Consumers Vote – 3 Things You Can Do

/in , , /by

“Cocoa has been an important ingredient in global cultures and history, evolving over the years, and continues to be enjoyed today in thousands of different forms”1. Especially during holidays like Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Sweetest Day it is hard to resist retailer’s alluring displays of holiday-branded chocolates. But before you reach for that dazzling foiled wrapped chocolate, I encourage you to consider using your consumer dollars to vote (via your purchase) for companies that are moving forward with more ethical practices. Here are 3 things you can do to make a difference:

1. Learn Why You Should Care

We should be concerned because the processes behind the farming and trading of the most important commodities, such as cocoa, can be very ugly. Major concerns include the use of child labor, exposure of workers to dangerous pesticides, and other abuses including human trafficking. The Ivory Coast in Africa produces nearly half of the world’s cocoa, and it is a well-known fact that Africa’s cocoa industry has a history of human rights problems. “Achieving success in the fight against child labor in the cocoa sector is a shared responsibility that requires the time and talent of all interested parties, including cocoa-growing communities, governments in cocoa producing nations, the chocolate and cocoa industry, and chocolate-consuming nations around the world”1 (that includes me and you!). Download MAP’s Ethical Shopping Guide  or check out worldcocoafoundation.org and/or follow the bean to the bar process to learn more.

2. Look for Fairtrade and Ethical Sourcing

Fairtrade works to help make farming more sustainable in countries such as Ivory Coast and Ghana. Look for the Fairtrade symbol on products before you buy.  Unfortunately Fairtrade certification may be cost prohibitive for small farmers, so some organizations choose to work directly with farm co-ops to ensure there are no abuses hidden within their supply chains. These companies usually are transparent about their practices and include their commitment on their labels. I recently stopped at the grocery store and scanned the isles of chocolate Easter candy.  It was disheartening that as I picked up chocolate bunny after bunny I was finding no mention about company practices.  Alas though, I did find ONE bunny that was ethically sourced!  Check out this label on the only chocolate bunny who can have a clear conscious in this giant row of candy…


3. Develop New Buying Habits

Fairtrade products are sometimes more costly and hard to find, but each year, more and more Fairtrade certified and ethically sourced products appear on shelves across the country. Consumers are becoming more interested in learning where our favorite foods come from and how they are grown. Start with one product and begin to read labels and research company policies AND practices (do they say what they do AND then do what they say?). Try to find an ethically sourced product, then commit that brand to your shopping list.  Here are some tips and stores that I have found along my search.

  • Trader Joe’s, sells some Fairtrade coffee and teas, also a 1.25 ounce Dark Chocolate Espresso Baton for 99¢
  • Aldi’s carries Fairtrade products that are competitively priced. Check out their Fairtrade coffee and UTZ certified chocolate products.
  • IKEA provides extensive information on their company policies and practices to protect people and the planet  I love their towels and UTZ certified coffee and chocolate!
  • Divine Chocolate – Holiday Specific Treats (Divine is often available in major grocery stores)
  • Check out Starbucks, they have a goal to have 100% ethically sourced cocoa by 2020 for all Starbucks cocoa based beverages!
  • You can often find ethically sourced products at Costco; they offer many organic and Fairtrade products
  • I found a nice Fairtrade t-shirt at REI; they also carry Patagonia brand clothing for men and women.
  • Read our blog “Becoming a Part of the Solution: First Steps to Ethical Shopping” to learn more!

Consumers VOTE with their buying dollars. We can see that some companies are starting to listen; and even better, some companies are starting to ACT.  Dollar by dollar, WE ARE making a difference!

— Kathy Maitland – Director Michigan Abolitionist Project

For more information check out betterworldshopper.org or 

1 worldcocoafoundation.org

What’s Your Justice Style?

