Fair Trade Valentines

Luis Santos — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:06:07 -0600

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I've visited several of the recommended sites and they are informative and some, pretty novel. Be informed Dorchester, make informed decisions. L.S.

This Valentine's take action to end slavery chocolate and support fair trade!

Dear Friends, Whether you are planning on doing something this Valentine's Day or not, why not take this opportunity to spread the word about fair trade and organic alternatives to the usual chocolate and candy gifts? The Real Story Behind Chocolate: Child Slavery It is ironic that chocolate, like diamonds, has come to be a symbol of love and friendship in today's society. Yet, most cocoa used to produce the chocolate we love is produced by exploiting young children. An excerpt from an LA Times article: "On Valentine's Day, there will be no chocolate gifts for young Aly Diabate. "I don't know what chocolate is," said Aly, who was forced into slavery at age 11 to harvest cocoa beans in Ivory Coast. Aly's ignorance of chocolate is forgivable. Like tens of thousands of other child slaves on cocoa farms in Ivory Coast, he subsists on a diet of corn paste and bananas. Less forgivable is the fact that chocolate lovers in the West have been kept in the dark about these harsh realities. Few realize that most of the cocoa beans that go into Nestle, Mars and Hershey candy bars come from Ivory Coast, where thousands of enslaved boys - some as young as 9 - work in the most squalid, brutal conditions imaginable." read more Sincerely,Cecilia Duran Director Democracy Center and Ayanna, Chris and TJ Leadership Collective Boston Mobilization

For questions, comments or to find out what is happening at the Democracy Center please contact us: The Democracy Center 45 Mt, Auburn Cambridge, MA 02138 617.492.8855 info@democracycenter.org

Boston Mobilization 30 Bow St. Cambridge, MA 02138 617.492.8899 contactus@bostonmobilization.org

Fair trade valentines from Change.org

Here are three things you can do right away:

1.Take the Fair Trade Valentine's Pledge http://www.change.org/actions?event_id=16208

2. Download the "Have a Heart: A Valentine's Gift Guide for Lover with a Passion for Justice" http://www.change.org/actions?event_id=16208

3. Help Raise the Bar on Chocolate Fundraising http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/gx/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=6571&t=ActionCenter.dwt

Other actions: -Support Fair Trade Chocolate by looking for the "Fair Trade label" before you buy

-Spread the word !

The story doesn't end with chocolate, take a look at these other resources for many other ideas and actions!

-Idealist Gifts: an entire website dedicated to Valentine's day alternatives and actions http://www.idealistgifts.com/home.htm#

-Equal Exchange: from teaching materials to local actions http://www.equalexchange.com/fair-trade-fundraiser-program-tools-for-teachers-students

-Though and Memory: Help identify socially responsible chocolate with this exciting new organization, currently testing its community-driven web applications for researching, analyzing and rating company practices. http://www.thoughtandmemory.org/intro/

The Democracy Center and Boston Mobilization do not recieve any financial gains from those organization or products mentioned above. read more »

What is Social Capital anyway? {defined for the average folk}

Tammyanka2 — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 10:42:53 -0600

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I get asked this question 4 out 5 times when I tell folks where I volunteer. What is social capital anyway or social what? Have a read....

Researchers define social capital differently. According to researchers Paul Bullen and Jenny Onyx (1998), ways to measure social capital might include:

Participation in local community
Proactivity in a social context [empowerment, activism, efficacy, agency,]
Feelings of trust and safety
Neighborhood connections
Family and friends connections
Work connections
Tolerance of diversity
Communities express these characteristics differently based on their particular norms, values, traditions and opportunities.

Taken from http://www.tbf.org/indicators/civic-health/indicators.asp?id=933 read more »

SAFE LOVE 2007!!

Dorchester Youth Council — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:27:01 -0600

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THE THIRD ANNUAL SAFE LOVE EVENT will take place on SAT FEB 10, 2007. SAFE LOVE brings together hundreds of Dorchester youth in a safe place to learn about healthy relationships and healthy lifestyle choices. The event provides resource tables on an assortment of health issues combined with performances and a dance party for teens.

Contact me to get involved as a resource table, volunteer, or participant!!! read more »