Stories from Mexico

Yagger's: Where: 433 West Pender street, Vancouver, BC (map)

Why?

Three Fair Trade Vancouverites -- Bryce Tarling, Natasha Pirani and Travis Chase --  will present each of their experiences working at Ejido Benito Juarez Leyes de Reforma, a Fair Trade co-operative in Mexico. They will share stories, photos and video clips about how the Fair Trade model has improved the lives of producers.

Bryce Tarling is FTV's resident Communications Coordinator.  He has completed the Print Futures Program at Douglas College. He enjoys all kinds of writing, but can often be found writing for a number of blogs and social media outlets that relate to technology and sustainable development.  He has worked as an English teacher both in the Lower Mainland and in Japan. He has also served brief stints in the restaurant industry. In his free time he enjoys photography, consuming media in the form of books, film, and music, and finding delectable places for trying new cuisines.

Natasha Pirani is FTV's former Volunteer Coordinator. When she was a teenager she found the perfect outlet – the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Programme Young Canadians Challenge.  She achieved her Gold Award and went on to help others do the same through the creation of a successful club at her university.  Her first encounter with the developing world was through a volunteer project in Ghana, West Africa that focused on the prevention of HIV/AIDS.  Since then, she has geared her life towards international development.  She completed her degree in International Studies at Simon Fraser University. Natasha worked as the Office Administrator for the African Canadian Continuing Education Society. She is the former research assistant for SFU Professor Morten Jerven, focusing on the economic progress of Kenya. She has traveled to 19 countries and 5 continents and can’t wait to see more!

Travis Chase is keen to become an integral part of the organization by helping out wherever possible. He was the Event Production manager for the Fair Trade Pavilion at EPIC His interest in Fair Trade was perked by traveling throughout southern Asia and South America where he saw the hardship endured by local farmers, which made him wonder how he could make a difference. This led him to volunteer with Fair Trade Vancouver. Travis has also geared his education towards helping others; he is now studying for his Bachelor’s degree in international business. Once he has graduated, Travis hopes to expand the Fair Trade market to include a much broader variety of products and ultimately expand the amount of lives that can be positively affected through Fair Trade.