WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.639 --> 00:00:10.890 A:middle L:90% I think I'm gonna go ahead and start so we 2 00:00:10.890 --> 00:00:13.390 A:middle L:90% can end on time. I am Dr. Maria Elisa Christie 3 00:00:13.390 --> 00:00:15.949 A:middle L:90% . I'm director of Women and Gender and international development 4 00:00:16.339 --> 00:00:19.550 A:middle L:90% here at the Office of International Research Education Development. 5 00:00:20.039 --> 00:00:23.519 A:middle L:90% Welcome to our 3rd and Final Women Gender Development Discussion 6 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:25.949 A:middle L:90% Series for the Semester. We're happy that you could 7 00:00:25.949 --> 00:00:28.480 A:middle L:90% join us and also the people joining us on webex 8 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:31.949 A:middle L:90% from the national capital region Virginia Tech. So there's 9 00:00:31.949 --> 00:00:34.219 A:middle L:90% a new statement I'm going to read that was developed 10 00:00:34.219 --> 00:00:37.179 A:middle L:90% as part of inclusivity and that is to acknowledge that 11 00:00:37.179 --> 00:00:39.500 A:middle L:90% this event is being held on the traditional lands of 12 00:00:39.509 --> 00:00:43.799 A:middle L:90% the people who are the original custodians of this land 13 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:45.340 A:middle L:90% . You know, if anybody has a chance to 14 00:00:45.340 --> 00:00:46.979 A:middle L:90% go to the farmers market, one of the events 15 00:00:46.979 --> 00:00:50.420 A:middle L:90% for the Indigenous heritage Month, we had a group 16 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:53.810 A:middle L:90% of Monaca tribe, young people and old people telling 17 00:00:53.810 --> 00:00:58.049 A:middle L:90% stories playing the jones dancing for the group, right 18 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:00.890 A:middle L:90% ? She said, you know that's where we are 19 00:01:00.890 --> 00:01:03.950 A:middle L:90% built on. So there's a sign up sheet. 20 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:06.370 A:middle L:90% Some people sign in when they came in back there 21 00:01:06.370 --> 00:01:07.959 A:middle L:90% , there's another one going around. Please be sure 22 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:08.799 A:middle L:90% to sign up. You can choose if you want 23 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:11.780 A:middle L:90% to be on our list. Er if you do 24 00:01:11.790 --> 00:01:12.340 A:middle L:90% , we just use it to announce this, we 25 00:01:12.340 --> 00:01:17.299 A:middle L:90% don't spam you and and if you don't want to 26 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:18.530 A:middle L:90% sign up, please, if you don't want to 27 00:01:18.540 --> 00:01:19.799 A:middle L:90% be on the list of, please go ahead and 28 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:22.629 A:middle L:90% sign up anyway and tell us what class you're here 29 00:01:22.629 --> 00:01:23.859 A:middle L:90% with or if your students and what's your stuff. 30 00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:27.430 A:middle L:90% All right. We have great agenda for next semester 31 00:01:27.430 --> 00:01:30.959 A:middle L:90% as well. We have three outside speakers, including 32 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:34.290 A:middle L:90% um somebody from Burkina, Faso in West africa and 33 00:01:34.290 --> 00:01:37.980 A:middle L:90% somebody from Guatemala in central America. That's on our 34 00:01:37.980 --> 00:01:41.290 A:middle L:90% website, which is on the r A D website 35 00:01:41.299 --> 00:01:42.769 A:middle L:90% bt dot E D U. And then it's a 36 00:01:42.780 --> 00:01:46.269 A:middle L:90% gender page there. I'm glad to show you where 37 00:01:46.269 --> 00:01:48.629 A:middle L:90% the pages afterwards if you want. Our next presenter 38 00:01:48.629 --> 00:01:51.829 A:middle L:90% is Amanda Crump who will be not Not this man 39 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:53.530 A:middle L:90% to man doesn't get many, many Trump is going 40 00:01:53.530 --> 00:01:57.329 A:middle L:90% to be talking about strategies to limit gender-based violence and 41 00:01:57.329 --> 00:02:00.159 A:middle L:90% international agricultural development. And the first one of the 42 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:05.909 A:middle L:90% next semester is February six. So Amanda Tanner's presentation 43 00:02:05.909 --> 00:02:07.900 A:middle L:90% will last about 40 minutes. Then we have 10 44 00:02:07.900 --> 00:02:09.770 A:middle L:90% minutes of questions and answer and then we'll stop so 45 00:02:09.770 --> 00:02:13.030 A:middle L:90% people can leave and get to class it's work and 46 00:02:13.030 --> 00:02:15.370 A:middle L:90% then whoever wants to stay and ask her questions can 47 00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:16.259 A:middle L:90% come up. We have the room for another half 48 00:02:16.259 --> 00:02:22.240 A:middle L:90% hour after that. Now to introduce Amanda, Amanda 49 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:24.770 A:middle L:90% is the founder and owner of living threads company social 50 00:02:24.770 --> 00:02:29.740 A:middle L:90% enterprise that provides market access and business development opportunities to 51 00:02:29.740 --> 00:02:32.080 A:middle L:90% small scale artisans around the globe. She's in Virginia 52 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:35.539 A:middle L:90% tech columbus, it holds up political science B. 53 00:02:35.539 --> 00:02:37.990 A:middle L:90% A. From 2006 and then went on to do 54 00:02:37.990 --> 00:02:40.659 A:middle L:90% her Masters at BRANDEIS University in Sustainable International Development. 55 00:02:42.340 --> 00:02:45.650 A:middle L:90% She has extensive experience working internationally, including working in 56 00:02:45.650 --> 00:02:49.389 A:middle L:90% West Africa in Peace Corps's um and five years of 57 00:02:49.389 --> 00:02:53.740 A:middle L:90% living and managing development programs in Central America. During 58 00:02:53.750 --> 00:02:57.250 A:middle L:90% her international based fieldwork, she developed relationships with artisan 59 00:02:57.259 --> 00:03:00.680 A:middle L:90% families and co operatives who lacked access to year round 60 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:04.979 A:middle L:90% markets and business development opportunities. And that led her 61 00:03:04.979 --> 00:03:07.569 A:middle L:90% to find her company. She now travels the world 62 00:03:07.569 --> 00:03:10.180 A:middle L:90% with a mission to empower women and improve livelihoods. 63 00:03:12.139 --> 00:03:14.409 A:middle L:90% Here you are share your knowledge is today. Thank 64 00:03:14.409 --> 00:03:17.180 A:middle L:90% you. A P. M. Yeah. Start 65 00:03:17.180 --> 00:03:20.810 A:middle L:90% with this. We'll see how we do. Standing 66 00:03:20.810 --> 00:03:23.629 A:middle L:90% in one place. I'm really excited to be here 67 00:03:23.629 --> 00:03:24.770 A:middle L:90% today. Thank you very much for having me. 68 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:28.289 A:middle L:90% Um This is you know I don't get that many 69 00:03:28.289 --> 00:03:30.310 A:middle L:90% opportunities to come back to Blacksburg, but I always 70 00:03:30.310 --> 00:03:35.469 A:middle L:90% love my time here. Um So today I'm going 71 00:03:35.469 --> 00:03:38.389 A:middle L:90% to talk a little bit about my background and the 72 00:03:38.389 --> 00:03:40.569 A:middle L:90% reasons that I came to found living thread scope kind 73 00:03:40.569 --> 00:03:45.219 A:middle L:90% of my experiences working internationally, and then I'm going 74 00:03:45.219 --> 00:03:46.840 A:middle L:90% to focus a bit more on what I do with 75 00:03:46.849 --> 00:03:51.000 A:middle L:90% living threads, how we work um and then opportunities 76 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:54.349 A:middle L:90% that I see for the future. Um All right 77 00:03:54.349 --> 00:03:57.180 A:middle L:90% , so as you kind of heard, um I 78 00:03:57.189 --> 00:04:00.400 A:middle L:90% graduated from Virginia Tech and Political Science and women's Studies 79 00:04:00.409 --> 00:04:03.020 A:middle L:90% , I had the