Got plans tonite? Break ‘em and check these out:

FOOD FOR THOUGHT hosts the second annual Green Cuisine - a celebration of local food, wine and beer.  Seth Bernard and Daisy May will be on hand for great music, too.  It’s a kid-friendly, zero-waste FREE event! A big thanks to Timothy & Kathy Young, Evan Smith and the rest of the crew at FFT for all their support through the years - this was my first job upon return from Chiapas and these guys supported Higher Grounds from it’s very infancy!

The SAFE PASSAGE FIESTA takes place at the Hagerty Center.  Support Safe Passage’s program helping children and their families who work in the Guatemala City Dump.  Purchase Higher Ground’s Safe Passage Blend at the Fiesta and we’ll donate 100% of the proceeds to Safe Passage. Pick up a bag at the Coffee Bar and we’ll donate $5.50/lb.

When: Saturday, June 21st from Noon - 5pm

Celebrate the longest day of the year by shaking your tail feather to Traverse City’s new, hot Latin dance band - Rojo Loco. Grab your dancing shoes on and join us from 2-5!

Before coffee was a household beverage, beer was the libation of choice for much of the world. Since then, beer and coffee have gone well together. In a world of corporate controlled, mundane beer offerings, we at Higher Grounds Trading Co. like to believe ourselves to be helping to form a libation nation. We work hard to support artisanal fair trade and organic coffees and locally produced micro-brewed beers and wines that go well together with fine locally produced independent music.
Short’s Brewery in Bellaire, Michigan is to beer what Higher Grounds Trading Co. is to coffee: A valiant attempt at formulating the finest concoction of handcrafted brews in our respected genre.
According to our good friend the Beer and Bean Activist, Chris O’brien,
“Beer has been celebrated since ancient times for its tonic and healthful effects. Civilizations from Sumer to Peru praised special goddesses and gods of beer and fermentation. Coffee has also had its worshippers, such as the Arab Sufi monks who drank it to stay awake for late-night prayers.”
So…. in the spirit of celebration for all things fine in beer, coffee, and music we offer these random bus trips for you to join us for a joyous evening.

Upcoming Bus Trips

Saturday, June 7: Seth Bernard CD Release Party with special guests May Erlewine and Breathe Owl Breathe
These Earthwork Musicians are to music what Short’s Brewery and Higher Grounds is to beer and coffee!
Bus will leave from Higher Grounds at 7:30 pm and return at 1 am.
Tickets are $15 for a roundtrip evening of rebel-rousing. Adult beverages are encouraged on the bus.
Call us at 231.922.9009 or contact us here to make a reservation.

JAM FOR YOUTH - A Benefit for Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative
Tomorrow at the Opera House 7:00 - 10:30

It’s great music for a great cause - supporting foster youth as the ‘age out’ of the foster care system - and we hope to see you there! Some of our favorite musicians from the Earthworks music collective will perform including Joshua Davis, Breathe Owl Breathe, Brandon Foote & Laura Bates and Chris Dorman.
Click here to learn more about the Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative
Get your tickets at Higher Grounds Coffee Bar for $15.00 or get them at the door for $20.00. You can also purchase any CD by an Earthwork’s musician at the Coffee for $30.00 and we’ll donate $15.00 to MYOI. We’ll throw in a cup of brewed coffee for you in gratitude!

Join us as we welcome Jose Perez Vasquez, President of Maya Vinic Coffee Cooperative to Traverse City, Michigan this Monday, May 19 at 5 pm - 7 pm. With his coffee in tow, Jose will lead a tasting and talk about his fair trade and organic coffee cooperative and the Las Abejas Civil Society which he helped to form in 1992. He will also have his wife’s  mayan weavings for sale.

Jose’s inspirational story is rich with courage. Jose is the co-founder of Las Abejas Civil Society, a non-violent Mayan organization dedicated to the struggle for indigenous rights in Chiapas, Mexico. In ‘92 the organization was formed after the Mexican government wrongly imprisoned his brother and 4 other neighbors. After thousands marched on the capital of the state of Chiapas to demand their release, his brother was freed from jail after just 27 days. In ‘96 to present day, the Las Abejas Civil Society has been  internationally recognized as brokers of peace in Chiapas and outspoken critics of neoliberal economic policies and its effects on the countryside. As a result of this role, Jose and the Las Abejas people have been brutally oppressed, leading to the massacre in Acteal of 45 people in 1997. Jose currently acts as President of the Maya Vinic coffee cooperative, overseeing the collection and exportation of organic and fair trade coffees from over 400 members in the Mayan Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico.

We look forward to seeing you there! Call with any questions: 231.922.9009

How does the World’s Largest Fair Trade Coffee Break Work?

