At Café Campesino, everything we do is guided by our deep-seated beliefs that promoting the Fair Trade model will bring about economic justice for small-scale farmers in the coffee lands. And it's great to know that others among us share our desire for equality and justice.

In this issue, we spotlight United Students for Fair Trade, an organization of committed young people who believe they can make a difference with their morning cup. We also provide some suggestions and links for celebrating World Fair Trade Day this Saturday, give you an update on our activities, offer a new coffee recipe and more. Grab a mug of your favorite Café Campesino coffee and read on!

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When college students Lina Musayev and Stephanie Faith Green attended an Oxfam Change Initiative program in Boston last summer, they didn't intend to start a nationwide student movement as a result. But that's exactly what happened. During the Oxfam program, which brings college students together to learn about "the root causes of poverty and the power we all possess to overcome them," Musayev and Green first learned about the coffee crisis. They also discovered the benefits of Fair Trade.

"I was convinced on the spot that Fair Trade works and has a great potential to reduce the symptoms of economic, political and social instability in the world," Musayev relates. Because there was no nationally organized student movement for Fair Trade, Musayev and Green, students at George Washington University and Georgetown University respectively, decided to start an organization that would connect all the Fair Trade student groups on campuses around the country. With Lina and Stephanie's elbow grease, help from other student groups and guidance from ally organizations like Oxfam, Global Exchange and Transfair, United Students for Fair Trade was born.

Read more of this article here.
http://www.cafecampesino.com/fairgrounds/0305/usft.html

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How can you be a part of World Fair Trade Day? Global Exchange suggests these five actions:

1. Buy Fair Trade! Pledge to buy at least 5% of your purchases from Fair Trade sources.

2. Demand corporate accountability! Hand out educational flyers at your supermarket to tell others about how to get America's largest coffee and chocolate companies to support Fair Trade. You can get materials from Global Exchange – www.globalexchange.org/coffee.

3. Promote Fair Trade!! Talk to the manager/employees at local cafes and stores about selling Fair Trade coffee (introduce them to Café Campesino while you're at it!).

4. Use your political power! Get your city council to pass a Fair Trade Day Resolution AND lay the groundwork for a Fair Trade Purchasing Resolution

5. Support Local Fair Trade events. You'll find listings at  http://www.fairtradefederation.org/ftdays.html.

And from the folks here at Café Campesino, one more suggestion – pass this newsletter on to your coffee-loving friends. They'll learn more about the issues behind the Fair Trade movement and benefit from the specials on our delicious Fair Trade coffee. And you'll get the satisfied feeling of being an ambassador for Fair Trade.

As consumers we can make a real difference in the lives of struggling farmers, artisans and workers by supporting Fair Trade in our local communities, not just on World Fair Trade Day but every day.

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On May 10th, our brewing crew provided coffee for the RunAmericus, an official Run and See Georgia event that fills the streets of Americus with several hundred runners. This year the event benefited our local New Horizons Habitat for Humanity affiliate.

Geoffrey and Victoria are off to Atlanta on May 17th to serve coffee at Sevananda Natural Foods Coop in celebration of International Fair Trade Day.

The Bike Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) begins on June 12th in Bainbridge Georgia, and we will return for another week of biking and brewing. Geoffrey, Alan and others will provide early morning coffee and muffins to hundreds of cyclists as they make their way across Georgia to St. Marys. To mark the occasion, we're bringing our BRAG BREW back. Click here to order!

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Think you know a lot about coffee? Then enter our Fair Grounds Trivia Contest. Click here for our question of the month. Entering is easy and it's FUN!

It's TRUE! It's TRUE! And TRUE was the answer to last month's trivia question. And it's TRUE that Kendra Roth is our winner! Congratulations, Kendra. 

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"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude."

– William James, Philosopher and Psychologist, 1842-1910

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