opportunity to study abroad while I 80 00:04:03.020 --> 00:04:04.580 A:middle L:90% went to school here, which kind of got me 81 00:04:04.580 --> 00:04:10.319 A:middle L:90% hooked on traveling and really getting to know communities abroad 82 00:04:10.330 --> 00:04:14.400 A:middle L:90% um and spending the time there to invest and get 83 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.519 A:middle L:90% to know kind of cultural culture language. I think 84 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:20.600 A:middle L:90% I really realized how important that was in order to 85 00:04:20.610 --> 00:04:24.579 A:middle L:90% do sustainable development. Um So I spent two years 86 00:04:24.579 --> 00:04:28.430 A:middle L:90% in West africa. Um I then came back to 87 00:04:28.430 --> 00:04:30.910 A:middle L:90% the United States was sort of a critical perspective of 88 00:04:30.910 --> 00:04:33.370 A:middle L:90% international development work and I got my masters from BRANDEIS 89 00:04:33.370 --> 00:04:39.870 A:middle L:90% University in International sustainable development um and then that my 90 00:04:39.870 --> 00:04:43.279 A:middle L:90% graduate work took me to Honduras, And then I 91 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:46.120 A:middle L:90% spent the next kind of 4-5 years living in Guatemala 92 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:50.060 A:middle L:90% Nicaragua. Uh and hunter is doing sustainable at work 93 00:04:50.939 --> 00:04:53.790 A:middle L:90% . While I was down there, I was able 94 00:04:53.790 --> 00:04:57.959 A:middle L:90% to develop close relationships with women's cooperatives and families that 95 00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:00.670 A:middle L:90% we've. Um and that's kind of what took me 96 00:05:00.680 --> 00:05:04.160 A:middle L:90% to living breads. All right, so some of 97 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:13.000 A:middle L:90% the challenges um safe and sustainable employment, both um 98 00:05:13.009 --> 00:05:15.420 A:middle L:90% you know in in Guatemala and Nicaragua and the Gambia 99 00:05:15.430 --> 00:05:17.199 A:middle L:90% , I think we all are well aware of kind 100 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:19.879 A:middle L:90% of the problems um that a lot of communities face 101 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:24.399 A:middle L:90% as far as having sustainable access to jobs, whether 102 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:27.889 A:middle L:90% it's in agriculture, um men traveling to work, 103 00:05:27.899 --> 00:05:30.079 A:middle L:90% men and women traveling to work um in coffee, 104 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:33.790 A:middle L:90% harvesting coffee, um or whether it's, you know 105 00:05:33.790 --> 00:05:35.160 A:middle L:90% , in the case of a lot of the artisans 106 00:05:35.160 --> 00:05:39.790 A:middle L:90% I worked with in Nicaragua, the women would make 107 00:05:39.790 --> 00:05:42.839 A:middle L:90% food and sell it to tourists, but that market 108 00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:46.470 A:middle L:90% was really unstable. So the challenge there was year 109 00:05:46.470 --> 00:05:51.459 A:middle L:90% round sustainable access to employment. Uh and then as 110 00:05:51.470 --> 00:05:57.069 A:middle L:90% far as um gender, um the challenge was really 111 00:05:57.079 --> 00:06:00.370 A:middle L:90% development programs that were able to address these challenges, 112 00:06:00.370 --> 00:06:04.040 A:middle L:90% but we're inclusive. Um I saw programs in Gambia 113 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:08.949 A:middle L:90% while I was a Peace Corps volunteer that focused on 114 00:06:08.949 --> 00:06:12.360 A:middle L:90% microcredit loans to women, but it was a really 115 00:06:12.360 --> 00:06:14.910 A:middle L:90% big focus on giving the money to women without really 116 00:06:14.910 --> 00:06:16.600 A:middle L:90% understanding, but you couldn't just hand money to women 117 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:19.660 A:middle L:90% without kind of passing through to the hands of men 118 00:06:19.939 --> 00:06:23.360 A:middle L:90% . So that was kind of a big lesson learned 119 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:29.310 A:middle L:90% access to markets. So this was a big part 120 00:06:29.310 --> 00:06:32.360 A:middle L:90% of founding living threads. Co artisans across the world 121 00:06:32.370 --> 00:06:39.089 A:middle L:90% just lack sustainable markets. Um whether it's in Nepal 122 00:06:39.100 --> 00:06:42.420 A:middle L:90% where artisans work within the Himalayas, where there's really 123 00:06:42.420 --> 00:06:45.949 A:middle L:90% very little access and infrastructure or in Guatemala, we 124 00:06:45.949 --> 00:06:48.220 A:middle L:90% have to travel by boat or in Nicaragua where there's 125 00:06:48.220 --> 00:06:53.750 A:middle L:90% more infrastructure where I work, but but the market 126 00:06:53.750 --> 00:06:56.959 A:middle L:90% is tourists um and that fluctuates a lot given the 127 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:00.180 A:middle L:90% time of year or security um and the preservation of 128 00:07:00.180 --> 00:07:04.519 A:middle L:90% traditional art uh and culture. So groups that I 129 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:06.800 A:middle L:90% work with in Guatemala have been weaving on my back 130 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:11.120 A:middle L:90% strap looms for thousands of years, but these practices 131 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:14.449 A:middle L:90% are traditionally passed down from grandmother's mother to daughter. 132 00:07:14.839 --> 00:07:17.160 A:middle L:90% Um but those practices are dying with the influx of 133 00:07:17.160 --> 00:07:20.680 A:middle L:90% really cheap textiles from the west, So really an 134 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:24.829 A:middle L:90% effort to kind of diversify their products and find new 135 00:07:24.829 --> 00:07:29.670 A:middle L:90% markets for them. What's really important. I also 136 00:07:29.670 --> 00:07:32.069 A:middle L:90% saw, you know, both in central America and 137 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:35.420 A:middle L:90% in West africa, a lack of cultural understanding. 138 00:07:35.430 --> 00:07:41.569 A:middle L:90% Um, and you know, this too often development 139 00:07:41.569 --> 00:07:44.019 A:middle L:90% projects kind of going with these assumptions of what the 140 00:07:44.019 --> 00:07:46.750 A:middle L:90% need is and what the solution is. Um, 141 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:49.990 A:middle L:90% for example, in um, in Gambia as a 142 00:07:49.990 --> 00:07:53.839 A:middle L:90% Peace Corps volunteer, there was an organization that came 143 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:57.600 A:middle L:90% in and they had decided that education was really important 144 00:07:57.610 --> 00:07:59.139 A:middle L:90% . Um, and so they wanted to pay for 145 00:07:59.139 --> 00:08:01.769 A:middle L:90% all the Children's school fees. Um, so that 146 00:08:01.769 --> 00:08:03.870 A:middle L:90% this was a place where, you know, school 147 00:08:03.870 --> 00:08:05.649 A:middle L:90% fees where maybe$5 a year, families had, 148 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:09.060 A:middle L:90% you know, they had prioritized that money. They 149 00:08:09.060 --> 00:08:09.949 A:middle L:90% knew it was important and they were already paying for 150 00:08:09.949 --> 00:08:13.769 A:middle L:90% the school fees. So the organization comes in, 151 00:08:13.779 --> 00:08:16.860 A:middle L:90% they take over that responsibility. The family no longer 152 00:08:16.860 --> 00:08:18.110 A:middle L:90% feels like they need to prioritize it. And then 153 00:08:18.110 --> 00:08:20.170 A:middle L:90% when the organization leads, those kids are pulled out 154 00:08:20.170 --> 00:08:22.050 A:middle L:90% of school. Um, so I think I saw 155 00:08:22.050 --> 00:08:26.629 A:middle L:90% a lot of, you know, very damaging impacts 156 00:08:26.629 --> 00:08:28.399 A:middle L:90% that these, you know, projects and organizations could 157 