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“The New Conscious Consumer: Expanding Economic Justice Through Fair Trade” |
The first part of the reading that really stood out to me was the text that described Deuteronomu 15:7-11. This text describes an event in 2005 in which partners from Just Trade put together boxes filled with Fair Trade good to sell. The church that sold them made a profit from the sales and was hoping they would be able to buy the artisans something they really needed. When they were able to get in contact with the artisans, the artisans asked if the funds could be donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States. The artisans felt honored they were able to give money to Americans because they themselves had been the victims for so long.
I was really impressed by this story because it helped me to see how a fair trade relationship really benefits both parties. Often, I feel that relationships end up so out of balance because one is always giving more than they are getting. It’s not that I feel both parties deserve to constantly be getting, but when there is a balance, the relationship seems more valuable because there is not a constant feeling of something being owed to the giving party. I also found it really impressive that the artisans were willing to give back to the United States when we have so many organizations within our own country that were supporting the Hurricane Katrina disaster efforts. In many of the countries where fair trade efforts are focused, there was no inside support from the government or wealthier people of the country. Many of these people solely depend on support from the United States and wealthier countries to support them. The fact that the artisans were willing to look past the fact that the disaster from Hurricane Katrina would be fixed in due time when their own lives would remain very difficult for years to come is truly inspiring.
The second part of the reading that really stood out to me is the text following Acts 16:13-15. In this passage there is one quote in particular that really stands out to me, “we can look up at our husbands and they have to look back at us with full respect.” This section describes how the women in Huayanay have been able to support their families by learning how to weave. For these women, this was an incredible opportunity because they were never given an opportunity to work and were therefore seen as lesser than the men.
The fact that there are countries where women are not given the same opportunities as men is simply baffling to me. Here in the United States, women and men have all of the same opportunities; we can get the same education, play the same supports, and hold the same jobs. Women are no longer expected to stay home and serve as a housewife, in fact in April it was reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that 59% of US households had two working parents. As a female entering the work force in the very near future, I could never imagine not having the opportunity to become educated and enter the work force. At 21, I feel I have a sense of independence and am looking forward to taking time to work and support myself before settling down and starting a family. This is a privilege that I most certainly take for granted each and every day. Reading this article reminded me that I am lucky to have this privilege but also helped me to realize just how much fair trade efforts are helping others to slowly gain privileges.
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