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In The Beginning...
I began selling Fair Trade items three & a half years ago (2003) at a local farmers' market in Laguna Hills; on my very first day, I sold only one bar of Divine dark chocolate. Feeling pretty disappointed already, I was then given a citation by a local police officer in Irvine, while picking up my daughter after school!
Since that first day, I have sold at four different farmers' markets & I have increased the range of items I offer considerably. Thankfully, my sales have also increased, but certainly not at lightening speed!
My decision to work in the Fair Trade sector came out of a desire to put my energy into something that was meaningful. I have continued because I still believe that the Fair Trade movement is creating a paradigm shift in global trade. I recently came across the following quote, which I believe captures the essence of Fair Trade:
You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete. Buckminster Fuller
As is often the case with movements seeking to effect fundamental change, progress is slower than than those involved would like it to be. The growth of the Fair Trade movement is consumer led; so as consumers are made aware of the problems inherent in global trade as it currently stands, & they learn about the availability of alternatives, demand for Fair Trade items increases. To this effect, the dissemination of information is a key component of the work I have been doing. As well as giving out literature at the markets, I have spoken about Fair Trade at local communty organization events, at my daughter's school & at my daughter's Girl Scout troop meeting.
Currently, I am only selling at the farmers' market in Irvine (every Saturday morning from 8 to 12, at the intersection of Campus & Bridge), & online of course!
Sarita Sidhu (Business Owner)
...Be The Change...
From "We must Be The Change we want to see in the world" by Gandhi
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