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:33.139 A:middle L:90% have without really understanding what the needs and challenges were 158 00:08:33.149 --> 00:08:35.309 A:middle L:90% . And without having those projects come really from the 159 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:41.750 A:middle L:90% grassroots up. Um, and then from kind of 160 00:08:41.750 --> 00:08:45.950 A:middle L:90% a consumer Western perspective. Um, looking at our 161 00:08:45.950 --> 00:08:48.870 A:middle L:90% textile industry and fashion in general. Um, uh 162 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:52.250 A:middle L:90% , this is something that coming from international development, 163 00:08:52.250 --> 00:08:54.179 A:middle L:90% I didn't know that much about until I started getting 164 00:08:54.179 --> 00:08:58.289 A:middle L:90% into kind of the business side, um, of 165 00:08:58.299 --> 00:09:01.809 A:middle L:90% , um, of fashion and home textiles. But 166 00:09:01.809 --> 00:09:07.720 A:middle L:90% if the textile industry in general is um, one 167 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:09.480 A:middle L:90% of the most damaging industries that we have our planet 168 00:09:09.490 --> 00:09:13.649 A:middle L:90% and communities and individuals, um, second only to 169 00:09:13.659 --> 00:09:16.019 A:middle L:90% oil. Um so you can see kind of the 170 00:09:16.029 --> 00:09:20.330 A:middle L:90% , you know, from production of cotton and other 171 00:09:20.330 --> 00:09:22.740 A:middle L:90% fibers to the delivery to end consumers, um there's 172 00:09:22.740 --> 00:09:26.159 A:middle L:90% a whole lot of waste. Um and this is 173 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:30.460 A:middle L:90% , I'm gonna copy out this little clip here, 174 00:09:30.940 --> 00:09:35.129 A:middle L:90% it's a little bit dramatic, but I think that's 175 00:09:35.129 --> 00:09:37.690 A:middle L:90% a really good job of kind of pulling together what 176 00:09:37.690 --> 00:09:43.029 A:middle L:90% some of the dangers are We communicate who we are 177 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:46.960 A:middle L:90% through clothing. It is fundamentally a part of what 178 00:09:46.970 --> 00:09:50.669 A:middle L:90% we wish to communicate about ourselves. We used to 179 00:09:50.669 --> 00:09:52.850 A:middle L:90% have a system, a fashion system that has absolutely 180 00:09:52.850 --> 00:09:56.659 A:middle L:90% nothing to do with the fashion industry today. It 181 00:09:56.659 --> 00:10:01.000 A:middle L:90% has been reinvented, it's based on materialism. The 182 00:10:01.009 --> 00:10:09.580 A:middle L:90% problem is that comes at a really high price garment 183 00:10:09.590 --> 00:10:22.090 A:middle L:90% factory collapsed, killing more than 1000 between November, 184 00:10:24.029 --> 00:10:31.840 A:middle L:90% another major factory garment workers in Bangladesh national team, 185 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:35.279 A:middle L:90% the price for cheap clothing. What the promise of 186 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:37.360 A:middle L:90% globalization was that it was going to be a win 187 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:41.440 A:middle L:90% win. That consumers in the rich world would get 188 00:10:41.450 --> 00:10:43.059 A:middle L:90% cheaper goods and people in the poorer parts of the 189 00:10:43.070 --> 00:10:46.480 A:middle L:90% world get jobs and that those jobs will give them 190 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:48.799 A:middle L:90% an opportunity to work their way out of poverty. 191 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:56.110 A:middle L:90% This enormous repay cious industry that is generating so much 192 00:10:56.110 --> 00:10:58.610 A:middle L:90% profit. Why is it that it is unable to 193 00:10:58.610 --> 00:11:03.889 A:middle L:90% support millions of its workers properly? The actual business 194 00:11:03.889 --> 00:11:07.509 A:middle L:90% model is completely unsustainable. Unless you change that model 195 00:11:07.570 --> 00:11:11.330 A:middle L:90% , you can't change anything when everything is concentrated on 196 00:11:11.330 --> 00:11:15.299 A:middle L:90% making profits. What you see is that human rights 197 00:11:15.299 --> 00:11:18.710 A:middle L:90% , the environment workers' rights get lost. My God 198 00:11:18.720 --> 00:12:07.049 A:middle L:90% , you can do better than this. All right 199 00:12:11.139 --> 00:12:13.049 A:middle L:90% . It's always difficult for me to watch. Uh 200 00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:16.500 A:middle L:90% That is a documentary culture cost. I don't know 201 00:12:16.500 --> 00:12:20.129 A:middle L:90% if anybody has seen that, but um it's really 202 00:12:20.129 --> 00:12:22.610 A:middle L:90% interesting and worth walking watching um and really makes you 203 00:12:22.610 --> 00:12:26.899 A:middle L:90% think a lot about, you know, our we 204 00:12:26.899 --> 00:12:30.649 A:middle L:90% tend to become I think we're becoming more and more 205 00:12:30.649 --> 00:12:33.840 A:middle L:90% accustomed to super cheap products um and the impact that 206 00:12:33.850 --> 00:12:37.480 A:middle L:90% really has around the world. Okay. So I've 207 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:41.590 A:middle L:90% highlighted kind of stomach that challenges are the problems that 208 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:43.509 A:middle L:90% I saw working, you know, both in international 209 00:12:43.509 --> 00:12:48.049 A:middle L:90% development um in the field um and then kind of 210 00:12:48.049 --> 00:12:52.370 A:middle L:90% starting up my company. Um So what we kind 211 00:12:52.370 --> 00:12:56.149 A:middle L:90% of decided um working with the artisans um is that 212 00:12:56.149 --> 00:12:58.860 A:middle L:90% we needed a couple of different things, right? 213 00:12:58.870 --> 00:13:01.610 A:middle L:90% Um Artisans, I work with groups who already leave 214 00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:03.100 A:middle L:90% , so all of the women and men that I 215 00:13:03.100 --> 00:13:07.360 A:middle L:90% work with, their their their tradition has been passed 216 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:09.929 A:middle L:90% down typically generations from generation and not teaching anybody how 217 00:13:09.929 --> 00:13:13.090 A:middle L:90% to weave or create anything that's something that they already 218 00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:16.799 A:middle L:90% do. Um And what they've identified as a need 219 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:18.320 A:middle L:90% is a sustainable access to markets. Right? So 220 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:22.460 A:middle L:90% year round they have sustainable income to provide for their 221 00:13:22.460 --> 00:13:26.870 A:middle L:90% families. Um and then part of that is capacity 222 00:13:26.870 --> 00:13:30.049 A:middle L:90% building. So these are often really small groups that 223 00:13:30.059 --> 00:13:33.240 A:middle L:90% aren't super well organized, they lack access to making 224 00:13:33.250 --> 00:13:37.009 A:middle L:90% email account, are they going to use a computer 225 00:13:37.009 --> 00:13:39.830 A:middle L:90% or don't speak any english? Um and so kind 226 00:13:39.830 --> 00:13:43.379 A:middle L:90% of doing capacity building on, you know, how 227 00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:46.529 A:middle L:90% are we pricing goods? Um what is kind of 228 00:13:46.529 --> 00:13:48.600 A:middle L:90% your position in this global market? How do we 229 00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:52.149 A:middle L:90% value, you know, raw material costs, time 230 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:54.230 A:middle L:90% , all of all of these things. So working 231 00:13:54.230 --> 00:13:58.090 A:middle L:90% together with them to identify with their training needs are 232 00:13:58.100 --> 00:13:58.929 A:middle L:90% um and then through living threats, we have a 233 00:13:58.929 --> 00:14:01.889 A:middle L:90% micro credit and training program. So we partner with 234 00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:05.750 A:middle