/in /by

The issue of human trafficking is complex and often overwhelming. Many feel moved to action, but then wonder; “how might I best plug into the cause“? Well there is a helpful Online Tool, to assist advocates in understanding how they might fit in the cause to address injustice. iEmpathize (iE) is a child advocacy and media movement that works in the field while also inspiring culture to empathize and engage. They work in prevention, intervention, restoration, and advocacy. They share resources, such as this tool, that can assist people in understanding how to fit into the fight against injustice. Their Justice Personality Profile, is a simple and quick way to gain basic understanding on the kind of advocate you might be.

— Are you a a prevention, intervention, or restoration personality?

— What historical activist or world-changer are you most relate to?

Take the survey and review the resulting profile which gives you a personality description, highlights efforts that match your personality, and suggests ways to engage that fit your style. Then, once you understand the personality type that fits you best, consider matching your talents, skills and interests to one of our MAP initiatives or projects. Join a MAP Community Group to get engaged in local activities in your community that are addressing injustice. Host an event or activity to build awareness. Whatever your justice style, it takes all of us to end slavery.  Let’s do it together.

— Kathy Maitland, MAP Executive Director

Why we need to be dedicated to the long game

/in , /by

Jesus once said, in reference to Deuteronomy, “The poor will always be with you.” A friend of mine is fond of saying it’s because we don’t do anything about it. I’ve become a firm believer in the idea that at some point, if you’re willing, God will break your heart over some form of injustice in the world, and then use that to break your heart over every other form of injustice as well.

The more I talk to folks on the front lines of fighting human trafficking the more I begin to recognize that we can’t do anything to prevent and end trafficking if we don’t also do something about poverty, homeless youth, child abuse, domestic violence, pornography addiction, and a litany of other social ills that I’d at one point partitioned off from trafficking. Now, however, I can’t keep the boxes in separate rooms; there needs to be an evolution of conversation and collaboration between people who find that their primary passion lies in addressing one (or more) of these issues.

Which means we need to be dedicated to the long game.

Because truth be told there’s no magic bullet to ending poverty, or abuse, or homelessness. There are plenty of tangible things we can do to address these issues (more than we can cover in one blog post, though you can certainly find some ideas here) but all of these things take time and energy. And that’s overwhelming. Burnout comes from having too much to do and not enough time to do it all. Similarly, compassion fatigue comes from having too many people to care about and not enough energy to love them all. These are two of the biggest challenges in staying with social justice for the long haul. Unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet to dealing with these things either. And they aren’t avoidable.

If you care about fixing social problems you’re going to run into the fact that you can’t fix everything.

If you care about people you’re going to realize that you can’t love everyone all the time (because loving is hard — really).

What we need, then, is a community of grace-filled people to journey with. We need folks around us who will love us when we don’t have any love to give in return. We need folks who will sit with us in silence, their presence being the only comfort they can offer, when the questions we have (why is the world like this? why do people do this to each other? why can’t we all just GET ALONG?!?!) don’t have any real answers. We need folks around us who remind us that there is so much beauty in the world, and it’s our job to draw that beauty out in others, and point to it when we see it so people notice and find encouragement in it. Without a community like that we’re left with two options: we die or become machines. The dead and the machines both need to be reminded that there’s blood pumping through their hearts and veins, and it’s okay to be a broken(but mending), discouraged (but hoping), tired (with rest right around the corner) organisms. If you’re in a community that supports and loves you, do me a favor and invite others in. If you’re not in a community that loves and supports you, do me a favor and find one (they’re out there, and not as scary as they might seem). If we can do this, if we can learn to love each other well, then maybe, just maybe, we can see this game to the end.

Luke Hassevoort – MAP Board of Directors

Set Free – 2015

/in , , /by

Set Free was a powerful, interactive human trafficking family-friendly awareness event.  Over 15 churches united together and put on a two-day event that educated, connected, inspired and activated teens and adults, families and churches to be a voice for hope to end this evil in our day through the power of the Gospel of Jesus. Over 800 people attended the Friday night event and hundreds of people came over the two days to learn at exhibits, listen to testimonies, become educated from an expert panel, shop at the Freedom Marketplace and more…

View Pictures from Set Free 2015 held in Macomb, Michigan