Fair Trade Holiday Gifts Dec. 5, Standing Up for Women’s Lives in Our Sister City

by Megan Fountain, New Haven/Leon Sister City Project

On Dec. 5, get your fair trade holiday gifts — organic coffee, hand-made crafts, and more — from the New Haven/León Sister City Project at the Bioregional Holiday Bazaar (Dec. 5, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 608 Whitney Ave).

Be sure to stop by the Bioregional Holiday Bazaar to chat with us and buy fair trade: handwoven scarves, blankets and housewares from a women-owned business in León; organic Nicaraguan chocolate and coffee; embroidered purses and olive oil from Palestinian co-ops; natural soaps from Flatbrook Farm in Connecticut; local honey, and more! The Bioregional Bazaar features not only NHLSCP, but also a variety of local craftspeople selling their diverse wares. Info: [email protected], (203) 562-1607.
We also invite you to plan your own delegation or internship in Nicaragua based on a theme that interests you, or join the Teacher’s and Educator’s Delegation in summer 2016. To learn more, please contact [email protected].

Then consider joining our first Women’s Rights & Gender Justice Delegation to Nicaragua. Nicaragua is home to one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world, and the state fails to protect women and girls from sexual and physical violence. Rural women in NHLSCP are organizing to change that reality. The delegation, an 8-day trip to Nicaragua, will take place in spring or summer 2016, and the dates will be determined according to your availability. No Spanish is necessary.

Delegates may:

  • Learn how rural Goyena women are addressing domestic violence, reproductive and sexual rights, “unlearning” sexist roles, and more
  • Get to know daily life through home stays in León and activities in Goyena, which may include storytelling and community theater exercises
  • Visit León’s historical murals and sites to learn about the dictatorship, revolution, civil war, and current economic and political realities, with a focus on women’s participation
  • Experience the natural landscape and learn about environmental concerns via outdoor excursions
  • Activities will be selected to fit your interests (for example, visiting LGBTQ organizations or visiting a women’s health center)

Info: [email protected], (203) 562-1607.