L:90% local nonprofit to really know the complexities um of, 235 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:09.870 A:middle L:90% you know, their specific um, you know, 236 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:11.450 A:middle L:90% context where they're working so that they are better able 237 00:14:11.450 --> 00:14:16.120 A:middle L:90% to provide those trainings because as we grow and start 238 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:18.580 A:middle L:90% working with new groups like in Nepal and India where 239 00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:20.309 A:middle L:90% I haven't spent as much time, those local partnerships 240 00:14:20.309 --> 00:14:24.860 A:middle L:90% have become really important. Um, and then consumer 241 00:14:24.860 --> 00:14:28.269 A:middle L:90% education is actually something that I didn't at first think 242 00:14:28.269 --> 00:14:28.919 A:middle L:90% it's going to be such a big part of what 243 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:31.210 A:middle L:90% I do. Um, but it really has, 244 00:14:31.220 --> 00:14:35.720 A:middle L:90% I think just like the true cost, uh, 245 00:14:35.730 --> 00:14:39.399 A:middle L:90% little clip showed, um, people are very disconnected 246 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:43.559 A:middle L:90% from kind of this, um, the production and 247 00:14:43.570 --> 00:14:46.730 A:middle L:90% the environmental and social and personal costs of this kind 248 00:14:46.730 --> 00:14:50.120 A:middle L:90% of consumer culture in the way that we produce things 249 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:52.639 A:middle L:90% . And so it's really hard to explain to somebody 250 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.309 A:middle L:90% , you know why it's so you go to play 251 00:14:54.309 --> 00:14:56.679 A:middle L:90% pay a little bit more for something. Um, 252 00:14:56.679 --> 00:15:01.580 A:middle L:90% and so kind of connecting consumers to not only you 253 00:15:01.580 --> 00:15:03.559 A:middle L:90% know, the product but to the people in the 254 00:15:03.559 --> 00:15:07.100 A:middle L:90% culture in the process by which it was made, 255 00:15:07.100 --> 00:15:11.179 A:middle L:90% it's really important. Um So living threads was born 256 00:15:11.190 --> 00:15:15.600 A:middle L:90% . Um so what I do is um I go 257 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:18.220 A:middle L:90% down and work directly with our artisans and we create 258 00:15:18.220 --> 00:15:22.950 A:middle L:90% kind of custom products that are inspired by local culture 259 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:26.929 A:middle L:90% uh and the environment but have kind of a modern 260 00:15:26.929 --> 00:15:28.850 A:middle L:90% design to them so that they're more marketable here in 261 00:15:28.850 --> 00:15:33.000 A:middle L:90% the States. So our mission is to preserve our 262 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:37.629 A:middle L:90% artisan groups traditions and improve livelihoods, but while providing 263 00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:41.559 A:middle L:90% high quality handmade textiles to consumers here in the States 264 00:15:41.570 --> 00:15:50.480 A:middle L:90% um around the globe. Okay. Um so the 265 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:52.720 A:middle L:90% how um we're doing this in a number of different 266 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:54.549 A:middle L:90% ways, like I said, the relationships that I've 267 00:15:54.549 --> 00:15:58.429 A:middle L:90% developed with groups has become really important, especially initially 268 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:02.330 A:middle L:90% . Um but partnerships have become more important as we've 269 00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:04.360 A:middle L:90% grown and being able to grow and work with different 270 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:08.470 A:middle L:90% groups in different countries. Um And then the training 271 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:11.259 A:middle L:90% of those artisans to make sure that we're fairly pricing 272 00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:15.220 A:middle L:90% goods has also been really important kind of as we 273 00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:18.960 A:middle L:90% started. Um But we sell currently, we do 274 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:21.440 A:middle L:90% e commerce um and then we sell in pop up 275 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:26.250 A:middle L:90% shops that we do direct to customers directed consumers and 276 00:16:26.250 --> 00:16:30.690 A:middle L:90% retail and then also wholesale. So we're kind of 277 00:16:30.690 --> 00:16:33.399 A:middle L:90% as a new company and especially for me personally, 278 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:36.399 A:middle L:90% coming from a background in international development, learning the 279 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:41.120 A:middle L:90% whole business side of things has been a process and 280 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:41.759 A:middle L:90% I've learned a whole lot from it. And so 281 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:45.929 A:middle L:90% partnering with other people who are into sustainable business um 282 00:16:45.929 --> 00:16:49.250 A:middle L:90% and social enterprise has been really important. Um and 283 00:16:49.250 --> 00:16:52.200 A:middle L:90% learning, you know, how how do we price 284 00:16:52.200 --> 00:16:55.500 A:middle L:90% our goods fairly both to the artisans that we work 285 00:16:55.509 --> 00:16:59.600 A:middle L:90% with and the end consumer. Um So I. 286 00:16:59.610 --> 00:17:02.610 A:middle L:90% Um are artisans or who define all of our prices 287 00:17:02.610 --> 00:17:04.720 A:middle L:90% and then we just through training um make sure that 288 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:08.640 A:middle L:90% all of the indirect costs are accounted um into the 289 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:11.609 A:middle L:90% way that they calculate their cost. Um And I 290 00:17:11.609 --> 00:17:15.619 A:middle L:90% will say that it's it's most often the case that 291 00:17:15.619 --> 00:17:18.160 A:middle L:90% artisans undervalue their product as opposed to over value it 292 00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:21.509 A:middle L:90% . So we worked really hard to make sure that 293 00:17:21.509 --> 00:17:23.450 A:middle L:90% everybody is kind of taking into consideration, you know 294 00:17:23.450 --> 00:17:26.190 A:middle L:90% the raw materials, labor time and maintenance kind of 295 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:30.119 A:middle L:90% overhead and administration and then kind of set goals for 296 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:36.710 A:middle L:90% where we'd like to go. Um This is just 297 00:17:36.710 --> 00:17:38.480 A:middle L:90% a little infographic that kind of shows um the way 298 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:41.619 A:middle L:90% that we work again um Working directly with artisans and 299 00:17:41.619 --> 00:17:45.980 A:middle L:90% then connecting um the end consumer directly to the product 300 00:17:45.980 --> 00:17:48.880 A:middle L:90% and the artisan, him or herself. Um and 301 00:17:48.890 --> 00:17:52.460 A:middle L:90% then how we reach customers, both e commerce, 302 00:17:52.460 --> 00:17:56.150 A:middle L:90% some direct retail and wholesale. Um and you know 303 00:17:56.150 --> 00:18:00.190 A:middle L:90% , for us kind of investing in our human capacity 304 00:18:00.190 --> 00:18:03.000 A:middle L:90% , that's kind of like the foundation of living threads 305 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:04.480 A:middle L:90% go. And so that's where the micro credit and 306 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:07.359 A:middle L:90% training becomes really important to kind of build our foundation 307 00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:11.000 A:middle L:90% . Um and it's also really important