Fair Trade Campaign Updates

Fall is officially here, Fair Trade Month has begun, and the New England Regional Conference was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who participated in and supported the conference. And for those who weren’t able to join us last month, we wanted to share some updates, takeaways, and resources.
Thank you for your support of the Fair Trade movement!
Cheers,
The New England Leadership Team

New England Regional Conference: It’s a Wrap!
On Saturday, September 17, 2016, Fair Trade leaders, advocates, and supporters from towns, schools, colleges, congregations, and businesses across New England gathered at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts to share and learn from one another.
The day was filled with inspirational dialogue and presentations including workshops on customizing your campaign, event planning, collaboration across campaigns, and maintaining momentum post-declaration by the Fair Trade Campaigns staff and the New England Leadership Team.
The conference included two panels: one on conscious consumerism with representatives from Equal Exchange and the Peace and Justice Center of Burlington, and the second on immersion trips to origins with representatives from Colby-Sawyer CollegeNepal Tea LLCMayan Hands, and the Emma Willard School. We ended the gathering with a keynote speech by Rebecca Hamilton, VP of Innovation and Social Impact at Badger Balm.
Incredible conversations were had and amazing connections were made. Here are a few of the highlights attendees had from the conference:
“Workshops and socializing time with other Fair Trade advocates! I learned a lot in both of these experiences, and they were fun and exciting. It was great to know others who are interested in Fair Trade.”
 
“I feel extremely inspired and motivated just by meeting those with similar passions as me. I hope to translate this motivation into action.” 
“I loved meeting all these people and learning more about Fair Trade. Everyone is kind and outgoing and we work for the same cause.”
 

Thank You to our Sponsors!
We would like to thank our amazing sponsors who made this conference possible!

Fair Trade Photofest
Fall is in the air, October is finally here, and that can only mean one thing – Fair Trade Month! 
Last year, we celebrated Fair Trade Month with our first ever Fair Trade Photofest. It was such a success that we’re running it again – this year with more opportunities to share your photos, more amazing Fair Trade prizes, and more chances to win!
Excited about the prizes, but not sure what Photofest is? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Find all the details here —  bit.ly/FairTradePhotofest2016
Don’t feel like clicking that link right now? Here are some highlights:
  • Photofest is a four week photo contest that will run October 1 through October 28.
  • Each week will have a different theme. Take photos with your favorite Fair Trade products that align with each week’s theme, and share them on social media using the hashtag #FTCampaigns for a chance to win.
  • Vote for your favorite photos each week. One winner each week will get a prize pack of Fair Trade goodies, and two overall winners will win a trip to South America!
This is going to be so much fun. We can’t wait to see your photos!

Webinar – Social Media for Campaigning
Thursday, October 13, 4pm ET
 

Social media is a great way to keep in touch
 with family, friends, and coworkers on a
 regular basis. It’s also a great place to provide content, resources, and stay in contact with supporters of your campaign – whether to update them on events or where to find Fair Trade near you.
Join us on October 13 to learn tips and tricks in how to up your social media game for campaigning!
Register for the webinar here —  https://bit.ly/2dvetjC 
Digital Roundtable
An exciting way to broaden your Fair Trade horizons!
 
Be on the look-out for information about our upcoming digital roundtable discussion at the end of October.  The New England Leadership Team will be highlighting a few different campaigns and asking representatives to debrief their experience with programming for Fair Trade Month.
This will be an excellent opportunity to meet other campaigners in the region, and to get inspired and learn some new ideas to bring to your own campaigns.
That’s all for now! We hope you all have an awesome Fair Trade Month!