World Fair Trade Day and Summer Plans

Hey there everyone....

Well, last Sat. 5/12 was World Fair Trade Day and I was able to attend the second celebration at a very cool vegan/vegetarian cafe, Dandelioncommunitea Cafe, in Orlando. Live music, poetry readings, many fair trade and locally (organic) product vendors were there. A Henna artist and massage therapist were there and all in all it was a fun day!!!

I am getting ready to close Serendipity Fair Trade for the summer starting this Sunday. I will be sorry not to be open, but last summer I had to close to work as a waitress (which I enjoyed but hard work...made me humble) to keep paying the rent on the shop....sooooo I thought I would take the time this summer to travel north and sell my goods at festivals and markets that would be friendly to my fair trade items. I also want to take some time to get more direction and education on being a more effective activist/organizer. One on one, the passion in my voice/words for fair trade, mass movement building, the urgency for getting involved in any way possible comes across, but in front of a group or crowd I get nervous.

So...here is my line-up so far...... Will be in DC the first week of June to attend two conferences. The first is the Fair Trade Federation conference (where my vendor & friend, Allen Joseph from Living Wage Co. will be also) and the second weekend is a really interesting one..."Taming the Giant Corporation" which will have a good number of well-known speakers over the 3 days...my favorite of which is Ralph Nader (still working as a consumer advocate to slay the corporate dragons...truly a national hero regardless of his record as a Presidential candidate).

I will fly to GA from there and at the end of the month will table my goods at the first ever US Social Forum (based on the same concept of the World Social Forum that counters the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland every Jan.) from June 27 thru 30th. If anyone is able to come up to Atlanta for it...do so...it is amazing...people and orgs. from all over the country will be there!!!

The second week of July I will travel back up to DC to live, train and work with the CODE PINK ladies! This will certainly be one of the highlights of my summer activism. I plan on taking some calculated risks to develop my leadership skills and take some courageous actions (don't worry....I won't do anything stupid). When I think of people like Cindy Sheehan who has given up one of her children for this idiotic, illegal and INSANE war and challenges those corrupt politicians like our very own Sen. Bill Nelson (who JUST sold out AGAIN to fund the war....forever I am sure...by voting with Rep. and against his own party...coward!!!) and Rep. Dave Weldon who couldn't come up with an original thought if he had to (to defend backing Bush in Iraq) I must have the courage of my convictions to do what is necessary to protect the lives of our service men and women and the very future of our society against my corrupt government. I am sure you understand.

After my second trip to DC I am not sure what is next...but be sure it will be EXCITING!!!!

I will be in the shop until this Sun. and will be around Melbourne until just before or just after Memorial Day. Keep in touch!!!! : )

PEACE !!!!