to us because 308 00:18:11.009 --> 00:18:15.009 A:middle L:90% we as a small business can't meet the needs of 309 00:18:15.009 --> 00:18:17.500 A:middle L:90% all the groups that we work with, they could 310 00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:18.960 A:middle L:90% produce much more than we are able to purchase from 311 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:22.740 A:middle L:90% them. So we help connect them to markets locally 312 00:18:22.750 --> 00:18:25.190 A:middle L:90% , whether it's eco resorts that need you know, 313 00:18:25.190 --> 00:18:27.779 A:middle L:90% textiles for their beds or hotels that cell. So 314 00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:32.000 A:middle L:90% we kind of worked to diversify who they sell to 315 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:36.480 A:middle L:90% in country as well. All right, this is 316 00:18:36.490 --> 00:18:38.990 A:middle L:90% um just a short little video that uh is of 317 00:18:38.990 --> 00:18:41.539 A:middle L:90% our artisans in Guatemala to kind of get a sense 318 00:18:41.539 --> 00:18:47.680 A:middle L:90% of the creation of just one product. I hope 319 00:18:47.680 --> 00:19:30.680 A:middle L:90% so, wow, okay, yeah, mm just 320 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:53.849 A:middle L:90% all mhm, mhm. So mhm, Mhm, 321 00:19:56.039 --> 00:20:19.650 A:middle L:90% Mhm. Oh thank you, yeah, yeah. 322 00:20:22.339 --> 00:20:33.950 A:middle L:90% Mhm. Yeah, right, um and I'll give 323 00:20:33.950 --> 00:20:38.420 A:middle L:90% you a little bit of context, let me know 324 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:41.839 A:middle L:90% if you guys can't hear me, but so I 325 00:20:41.849 --> 00:20:47.109 A:middle L:90% have here some samples of the di the natural dye 326 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:49.950 A:middle L:90% that is used with a cotton, so afterwards feel 327 00:20:49.950 --> 00:20:52.160 A:middle L:90% free to come up here and you can kind of 328 00:20:52.170 --> 00:20:53.259 A:middle L:90% touch and look at the different die sources, but 329 00:20:53.259 --> 00:20:57.130 A:middle L:90% it's really fascinating, all of the bright and amazing 330 00:20:57.130 --> 00:21:00.000 A:middle L:90% colors that they can get out of. You know 331 00:21:00.009 --> 00:21:03.569 A:middle L:90% , things like bark showed there um you know just 332 00:21:03.569 --> 00:21:10.460 A:middle L:90% leaves of different trees, coffee carrots, even bugs 333 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:11.680 A:middle L:90% , um and this is something also, you know 334 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:17.089 A:middle L:90% knowledge that's been passed down generation by generation. Um 335 00:21:17.089 --> 00:21:18.900 A:middle L:90% and then in Guatemala as you saw they leave on 336 00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:21.529 A:middle L:90% a Mayan back strap loom. Um so this scarf 337 00:21:21.529 --> 00:21:23.789 A:middle L:90% here is an example of natural dye recycled cotton that 338 00:21:23.789 --> 00:21:26.890 A:middle L:90% was woven on a back strap loom. Um and 339 00:21:26.900 --> 00:21:30.900 A:middle L:90% I was recently in Nepal, we just started working 340 00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:33.700 A:middle L:90% with a group there and um I had the opportunity 341 00:21:33.710 --> 00:21:34.539 A:middle L:90% to do some hiking in the Himalayas while I was 342 00:21:34.549 --> 00:21:38.299 A:middle L:90% there and came across a woman in her home waving 343 00:21:38.299 --> 00:21:41.539 A:middle L:90% on the exact same back strap loom that's used by 344 00:21:41.549 --> 00:21:45.240 A:middle L:90% the Mayan indigenous of Guatemala. It was really fascinating 345 00:21:45.250 --> 00:21:48.180 A:middle L:90% for me to be so far apart, but then 346 00:21:48.190 --> 00:21:51.359 A:middle L:90% see, you know, this same artisan tradition that's 347 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:53.970 A:middle L:90% been around for so long um in such different places 348 00:21:53.970 --> 00:21:57.019 A:middle L:90% and used in in different ways. Um but those 349 00:21:57.019 --> 00:22:00.170 A:middle L:90% artisans still are facing the same challenges right of of 350 00:22:00.170 --> 00:22:03.710 A:middle L:90% access to markets and the this influx of western clothing 351 00:22:03.710 --> 00:22:07.460 A:middle L:90% and no need to kind of create their own fabrics 352 00:22:07.460 --> 00:22:11.200 A:middle L:90% there. And then in Nicaragua on our website, 353 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:14.849 A:middle L:90% you can see some video of those artisans moving. 354 00:22:14.859 --> 00:22:17.750 A:middle L:90% Uh this is lily. Um she's one of the 355 00:22:17.750 --> 00:22:21.130 A:middle L:90% members of the family there. Um but and actually 356 00:22:21.130 --> 00:22:22.130 A:middle L:90% the sewing machine, there was part of a microcredit 357 00:22:22.130 --> 00:22:23.730 A:middle L:90% program that we did so that they can kind of 358 00:22:23.730 --> 00:22:29.430 A:middle L:90% expand their product line um and sell larger queen bed 359 00:22:29.430 --> 00:22:33.220 A:middle L:90% blankets to local hotels. um and these here are 360 00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:37.519 A:middle L:90% some of the products that they produce, also 100 361 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:42.170 A:middle L:90% cotton but woven on large foot pedal looms that the 362 00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:45.720 A:middle L:90% there's one man who leaves with everybody. So with 363 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:48.349 A:middle L:90% a grandmother who started the cooperative. Uh huh. 364 00:22:48.349 --> 00:22:52.519 A:middle L:90% And then she's taught kind of her sons and daughters 365 00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:53.839 A:middle L:90% how to weave. Um So her son, Uber 366 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:56.099 A:middle L:90% , he builds all of their looms out of recycled 367 00:22:56.109 --> 00:22:59.890 A:middle L:90% reclaimed wood around town. So it's just a fascinating 368 00:22:59.890 --> 00:23:02.230 A:middle L:90% process. They've had to be um you know really 369 00:23:02.230 --> 00:23:04.859 A:middle L:90% creative and think outside the box um for bobbin winder 370 00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:07.119 A:middle L:90% for example, they use the old fan motor. 371 00:23:07.130 --> 00:23:10.710 A:middle L:90% Um So just really cool things, you know, 372 00:23:10.710 --> 00:23:12.059 A:middle L:90% they lack access to all of these, you know 373 00:23:12.069 --> 00:23:15.269 A:middle L:90% um machines and um you know, they can't just 374 00:23:15.269 --> 00:23:18.730 A:middle L:90% go buy a bobbin winder so they make it there 375 00:23:18.730 --> 00:23:25.690 A:middle L:90% with what they have. Um So some of the 376 00:23:25.690 --> 00:23:29.900 A:middle L:90% challenges um as you could probably imagine watching that video 377 00:23:29.910 --> 00:23:32.549 A:middle L:90% , um natural dyes are really hard to control, 378 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:34.849 A:middle L:90% right? So um quality control has been really difficult 379 00:23:34.849 --> 00:23:37.200 A:middle L:90% and something that we focused on a lot with our 380 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:42.289 A:middle L:90% artisans um you make a batch of cotton with some 381 00:23:42.289 --> 00:23:45.630 A:middle L:90% bark or some coffee and the color is going to 382 00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:48.359 A:middle L:90% be different every single time you do that based on 383 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:51.150 A:middle L:90% the season, how much rain you've had when the 384 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:53.190 A:middle L:90% fruit or the vegetable or whatever was harvested. Um 385 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:56.519 A:middle L:90% , So in thinking about the company in general and 386 00:23:56.519 --> 00:23:59.930 A:middle L:90% how we can have a larger impact and more