After the town’s efforts to make sure farmers, artisans and other workers get their fair share in profits, Highland Park has been named the 13th Fair Trade Town in America.
Fair Trade Towns USA, a national movement of community activists from across the country who are dedicated to the principles of fair trade, granted the town the distinction.
Executive Director of Main Street Highland Park James McCrone said the town’s dedication to fair trade reflects its commitment to social justice.
“I live and work in this tiny town here, but when you think about it, one of the things capitalism says and does is help raise the standard of living,” McCrone said. “Maybe as fair trade gains a broader acceptance it will live up to some of its larger claims that say you are changing people’s lives and you are making things better throughout the world and in our own country.”
Farmers of fair trade products receive a guaranteed minimum floor price, work in safe conditions and sell directly to importers, eliminating the middleman, according to a press release from Main Street Highland Park, a nonprofit that works to promote the businesses in downtown.
Ten Thousand Villages, Centerpiece Gift Gallery, Through the Moongate and White Lotus Home are all Highland Park stores that carry fair trade certified products, McCrone said. The designation is recognition of where Highland Park stands and where it is going.
“It can also serve as catalyst to broaden the scope of what is made available here,” he said. “We’ve reached out to the committee that designated us to ask, ‘What can a florist do? What kind of things could they do to bring in fairly traded items? What can small restaurants do? Is there a list of fair trade foods that a supermarket could stock? What can business professionals and insurance agents be doing?’”
McCrone attributed the move to make Highland Park a fair trade town to Councilman Jon Erickson and Jean Stockdale, executive director of Who Is My Neighbor? Inc., a grassroots community agency.
The town had to meet five criteria before they could be considered for the identification. The town formed a steering committee, reached out to area retailers, engaged the community, gained media attention and passed a fair trade resolution, according to the release.
“I really feel the designation reflects the value of our community,” Stockdale said. “It’s a mechanism to go forward in expanding the fair trade movement. It’s a market-based way to help people out of poverty through the means of their own work. They can earn their living through dignity.”
Fair trade farmers and farm workers decide democratically how to use their fair trade premiums, according to the release.
McCrone addressed the common complaint about the expense of fair trade certified products, noting that as more people purchase fair trade products, prices will go down.
“Supply and demand says that as fair trade products become more readily available, the price will come down. When that happens it’ll be less novel that something is fairly traded,” he said. “If you take your baby steps, at the end of the day — maybe a year from now or five years from now — you’ll look back and think and you can actually see that baby steps brought about significant change.”
McCrone said he hopes the recognition will encourage students to shop for fair trade products and make the town more attractive to potential residents.
James Sesil, a Highland Park resident, said he purchases fair trade certified coffee and gifts for the quality of the product and environmental concerns. The town should be proud of its achievement.
“It’s a big selling point and it’s something they should advertise,” he said.
Dorian Reel, a Highland Park resident and University graduate student, said she enjoys shopping at Ten Thousand Village.
“When I shop at Ten Thousand Villages, I know that it’s a nonprofit,” Reel said. “I feel like I’m paying extra money but at least the money isn’t going to some big corporation.”
Town’s fair trade efforts pay off
Published: Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, October 6, 2009
 "Photo: Ramon Dompor / Associate Photography Editor")
Ramon Dompor / Associate Photography Editor
The White Lotus Home is one store that carries fair trade-certified products in Highland Park, which was recently named the 13th Fair Trade Town in America. In order to receive the honor, the town had to meet several criteria.
2 comments
Email: monica@fairtradesports.com
Fair Trade Sports
~ Eco-Certified, Fair Trade, Union-Made
~ Balls for soccer, football, and more...
~ All after-tax profits to children's charities