By: Maddie Lobdell

The present system for importing cocoa and coffee is very exploitative of poor farmers. Between farmers and consumers are multinational corporations that are cushioned against market swings and are emotionally detached from how the market impoverishes millions of people. The consumer is increasingly unwilling to be apart of this; which is what the fair trade system is used for.

The Fair Trade system aims to give family farmers a fairer wage challenging large plantations and multi-national corporations. It wants a fair exchange between the consumer and the farmer. Organizations involved say it is working; it is empowering farmers to create a powerful export business and make higher prices; up to two or three times. It is very controversial because it is shown to give farmers more money. The question is, does it really make a big enough difference, and can we get enough consumers to get behind the idea of buying more expensive coffee. If enough people are aware, and get behind the fair trade system, it can make a difference. Even though some farmers receive only $1.26 over $1.10, the small amount more they make per pound will add up and can be extremely beneficial to them. It may be a small addition, but it will help the impoverished farmers.

One of the worst parts of the system is the manner that which multi-national corporations mask the way they exploit the workers. They loan the peasants small amounts of cash in return for their harvest in a no-haggling transaction, but consumers do not know this because they call it a co-operative. Thus, making it look like they are assisting the farmers.

3 Reasons Why Muslim Women Don’t Think They’re Oppressed

By Breyana Fajota

The Gallup Organization released their findings of a survey conducted in 2005 of women in 8 predominantly Muslim countries.posted on Sept. 14, 2014, at 12:20 p.m.

bryefajota

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Some women believe that other women around the world who do not have the same exact rights as them are oppressed. However, many women who live in countries in the Middle East and other parts of the world do not feel the same. There are differences in cultures and lifestyles which may have some think that others are unhappy when they really aren’t. These misunderstandings are important in having those in the West to respect more the religions and cultures of those in the East.

By: Erin Savoia

I chose to create an infographic explaining the relationship between NAFTA and immigration into the United States from Mexico. NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) was signed into law January of 1994. Proponents of the agreement assured critics that it would improve the U.S. economy while stimulating Mexico’s. Supporters argued that it would allow cheap foreign products to be imported to the U.S. from Mexico, boosting the Mexican economy in the name of globalization. The newly stimulated Mexican economy would then in turn expand the Mexican job market, leading to less immigration to the United States. However, as it turns out, NAFTA has benefited American corporations while oppressing Mexican workers. This is reflective of the notion that “opportunities for economic advance, as they present themselves serially to one [actor] after another, do not constitute equivalent opportunities for economic advance for all” (Arrighi, Silver, and Brewer, 2007, p.325). In other words, the trade agreement was set up to benefit those already in power (American corporations) while taking advantage of those with less power (Mexican workers).

Each One Teach One (Explanation and References)

For this project, Diversity UP will be exploring the presence (or lack there of) of diversity on the University of Portland campus. We will be exploring this topic through the lens of institutional racism in the education system and its adverse effects on the student population’s education experience. The evidence that we will be gathering will be, statistics from admissions, interviews on campus, and scholastic evidence surrounding this topic. An understanding of this topic is important to the greater understanding of diversity on college campuses and why it is important to have a well-rounded education available to all people.

Members: Aine Brooks, Adam Brizzolara, Colin Guzman, Caameron Nakasane

http://youtu.be/ZFbHoxooSMA

In our video project we will be critically examining the paradigm of Colorblindness within social institutions, particularly the University of Portland, as a solution for remedying racial inequality. We will be conducting interviews with a sample of students, faculty, and administrators about Colorblindness and alternative solutions for fixing race relations. Based on prior research, we believe that Colorblindness is not a viable solution for fixing racial tensions and inequalities in the United States because it ignores the experiences of people of color and assumes whiteness as the norm. Colorblindness perpetuates institutional racism and ignores the importance of race as an essential facet of one’s identity.

Members:

• Anne Marie Rogers

• Natasha McGlaun

• Samuel Kingsbury

• Emily Liger

• Kevin Bailey

Our goal for this project is to examine the prevalence of microaggressions at the campus of University of Portland. We will interview UP students, primarily white, and ask them if they are aware of what microaggressions are and whether or not they occur on campus. We will give them examples of microaggressions, and then ask whether or not they think it’s offensive–and why. We will also research and explain some of the studied effects of microaggressions on people of color.

Members: Karina Gallo, Halle Sheehan, Kelley Mitchell, Melissa Aguilar

The topic of our presentation is the historical production of whiteness and how it has affected race relations in the U.S. The problem that we have observed through our interactions with other people and in the readings we have done for this class, is that people are unaware of how history has led to race relations, more specifically whiteness in the U.S. With this presentation, we wish to educate people on the misconceptions about our history of race relations that institutions have instilled in our society. We hope using the creative medium as our approach to exposing this material will be a rather easy outlet for people to understand complex ideas. Whiteness has caused unequal advantages for certain people and by acknowledging what has led to Whiteness our society will get one step closer to resolving the issue.

Members: William Lawson, Jennifer Besaw, Lindsey Casian