artisans 387 00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:02.559 A:middle L:90% in thinking about scalability, that's, you know, 388 00:24:02.569 --> 00:24:04.390 A:middle L:90% really large challenge for us. So it's had to 389 00:24:04.390 --> 00:24:07.099 A:middle L:90% kind of go into the way that we think about 390 00:24:07.109 --> 00:24:08.609 A:middle L:90% how we can grow as a company. Thinking about 391 00:24:08.609 --> 00:24:15.279 A:middle L:90% these challenges as far as quality control. Uh, 392 00:24:15.289 --> 00:24:18.200 A:middle L:90% and then also organization. Um, so you know 393 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:22.769 A:middle L:90% , working with groups who just kind of, uh 394 00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:26.440 A:middle L:90% , you know, originally, um, not all 395 00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:27.440 A:middle L:90% the members worked full time. There some kind of 396 00:24:27.450 --> 00:24:32.799 A:middle L:90% focusing a lot on development and capacity building of groups 397 00:24:32.809 --> 00:24:33.809 A:middle L:90% to be able to say what they want to do 398 00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:36.650 A:middle L:90% , how big they want to grow as well. 399 00:24:36.650 --> 00:24:38.259 A:middle L:90% A lot of these women have families. Um, 400 00:24:38.269 --> 00:24:41.930 A:middle L:90% and I will say most, most of the groups 401 00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:45.839 A:middle L:90% are primarily women, but there are definitely been involved 402 00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:48.160 A:middle L:90% in a lot of different ways and especially in Nepal 403 00:24:48.170 --> 00:24:51.359 A:middle L:90% , I tend to see a lot more male weavers 404 00:24:51.369 --> 00:24:52.769 A:middle L:90% . I'm so involving everybody and that has been really 405 00:24:52.769 --> 00:24:56.450 A:middle L:90% important, kind of overcoming some of these organizational challenges 406 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:03.509 A:middle L:90% . Okay, so opportunities, and I think despite 407 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:06.329 A:middle L:90% there being a lot of challenges, just the artisan 408 00:25:06.329 --> 00:25:10.509 A:middle L:90% handmade market in general as a force for development and 409 00:25:10.509 --> 00:25:14.759 A:middle L:90% creating positive lasting social change is huge. I'm really 410 00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:18.390 A:middle L:90% excited about it. Um, there are organizations like 411 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:21.809 A:middle L:90% Alliance for Artisan Enterprise, um, and if you 412 00:25:21.809 --> 00:25:23.309 A:middle L:90% guys check out their website, you can see just 413 00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:27.359 A:middle L:90% a lot of similar companies to living breads who work 414 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:30.809 A:middle L:90% with artisans all around the world. Um, and 415 00:25:30.809 --> 00:25:33.720 A:middle L:90% I think that consumers also are at a point where 416 00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:37.759 A:middle L:90% they're kind of demanding more accountability out of businesses in 417 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:40.950 A:middle L:90% looking for more sustainable products. So that's been, 418 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:42.130 A:middle L:90% you know, I think there's a lot more that 419 00:25:42.130 --> 00:25:45.720 A:middle L:90% we need to do as far as consumer education um 420 00:25:45.730 --> 00:25:48.130 A:middle L:90% which is why it's also kind of an opportunity. 421 00:25:48.140 --> 00:25:52.279 A:middle L:90% Um but I think that people are are kind of 422 00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:55.769 A:middle L:90% demanding more out of their products and and out of 423 00:25:55.769 --> 00:25:59.819 A:middle L:90% their companies that they that they support. Um And 424 00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:02.890 A:middle L:90% then another huge one obviously is sustainability and buying. 425 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:04.440 A:middle L:90% Um For me when I was working in development, 426 00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:07.220 A:middle L:90% some of the most successful projects that I saw were 427 00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:11.250 A:middle L:90% those where the participants were really invested in what we 428 00:26:11.250 --> 00:26:15.470 A:middle L:90% were doing and those were often my group business projects 429 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:17.730 A:middle L:90% . Um So these, you know these are families 430 00:26:17.730 --> 00:26:19.559 A:middle L:90% and cooperatives who this is their livelihood, this is 431 00:26:19.559 --> 00:26:22.250 A:middle L:90% what they do deprive for their families um and it's 432 00:26:22.250 --> 00:26:30.549 A:middle L:90% something that they love to do okay. Um also 433 00:26:30.549 --> 00:26:33.680 A:middle L:90% economic growth and livelihoods is very much related to the 434 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:37.589 A:middle L:90% sustainability and buying and potential for growth. Um but 435 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:41.380 A:middle L:90% with the group that I work with in Nicaragua, 436 00:26:41.390 --> 00:26:44.200 A:middle L:90% even just over the past kind of year to 16 437 00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:48.680 A:middle L:90% months we've seen their individual incomes triple so a family 438 00:26:48.680 --> 00:26:52.509 A:middle L:90% or individual making About$60 a month, which is 439 00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:55.900 A:middle L:90% fairly typical in Nicaragua. Those women and men are 440 00:26:55.900 --> 00:26:59.269 A:middle L:90% now making up to$250 to$300 a month. 441 00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:02.799 A:middle L:90% Um And that cooperative has also been able to hire 442 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:06.170 A:middle L:90% more people and have a larger impact in their community 443 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:14.359 A:middle L:90% . Um Women in traditional gender gender roles. Um 444 00:27:14.359 --> 00:27:17.839 A:middle L:90% So I mentioned before, you know typically this is 445 00:27:17.849 --> 00:27:21.099 A:middle L:90% kind of an industry or area where it's typically a 446 00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:22.839 A:middle L:90% lot of women um and I think putting kind of 447 00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:26.250 A:middle L:90% a different value on the work that they're doing and 448 00:27:26.250 --> 00:27:29.000 A:middle L:90% showing that it has a lot of potential for income 449 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:32.400 A:middle L:90% generation um makes these women, you know, strong 450 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:34.539 A:middle L:90% actors within their homes. Um And then kind of 451 00:27:34.549 --> 00:27:37.450 A:middle L:90% for me it's always been about being really inclusive with 452 00:27:37.450 --> 00:27:41.380 A:middle L:90% both men and women. Um and making sure that 453 00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:44.710 A:middle L:90% the men feel as invested and involved as the women 454 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:47.049 A:middle L:90% do and making sure that eventually, you know, 455 00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:49.779 A:middle L:90% women are being but into decision making a kind of 456 00:27:49.789 --> 00:27:53.170 A:middle L:90% administrative roles, whether it's a cooperative with a formal 457 00:27:53.170 --> 00:27:57.730 A:middle L:90% board or just a family. Uh And then environment 458 00:27:57.740 --> 00:28:03.160 A:middle L:90% obviously a lot of opportunities supporting small scale artisans um 459 00:28:03.170 --> 00:28:06.730 A:middle L:90% is a wonderful way like the products are already very 460 