events, both on October 27:

(a) Day Conference at MSU on “Fair Trade for a Sustainable Future”. Students from MSU, Gustavus and Loyola attended. Mariana Cobos, a Fair Trade banana farmer from Ecuador, contributed as part a group from Equal Exchange. Mark Ritchie, former MN Secretary of State and key figure in the formation of Transfair in the late 1990s, gave the conference keynote.

(b) An evening celebration at Christ the King Lutheran Church, at which Mark Ritchie also spoke to an audience of 70. He was excited to see the progress in the availability of Fair Trade products since the launch of Transfair.

Mankato Fair Trade Town Declaration (October 24, 2011)

5th AnniversaryOctober 27, 2016:

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5th Anniversary, more

Each table featured a collection of Fair Trade products and information about where they could be purchased in Mankato or, in the case of The FairEmporium, in St.Peter.

MAFTTI”s current Shopping Guide is here.

The cake was specially prepared with Fair Trade ingredients where available by Friesen’s of Mankato.

The Free Press printed an “Our View” which celebrated the anniversary of the Declaration. “The support by cities of fair trade is not in any waybinding, but it does send the message that the community is interested in backing the fair trade cause……..Credit for that local awareness to MAFTTIfor its tireless promotion of fair trade issues and persistence in proudly making Mankato the state’s first fair trade town.”

Some of the Fair Trade products thenavailable at Cub West.

It wasn’t all serious! Here are Molly Junkers, Steve Druschel and Jack Considine playing “Fair Trade Jeopardy”.

Mark Ritchie (l) with Mankato Mayor Eric Anderson (r) and MAFTTI Chair Paul Renshaw at the evening celebration.

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MAFTTI broke new ground and took the Fair Trade message to the MankatoBrewery. That gorilla again, not seen since escaping fromCarmen Miranda’s float in North Mankato, was still onmessage –“Don’t monkey around. Buy Fair Trade.”

With David Gadberry, MNSU music faculty, on stageand contributing to the ambience of the evening,brewery patrons enjoyed their drinks while being exposed to the values and vision of Fair Trade, most proximately by MAFTTI’s table tent.

Reaching a new generation of Fair Trade advocates isMAFTTI’s great hope.

19 October, 2017: Brewery Event

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Hosted again by Messiah Lutheran, MAFTTI’s third Fair Trade Tea featured Fair Trade certified and gently-used wearing apparel. In the spirit of the Fashion Revolution initiative,“Change clothes, change lives” again spoke to the issues raised by the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh on 24 April 2013.

Tables were, once more, set creatively by friends of MAFTTI.Combining Fair Trade tea with fashion again produced a gathering that just squeezed into the large space that Messiah offered.

A trio of young models display clothing available at the Fair Emporium in St. Peter.

The women’s wear is from India. The men’s jacket and hat are from Nepal.

A formidable sextet - neither the Witches of Salem nor the patron saints of MAFTTI. They attended, and obviously enjoyed, the Fair Trade Tea and Fashion Show, and brought with them an adventurous, imaginative spirit that is an example to all.

May 5, 2018 – Fair Trade Tea & Fashion Show

http://www.fashionrevolution.org/north-america/usa/

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10th Anniversary June 12, 2019

10 YEARS ON......Reimagining the Vision...Cultivating the Future

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June 12, 2019 – “MAFTTI becomes Mankato Fair Trade”Ten years on from the formation of MAFTTI, the Steering Committee felt that, with Mankato in its eighth year as a ‘Fair Trade Town’, it was no longer appropriate to call its work an ‘Initiative’. MAFTTI is dead – long live Mankato Fair Trade!

The 10th Anniversary of Fair Trade education and advocacy in the Mankato area was marked by a gathering at the UCC on June 12 where Olivea Boyer, a UW-Eau Claire student from Waseca, was the guest speaker. She recounted some of her encounters during a visit to Guatemala early in 2019. These included a women’s jewelry-making co-op which recycles trash from the largest dump in Central America outside Guatemala City.

Update from PeruNews was shared of Eva Pizarro and Ayde Riveros, the Peruvian Fair Trade workers whose visit on May 5, 2009, stimulated the formation of MAFTTI.

Eva moved in 2015 from Lima back to her birthplace, Cuzco, and is now involved with a new jewelry group there - Joyeria Illaria - that hopes to

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be able to export through Bridge of Hope, the Lima-based hub of producer groups that links with Partners for Just Trade in St. Louis, MO.In a message to MAFTTI in June, Eva described her trip to the USA in 2009

as “an unforgettable experience that I thank with all my heart.” For Eva, being part of in the Fair Trade movement has been “the most beautiful stage of my life” in several ways - support in sales and marketing, personal growth and increased income.

Ayde still lives in Huancavelica, high in the Andes, working with the El Mercurio handcrafts producer group. Her story of cooperative work through Fair Trade is similar - of growing personal confidence within a patriarchal society, developing

greater awareness of human rights, learning more about handcraft skills and business, and how a cooperative works together. Visitors from PJT in May said of El Mercurio that the women there “are leaders in their families and communities, advocating for important change - such as access to electricity and water, education for their children, and helping each other and other people in their communities escape abusive situations. They are extremely perseverant, forward thinking, resourceful, and generous. They also practice earth care and environmental consciousness in their work-using natural and organic materials as much as possible, and minimizing the waste they produce.”

Closing the event, Margo Druschel, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee, praised Olivia for traveling to Guatemala to listen, learn and honor the wisdom of the people she and her classmates visited and stayed with. “Her understanding of the global connections, through concern and action for our shared planet, to justice for indigenous people and women, to the impact of fair trade principles and practices for individuals, families and communities, was a joy for us all to hear.”

Margo pledged that, “as MFT moves into our future, we share Olivia’s enthusiasm. Indeed, we are deeply encouraged by the engagement of youth of high school and college age. We will continue to educate and advocate locally for the importance and meaning of the work of Fair Trade and how it intersects with partners at the Farmers’ Market, retailers, schools and other initiatives in St. Peter and New Ulm.”

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Credits

Front Cover Image...........Ricardo Levins MoralesText ...............................................Paul RenshawMankato Event Pictures(99%).........Paul Renshaw

MANKATOMinnesota’s FIRST Fair Trade Town

www.maftti.org