Slacktivisism for Fair Trade (Updated)

My friend over at Esperanza en Accion in Nicaragua, has let people know that someone is attempting aland grab against a cooperative clothing factory, Nueva Vida, that'sone of her suppliers. Nueva Vida's supporters are asking that we email Nicaragua's first lady, Rosario Murillo, who has been "a strong defender of poor women throughout the country" asking for her support. They also ask that we forward the story widely so that others can do the same.

It's important to do this because evidence Nueva Vida provides good jobs for dozens of women in a country where unemployment runs higher than 70% and even college-educated people are happy to take jobs in sweatshops, and because cooperative factories like Nueva Vida show that fair trade has possibilities beyond just trinkets and coffee. And your email can help--displays of international solidarity have helped helped prevent worse disasters. Take a couple of minutes to use your privilege as a member of the imperial power to do a good thing. Nueva Vida is unique in being the only fair-trade garment factory to get to share in the tax and ex/im benefits of the free trade zone.

The full story and ready-to-go emails to the first lady Murillo under the cut.

Update: Stop the emails! The campaign was amazingly successful; so much so that they can't continue the conversation because their emails are lost in the continuing flood our our emails. Follow the progress of the land issue at this blog