00:28:06.730 --> 00:28:10.390 A:middle L:90% sustainable using natural dyes and utilizing all of their local 461 00:28:10.390 --> 00:28:12.019 A:middle L:90% resources. Um So it was very easy to kind 462 00:28:12.019 --> 00:28:15.359 A:middle L:90% of really support that and build it up. Um 463 00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:19.220 A:middle L:90% As opposed to a lot of the kind of mass 464 00:28:19.220 --> 00:28:23.000 A:middle L:90% produced and then um chemicals that are used in a 465 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:29.410 A:middle L:90% lot of that chemical dice. All right, well 466 00:28:29.410 --> 00:28:32.970 A:middle L:90% , it's a kind of summarize I think that, 467 00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:36.569 A:middle L:90% you know, I have worked in international development also 468 00:28:36.569 --> 00:28:38.130 A:middle L:90% now, sustainable business. And I definitely think with 469 00:28:38.130 --> 00:28:41.900 A:middle L:90% all of the different challenges there are within development, 470 00:28:41.900 --> 00:28:44.990 A:middle L:90% it's really important that we approach this with sort of 471 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:48.799 A:middle L:90% a multi disciplinary approach. There are challenges that, 472 00:28:48.809 --> 00:28:51.750 A:middle L:90% you know, we need direct aid, immediate aid 473 00:28:51.750 --> 00:28:55.509 A:middle L:90% for. There are things that need long term nonprofit 474 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:59.309 A:middle L:90% development projects and programmes for research. Um but I 475 00:28:59.309 --> 00:29:03.190 A:middle L:90% do think that social enterprise is this kind of growing 476 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:06.470 A:middle L:90% um you know, force that you should be able 477 00:29:06.470 --> 00:29:10.109 A:middle L:90% to make money um and really solve these big social 478 00:29:10.109 --> 00:29:15.349 A:middle L:90% problems. Um and then for me, um it 479 00:29:15.349 --> 00:29:18.539 A:middle L:90% always comes back to kind of the reason that I 480 00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:19.849 A:middle L:90% started the company and the reason that I'm really passionate 481 00:29:19.849 --> 00:29:22.720 A:middle L:90% about, you know, they're beautiful textiles and the 482 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:26.839 A:middle L:90% impact that we can have by supporting these individuals on 483 00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:29.349 A:middle L:90% a small scale. So this is Donna lia, 484 00:29:29.349 --> 00:29:32.140 A:middle L:90% she's the grandmother of the group in Nicaragua and they 485 00:29:32.140 --> 00:29:33.980 A:middle L:90% were kind of kind of the inspiration to starting the 486 00:29:33.980 --> 00:29:37.660 A:middle L:90% company. So I would like to finish with her 487 00:30:12.940 --> 00:30:15.660 A:middle L:90% all right. And one last quote from from Donnelly 488 00:30:15.660 --> 00:30:18.829 A:middle L:90% of the grandmother, she once said to me, 489 00:30:18.829 --> 00:30:21.210 A:middle L:90% I was asking her why she likes the work that 490 00:30:21.210 --> 00:30:22.769 A:middle L:90% she does and why she's a weaver. And she 491 00:30:22.769 --> 00:30:26.529 A:middle L:90% said that you know, weaving and creating these things 492 00:30:26.529 --> 00:30:27.890 A:middle L:90% that only allows her to be um you know, 493 00:30:27.900 --> 00:30:33.920 A:middle L:90% personally expressed her own creativity and provide for her family 494 00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:34.819 A:middle L:90% , but it also allows her to show the rest 495 00:30:34.819 --> 00:30:37.509 A:middle L:90% of the world that, you know, she may 496 00:30:37.509 --> 00:30:40.119 A:middle L:90% be from a poorer countries, maybe from Nicaragua, 497 00:30:40.119 --> 00:30:41.210 A:middle L:90% but that, you know, she has a Nicaraguan 498 00:30:41.210 --> 00:30:45.740 A:middle L:90% can produce these very useful and beautiful things. Um 499 00:30:45.740 --> 00:30:48.450 A:middle L:90% So I think it's kind of building you know those 500 00:30:48.460 --> 00:30:52.230 A:middle L:90% those relationships and her personal development which inspire me each 501 00:30:52.230 --> 00:31:00.640 A:middle L:90% day. Thank you one person. So I would 502 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:03.690 A:middle L:90% love to take questions we have at a time for 503 00:31:03.690 --> 00:31:06.369 A:middle L:90% questions. Yeah. Yes. So you kind of 504 00:31:06.369 --> 00:31:08.690 A:middle L:90% alluded to it, but the Nicaragua's I know about 505 00:31:08.690 --> 00:31:14.130 A:middle L:90% the maquilas, you know the fact the sweatshops, 506 00:31:14.130 --> 00:31:15.480 A:middle L:90% some people call them the factories for international clothing. 507 00:31:15.890 --> 00:31:22.140 A:middle L:90% So what impact does that have on artisan, you 508 00:31:22.140 --> 00:31:26.339 A:middle L:90% know goods if you will find, you said something 509 00:31:26.339 --> 00:31:26.779 A:middle L:90% about it, I think you kind of alluded to 510 00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:30.559 A:middle L:90% it. But have you observed an impact that those 511 00:31:30.140 --> 00:31:34.349 A:middle L:90% those kinds of operations have had traditional leaving? And 512 00:31:34.349 --> 00:31:37.130 A:middle L:90% then the other question is Guatemala. So until what 513 00:31:37.130 --> 00:31:40.980 A:middle L:90% would be a great outlet Mark market, but can 514 00:31:40.990 --> 00:31:42.450 A:middle L:90% the people you work with actually access markets and a 515 00:31:42.460 --> 00:31:45.220 A:middle L:90% table or is that a problem? Um Yeah, 516 00:31:45.230 --> 00:31:49.059 A:middle L:90% so I guess starting with the Nicaragua question um in 517 00:31:49.059 --> 00:31:52.430 A:middle L:90% my experience, but I've seen to be kind of 518 00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:56.279 A:middle L:90% impacting the most is the influx of western clothing income 519 00:31:56.289 --> 00:32:00.509 A:middle L:90% , the like the jobs and the factories there. 520 00:32:00.509 --> 00:32:02.799 A:middle L:90% I think those um those are low skill kind of 521 00:32:02.809 --> 00:32:07.650 A:middle L:90% more dangerous and lowing paid, low paid jobs for 522 00:32:07.660 --> 00:32:10.250 A:middle L:90% um you know women and men like I know uh 523 00:32:10.259 --> 00:32:13.599 A:middle L:90% several members of the family cooperative where I work, 524 00:32:13.609 --> 00:32:15.690 A:middle L:90% they used to work in some of those factories. 525 00:32:15.700 --> 00:32:19.049 A:middle L:90% Um and so this was a really wonderful alternative for 526 00:32:19.049 --> 00:32:21.589 A:middle L:90% them because they can be doing their own work and 527 00:32:21.690 --> 00:32:22.920 A:middle L:90% be safe and with their families and earning more, 528 00:32:22.930 --> 00:32:27.259 A:middle L:90% I'm not quite sure what those like where what they're 529 00:32:27.269 --> 00:32:31.339 A:middle L:90% creating, what they're producing those factories. And then 530 00:32:31.390 --> 00:32:36.750 A:middle L:90% with Guatemala we try to, like I said, 531 00:32:36.750 --> 00:32:39.069 A:middle L:90% connect a lot of our artisan groups to those markets 532 00:32:39.069 --> 00:32:43.690 A:middle L:90% locally. Um So in Guatemala, but I think 533 00:32:43.700 --> 00:32:46.279 A:middle L:90% even for that local market there's kind of a lack 534 00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:50.599 A:middle L:90% of organization on part of most of the small scale 535 00:32:50.599 --> 00:32:52.859 A:middle L:90% co operatives and so there's several that have really kind 536 00:32:52.859 --> 00:32:57.259 A:middle L:90% of been able to infiltrate those higher interests there and 537 00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:59.450 A:middle L:90% sell their goods. Um but the groups that we 538 00:32:59.450 --> 00:33:01.660 A:middle L:90% work with are kind of much smaller and lack the 539 00:33:01.670 --> 00:33:07.700 A:middle L:90% capacity initially to really have a higher end quality product 540 00:33:07.710 --> 00:33:10.329 A:middle L:90% and so