Fair Trade Week! Meet Peruvian Artisans at Chicago-Area Events!

CRLN and its partners at Chicago Fair Trade, Catholic Relief Services, Partners for Just Trade and Green America invite you to celebrate World Fair Trade Day with artisans Evangelina Pizarro and Ayde Riveros. For the first time these artisans will travel from Peru to share their stories of how Fair Trade has radically changed their lives. On their US tour - Resonating Change: Connecting Communities Through Fair Trade - Ms. Pizarro and Ms. Riveros will give first hand accounts of how the purchase of Fair Trade products directly improves the lives of farmers and artisans in the global south. The tour will be in Chicago May 12 - 17.

Chicago-area events include:

Tuesday May 12th, 7 pm, Fourth Presbyterian Church (Chestnut and Michigan, downtown Chicago);
Thursday May 14th, 5 pm, Chicago Fair Trade's Globe Fest celebration and fundraiser, at Zapatista Cantina (1307 S. Wabash, Chicago) http://www.chicagofairtrade.org/save-the-date-global-fest
Friday May 15th, 7 pm, Bernadin Center at Incarnation Catholic Church (5705 W. 127th Street, Palos Heights);
Saturday May 16th, 4 pm, Green Festival at Navy Pier
Sunday, May 17th, 3 pm, Green Festival at Navy Pier

For more information, email jvondracek@crln.org or call 773-293-2964.

The stories of Evangelina Pizarro and Ayde Riveros represent those of so many women around the world. Both were forced to relocate - in search of a better life earning more money or escaping violence - and despite their move, still found life difficult. Through Fair Trade they found a way forward--exporting jewelry and hand knit products, their quality of life has increased dramatically.

Evangelina Pizarro founded the Munay Rumi cooperative of jewelers. Ayde Riveros is a member a El Mercurio cooperative of knitters. Please join us as Ms. Pizarro and Ms. Riveros share their stories, how dignified work has provided economic stability in their lives and social stability in their communities, which exemplify the impacts of Fair Trade.