Face of Fair Trade: Kristen Beifus of Global Goods Partners

So, all throughout October, I had a running piece called "Faces of Fair Trade" where I was highlighting different people in the Fair Trade movement in honor of Fair Trade Month. I would ask different people questions about their involvement with Fair Trade, in order to showcase different 'faces of fair trade' which involves farmers, artisans, activists, and you. I enjoyed talking to different people so much, I've decided to keep it coming.

Recently, I spoke with Kristen, the West Coast Coordinator of Global Goods Partners, a non-profit dedicated to alleviating poverty and promoting social justice by strengthening women-led development initiatives for those in marginalized communities. Introducing today's Face of Fair Trade; Kristen.

What is your role in the Fair Trade movement?

Above all I am a consumer. I purchase gifts for people, items for my house, jewelry/scarves, chocolate-especially very dark, coffee-decaf, tea (mostly green) etc. and these items have more value to me when I know how and by whom they were made and who benefits from my purchases-other than me of course.

I am a founding member of Borderline, a collective helping to connect women artisans along the Thailand-Burma border with fair trade markets in the US, Europe, Australia and Japan.

In the US, I am the west coast coordinator for Global Goods Partners, a not for profit fair trade organization that supports economic and social development in women’s community groups throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America by creating new markets for their hand made items, through fair trade fundraising opportunities for schools and not for profit organizations. GGP is a member of the Fair Trade Federation and the Washington Fair Trade Coalition, which is based in Seattle. I coordinate the SweatFree Washington Campaign, a project of WFTC aimed at passing SweatFree procurement legislation at the local and state levels.

How did you first get involved with Fair Trade?

It is hard to place a first time. It has been an ongoing process of learning and then making decisions about what I am going to do once I know the real situation.

Why is Fair Trade important to you/in general?

I want to use my resources to support positive/healthy livelihoods. Everyone deserves to be fairly compensated for their labor and enabled enough resources to not just survive but to thrive and make choices for their own self-determination. I can no longer enjoy an item, when I know it was made at the sacrifice of another person.

What inspires you about Fair Trade?

Fair Trade and SweatFree movements are asking important questions and suggesting ways forward. Fair Trade is offering a new model for business that is actually not really new at all. Fair trade in the end is simple village economics, where the producers and the consumers have input into deciding what is a fair exchange. When the consumers know the person who grew, harvested, and/or made what they are consuming and enjoying, they are encouraged to be more active in insuring that the transaction is mutually beneficial. It is this relationship building, which is probably the most exciting part of Fair Trade for me. Also educating people on the consumer side about how their food/products have been nurtured and created, makes food and handicrafts much more alive and raises the value beyond a financial exchange. Finally in a time when people feel their power is being diluted daily, remembering that we have choices and no matter our financial situation, purchasing is a political act and we can influence positive change in small ways everyday-if we so choose.

What do you see as the challenges of the Fair Trade movement?

It is difficult for fair trade retail and wholesale businesses in the US to have the time and the resources to be able to be involved in the larger labor movement, which can cause them to feel alienated. There needs to be continued support for these business owners to enable them to consistently feel appreciated for their efforts and connected to the movement outside of their own shop door. For they are the advocates for change, challenging the ‘business as usual’ ideal of ‘profit before people.’ Fair Trade can lend these experiences to labor and sweat free movements that are working on insuring workers in the US receive basic rights and income, that international fair trade policies include labor and environmental standards and that purchasing in the US supports sustainable livelihoods, the right for workers to organize and healthy working conditions-the very tenants of Fair Trade.

The commodities that are labeled Fair Trade are frequently luxury items and the artisans that are supported by these fair trade markets are a fraction of the workers making commodities for the global market. It is important for more commodities to be Fair Trade and in turn more workers will benefit.

Recognizing that Fair Trade is a set of ideals, the challenge of the practical application and interpretation is ongoing. For example setting universal minimum standards when dealing with different costs of living in different countries.

Fair Trade is still seen as ‘alternative’ and not mainstream. The Fair Trade Movement needs to continuously educate consumers, who in the current economy are looking for ever cheaper goods. It is hard to explain to someone looking to save money for their families, that the savings has to be paid somewhere in the supply chain, most likely by the producers through poverty wages and the destruction of the environment where they live and work.

What are you doing for Fair Trade month? (Editor's Note: Question asked during Fair Trade Month, in October)

I am preparing to take part in the fabulous International Convergence being organized by the United Students for Fair Trade scheduled at the University of Washington next month.

SweatFree Washington and Student Labor Action Project are organizing a film screening of Made in LA, which recently won an Emmy for its documentation of three Latina immigrants who worked in a garment sweatshop in LA and courageously fought for their labor rights and dignity as people.

Planning a Fair Trade House party for the holidays, for friends to be able to visit and buy gifts.

Eating dark chocolate and drinking tea.