For WFTD 2008, we will set the world record for the World’s Largest Fair Trade Coffee Break. On May 10, 2008 at 3 pm Eastern/Noon Pacific. people across the country will take a break to enjoy a cup of Fair Trade coffee or other Fair Trade beverage. We will be setting a new record that will serve as a benchmark for futres years’ challenges!

Participating in the World’s Largest Fair Trade Coffee Break is a great way to communicate the solidarity of the Fair Trade movement in the U.S. and celebrate those who produce the things that we buy.

So to join in, use this page, the tools in the WFTD Toolkit, use the WFTD Action Guide to shape what happens, and use the WFTD Media Kit to engage the media. Your event can be as big or small as you choose. What’s important is that you are COUNTED!

Who can participate?

Anyone. So long as you are serving Fair Trade beverages that are certified by TransFair USA or produced by a member of the Fair Trade Federation, we invite you to join in and BE COUNTED. Invite people to your home. Host an event at your church, synagogue, or mosque. Integrate the Break into your local Farmer’s Market.

TAKE A FAIR TRADE BREAK
tc’s first annual
WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY
SATURDAY, MAY 10TH
all day at Unity, Higher Grounds, and Oryana
official TC’S LARGEST FAIR TRADE COFFEE BREAK is at 3PM at unity

Come join in these local events to celebrate the movement to make trade fair. Learn about the benefits of fair trade (FT), and taste the difference that respect, love and dignity can make in chocolate, coffee, olive oil, fruit preserves, bananas and other fair trade products.

Unity FT Marketplace
will be tasting free FT coffee, chocolate, etc all day, as well as holding a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to the store full of FT fashion, toys, books, and beautiful/useful home decor. join us here at 3PM for the official
TC’s largest fair trade coffee break
Lets get the whole town together to join in this awesome celebration
113 E State St. (in the alley behind the City Opera House) 929-4228  http://unityfairtrade.com/

Higher Grounds and Oryana
all day will be tasting free fair trade coffee, local FT fruit preserves and other FT goodies.
Come check out their SALES on FT products in honor of WFTD
Oryana: 260 E.10th St. (at Lake st)  947-0191  http://www.oryana.coop/
Higher Grounds: 806 Red Dr., Suite 150 (the old state hospital)  922-9009  http://www.highergroundstrading.com/

* for more information, contact Chelsea at chelsbay@gmail.com

What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is an alternative way of doing business, one that builds equitable, long-term partnerships between consumers in North America and producers in developing regions. Fair Trade businesses commit to:

• Paying a fair wage in the local context.
• Offering employees opportunities for advancement.
• Providing equal opportunities for all people, particularly the most disadvantaged.
• Engaging in environmentally sustainable practices.
• Being open to public accountability.
• Building long-term trade relationships.
• Providing healthy and safe working conditions within the local context.
• Providing financial and technical assistance to producers whenever possible.
This criteria was established by the Fair Trade Federation.

Fri April 25th - Mon April 27th - Virtual Dump Installation on Display

The Virtual Garbage Dump installation is photographic journey through the Guatemala City Garbage Dump from behind the lens of area photographer Beth Price.The mission of Safe Passage is to empower the poorest, at-risk children of families working in the community of the Guatemala City garbage dump, by creating opportunities and fostering dignity through the power of education.

More information on GUATEMALA from Great Lakes Friends of Safe Passage

Guatemala means “land of trees”. A thousand years ago, the remarkable Mayan civilization flourished here. Today more than half of Guatemalans are descendantsof this proud heritage. Mayan languages are spoken alongside Spanish — the official language. The country’s beauty and cultural strength is not accompanied by prosperity or cohesion. In 1996 it emerged from a 36-year civil war. More than 200,000 people, most indigenous civilians, were killed. Refugees fled to Guatemala City, leaving
their traditional way of life in the highlands. Today, poverty is widespread, estimated at 70-80% of the population. Nearly halfof Guatemala’s children are chronically malnourished. The poorest of the poor struggle for survival at the Guatemala City Garbage Dump, the largest landfill in Central America; 1/3 of the country’s trash ends up here.
For over 60 years this has been the home and workplace for thousands of familieswho make their living salvaging from the City’s trash. Many have lived at the dumpfor 20-30 years, passing this way of life on from one generation to the next. It’sestimated that 3500 children currently live in this toxic wasteland.

By Jody Treter

 I’m writing from the Baltimore airport, headed home from two days of meetings convened by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to share ideas and get feedback from stakeholders about the next decade of CRS’s fair trade program. The added bonus of the trip was that I got to spend some time with my good buddy and fellow bean activist, Chris O’Brien, who also attended the first day of the meetings. CRS invited Chris to present on the difficult-to-tackle topic “Where is Responsible Consumption Headed?” and he wowed the meeting particpants with his comprehensive understanding of “green” purchasing (as many of you may know, Chris O head’s up the Responsible Purchasing Network). CRS prepped us for the visioning session with several other short presentations including the history of CRS and their FT program, a snapshot of the FT movement today and an argument for why it might be a good approach to open CRS’s FT program to more mainstream partners for greater market impact.

