Creating ‘fair’ conditions

Across the globe, large corporations are accused of exploiting agricultural and factory workers in Third World countries with little apparent consequence, says Maria Louzon, a sophomore kinesiology major.

And as a newly elected regional coordinator for the national group United Students for Fair Trade, Louzon said it's her role to help step in and ensure those corporations provide fair wages and sustainable practices.

At Friday's Earth Day Festival on McKeldin Mall, Louzon organized the Fair Trade Marketplace, which featured donations of food and handicrafts from companies that are recognized for their ethical social and environmental practices — most notably Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, which has pledged only to use ingredients independently certified to meet fair trade standards in all its products by 2013.

Louzon's goal is to make this university one of the nation's few "fair trade universities" — schools that use fair trade-certified goods whenever possible — before she graduates.

"It's about thinking globally while acting locally," she said. "Buying a bar of chocolate, [students] have to think about the entire process from bean to bar."

Louzon first became involved with the cause the summer after her freshman year of high school in Catonsville, when she participated in a program called "Justice Action Week" with a group from her church.

As part of the program, she visited different organizations in Baltimore that help impoverished residents — "the people that are just basically forgotten." One of those organizations, Catholic Relief Services, introduced Louzon to the concept of fair trade, and she vowed to raise awareness of it.

"When I say I'm going to do something, I do it," she said.

Drawn to its social justice programs, Louzon enrolled at John Carroll University in Ohio but said she soon became dissatisfied with student apathy there and transferred to this university after one year. From there, she quickly got to work.

Although the University Book Center sells some clothing from fair trade organization Alta Gracia and several products in the Maryland Food Co-op are also fair trade, Louzon wants to see more of these ethically manufactured goods in the dining halls as well.

"There needs to be a model for other universities," she said. "If people find out Maryland has fair trade, they're going to be much more susceptible to taking up fair trade."

And although the weather turned rainy for Friday's festival, plenty of people stopped by the tables to purchase the fair trade goods for sale, earning about $200 toward various charities and other nonprofits.

Louzon said she was thrilled with how willing the companies were to contribute to the event, which she said she hopes will make students more aware of the issue.

"It's amazing the response we've gotten," Louzon said.

Freshman community health major Marie-Laure Flamer, who helped out at the event, said she was motivated to get involved with fair trade by the desire to promote justice in business.

"I'm big on seeing that workers in other countries get the fair wage they deserve, especially in a time where, in the developing world, so many people are being left behind in poverty," Flamer said. "It's important we American consumers keep them in mind."

With fair trade, she added, consumers don't have to worry that their money is supporting child labor or unfair working conditions.

"You always know the money you're spending is going to the people who deserve it," she said.

Louzon said her volunteer work for fair trade has changed her entire plan for the future: For years, she wanted to be a cardiac surgeon but recently she realized her true desire was to continue working toward social justice.

"I just thought, ‘Why would I shove something I'm really passionate about to the back burner?'" she said.

kirkwood at umdbk dot com