Among faith-based development organizations, CRS is a leader. It’s newly finished LEED-certified building is the first sign that, indeed, CRS is walking their talk. In the world of Fair Trade, CRS began it’s work with the Work of Human Hands craft project in 1995. In 2003, CRS launched it’s Fair Trade Program which became the umbrella for several other initiatives including the Work of Human Hands, plus the FT Coffee and Chocolate Programs. The Coffee Progam, an ambitious and forward-thinking partnership between marginlized farmers in Nicaragua and 100% fair trade coffee companies in the United States, is a new twist on interfaith coffee projects. While the Presbyterians, Lutherans and others have programs that partner exclusively with Equal Exchange, CRS boldly created the first “localized” program encouraging dioceses and parishes to support their nearest CRS Coffee Roasting Partner, of which there are twelve in the States. This model serves to “share the wealth” amongst several roasters plus it better leverages the FT movement.

Now four years into their FT program, CRS leaders are carrying out the due diligence necessary to create a well-informed blueprint for the next ten years. This is no easy task. The goal is clear - how does the CRS FT program serve the overarching CRS mission to alleviate suffering and create dignified livelihoods for the poorest of the poor?  Our contribution, as stakeholders of the CRS Fair Trade, is to assist in the creation of long-term strategies to this end. 

CRS offered three ideas to help generate conversation around strategies for the future:

1. Revisit the strict adherence to the Gold Standard for Partners (ie - can CRS’s impact be greater if it broadens it’s partnership criteria?). The small working group I joined focused on this issue and offered up a hybrid solution. First, it’s important to maintain (and even actively improve) the Gold Standard of Fair Trade (often referred to as the 100%ers or Alternative Trade Organizations b/c their business models are fully committed to the principles of fair trade). The partners who meet “Gold Standard” criteria should be distinguished from others as the preferential partners. But, when these partners can’t meet the need of a potential customer (ie - a large institution wants to purchase individual pods for coffee makers), CRS directs the customers to “silver” level partners and, finally, “bronze” level partners. The discussions were much richer but this is the core of our group’s proposal.

2. Shifting from a “product” focus to “points of engagements”. My opinion is that the CRS FT message will have the greated impace if both a “product” focus plus a ”points of engagement” strategy are employed. For example, CRS may choose to sponsor an up-and-coming Skateboarder to engage Youth on their own turf - a point of engagement -  but, when a church calls to ask about where to purchase office supplies or coffee or chocolate, CRS should remain an authority (termed “trust provider”) by offering a list of products from their program partners.

3. From advertising to advocacy: Economic Justice beyond consumption. This piece wasn’t taken on by a working group because meeting attendees felt like this issue would be covered under the other two topics. Economic Justice is the over-riding theme of the CRS FT program and should continue to be so. In the end, Fair Trade is just one tool in the greater struggle for dignity and sustainability within economic justice. So, perhaps, the CRS FT program should consider changing their name to the CRS “Economic Justice Program” and create a more comprehensive approach that includes 1. the promotion of authentic “gold standard” fair trade partners; 2. engaging companies that are slowly coming into the fold of fair trade and economic justice; 3. identifying and pursuing points of engagements for CRS constituents.

Kudos to CRS FT for lining up an impressive roster of movers and shakers for the visioning session! I’ve been impressed time and time again with CRS’s commitment to the involvement of their stakeholders and the time they take to nurture relationships.  Representing the Fair Trade movement was Carmen Iezzi, ED of the Fair Trade Federation; Serena Sato of SERVV; Kimberly Easson of TransFair USA; Joe Falcone of Counter Sourcing Fair Trade Apparel; Allen Thayer of Handcrafting Justice/Fair Trade Uniforms. Rick Peyser joined from Green Mountain Roasters and many CRS staff/volunteers from several different departments attended including Abby Causey, a CRS FT ambassador from Virginia Beach; Lara Puglielli, who was instrumental in the birth of the CRS fair trade coffee program in Nicaragua; Chuck Paquette, Foundation and Corporate Relations at CRS; Barbara Myers, Senior Director of US Operations; Sarah Ford, Senior Technical Advisor for Partnerships; Shaun Ferris, Technical Advisor on Agro-Enterprise; Brian Backe, Director of Domestic Programs Support Unit; Juan Molina, CRS-US Southwest; Thomas Awiapo, CRS-Ghana; and last but not least were the tireless CRS Fair Trade Champions, Jackie DeCarlo and Katy Cantrell.

Thanks much for the provocative discussions and good humor! That’s all for now . . . need to catch my plane.