through training um and you know, us 541 00:33:10.329 --> 00:33:13.849 A:middle L:90% working together, we're able to identify different markets for 542 00:33:13.849 --> 00:33:15.839 A:middle L:90% them in Guatemala as well. But yeah, I 543 00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:16.309 A:middle L:90% mean I think that would be our goal, as 544 00:33:16.309 --> 00:33:17.769 A:middle L:90% I would like to see the groups that I work 545 00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:21.460 A:middle L:90% with in Guatemala sell their products in Guatemala and a 546 00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:25.829 A:middle L:90% lot of those places in Antigua. Yes, so 547 00:33:25.829 --> 00:33:29.690 A:middle L:90% your model is really successful and people seem to gain 548 00:33:29.700 --> 00:33:30.640 A:middle L:90% a lot out of it when they join living threads 549 00:33:30.650 --> 00:33:32.740 A:middle L:90% , but could you explain how you go about the 550 00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:37.210 A:middle L:90% process for identifying um groups that you choose to connect 551 00:33:37.210 --> 00:33:40.000 A:middle L:90% with and then how do you create that partnership, 552 00:33:40.009 --> 00:33:44.230 A:middle L:90% because coming in as an outsider? Um I would 553 00:33:44.230 --> 00:33:45.990 A:middle L:90% imagine you've been doing this for a while, so 554 00:33:45.990 --> 00:33:47.519 A:middle L:90% now you have some really great success stories, but 555 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:51.579 A:middle L:90% how do you go about gaining that trust when people 556 00:33:51.589 --> 00:33:52.690 A:middle L:90% feel that they've been doing it? Maybe they haven't 557 00:33:52.690 --> 00:33:57.440 A:middle L:90% been doing as successfully economically, but getting them to 558 00:33:57.440 --> 00:34:00.190 A:middle L:90% join you instead of um living in their more isolated 559 00:34:00.200 --> 00:34:05.089 A:middle L:90% business sense. Yeah, so like I said, 560 00:34:05.089 --> 00:34:07.839 A:middle L:90% I only work with groups are really looking for markets 561 00:34:07.849 --> 00:34:09.110 A:middle L:90% , so I mean if I feel like I need 562 00:34:09.110 --> 00:34:12.199 A:middle L:90% to convince somebody to work with me, then it's 563 00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:14.190 A:middle L:90% probably not a good fit. Um, and the 564 00:34:14.190 --> 00:34:16.380 A:middle L:90% groups that I originally started working with, I knew 565 00:34:16.389 --> 00:34:19.809 A:middle L:90% really well just because I was living, I lived 566 00:34:19.809 --> 00:34:22.639 A:middle L:90% in Leon Nicaragua, I lived in Santiago in Guatemala 567 00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:23.750 A:middle L:90% . So I was, I got to know them 568 00:34:23.750 --> 00:34:28.750 A:middle L:90% over several years actually before I even started the company 569 00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:30.980 A:middle L:90% . Um, but now moving forward as we grow 570 00:34:30.989 --> 00:34:34.269 A:middle L:90% . Um, that's a very valid question, right 571 00:34:34.269 --> 00:34:35.909 A:middle L:90% ? Like how do I identify groups that we want 572 00:34:35.909 --> 00:34:37.420 A:middle L:90% to work with? Um, and it comes both 573 00:34:37.420 --> 00:34:39.769 A:middle L:90% from kind of my network on the ground, but 574 00:34:39.780 --> 00:34:44.880 A:middle L:90% also reaching out to other players who are based in 575 00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:47.059 A:middle L:90% the country's where we work. So in Nepal, 576 00:34:47.059 --> 00:34:51.389 A:middle L:90% for example, it's reaching out to Peace Corps volunteers 577 00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:53.760 A:middle L:90% to local nonprofits and kind of building a network. 578 00:34:53.760 --> 00:34:55.780 A:middle L:90% There are people who are on the ground and know 579 00:34:55.780 --> 00:34:58.960 A:middle L:90% what's going on much better than I could ever from 580 00:34:58.969 --> 00:35:01.159 A:middle L:90% here, and not having invested years and really getting 581 00:35:01.159 --> 00:35:06.000 A:middle L:90% to know those communities. Um so I utilize local 582 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:07.309 A:middle L:90% nonprofits and Peace Corps volunteers, like I said, 583 00:35:07.309 --> 00:35:09.969 A:middle L:90% a variety of different people to kind of help do 584 00:35:09.980 --> 00:35:14.309 A:middle L:90% needs assessment and identify great groups that might be interested 585 00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:15.269 A:middle L:90% . Um Then it's really up to those groups, 586 00:35:15.269 --> 00:35:19.860 A:middle L:90% whether whether they're interested in working with living threads. 587 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:25.969 A:middle L:90% Can you talk a little bit about how this business 588 00:35:25.969 --> 00:35:29.250 A:middle L:90% is structured in terms of, you said that you're 589 00:35:29.260 --> 00:35:32.179 A:middle L:90% doing training that you're businesses? First of all one 590 00:35:32.179 --> 00:35:37.010 A:middle L:90% was started a few minutes or yourself? It's the 591 00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:43.059 A:middle L:90% most here. Yeah, so. Mhm. Yeah 592 00:35:43.070 --> 00:35:45.650 A:middle L:90% , so super small right now started, I've been 593 00:35:45.650 --> 00:35:47.750 A:middle L:90% doing uh this for about a year, full time 594 00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:51.730 A:middle L:90% , um and so started the company about two years 595 00:35:51.730 --> 00:35:55.000 A:middle L:90% ago. Um So I have um different uh people 596 00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:57.889 A:middle L:90% who work with me in the States to manage our 597 00:35:57.889 --> 00:36:01.070 A:middle L:90% retail locations. Um And I'm the primary person who 598 00:36:01.070 --> 00:36:04.539 A:middle L:90% does kind of relationship and product development with all of 599 00:36:04.539 --> 00:36:07.500 A:middle L:90% our artisans. Um And like I said we sell 600 00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:09.929 A:middle L:90% on e commerce and direct retail and wholesale but still 601 00:36:09.929 --> 00:36:15.920 A:middle L:90% like definitely in a figuring out what sort of structure 602 00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:17.900 A:middle L:90% long term is gonna work for us. Um Kind 603 00:36:17.900 --> 00:36:22.619 A:middle L:90% of exploring to like the idea of having a nonprofit 604 00:36:22.619 --> 00:36:25.949 A:middle L:90% component to the development work that we do. There's 605 00:36:25.949 --> 00:36:29.059 A:middle L:90% a lot of different legal structures that you can set 606 00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:32.280 A:middle L:90% a company up as. Um We'll see uh social 607 00:36:32.289 --> 00:36:36.539 A:middle L:90% benefit, core benefit corp. Um And so kind 608 00:36:36.539 --> 00:36:38.539 A:middle L:90% of learning like you know what would work best for 609 00:36:38.539 --> 00:36:43.239 A:middle L:90% us, we're still doing. Um but the numbers 610 00:36:43.239 --> 00:36:45.730 A:middle L:90% in that last video of providing, I think it 611 00:36:45.730 --> 00:36:47.449 A:middle L:90% said$5,000 to that one family. Um that was 612 00:36:47.449 --> 00:36:50.429 A:middle L:90% last year. So I would say that this year 613 00:36:50.429 --> 00:36:52.510 A:middle L:90% we probably did three times that for that one family 614 00:36:52.510 --> 00:36:54.670 A:middle L:90% . And then we've also been able to expand the 615 00:36:54.670 --> 00:36:59.550 A:middle L:90% number of artisan partners that we work with impacting um 616 00:36:59.730 --> 00:37:02.090 A:middle L:90% About 260 artisans. Um, so just kind of 617 00:37:02.090 --> 00:37:06.969 A:middle L:90% your networking and having these separate channels to reach customers 618 00:37:06.969 --> 00:37:08.400 A:middle L:90% , we've been able to grow. Um but still 619 00:37:08.409 --> 00:37:10.820 A:middle L:90% like very much in a learning phase and trying to 620 00:37:10.829 --> 00:37:19.579 A:middle L:90% figure out like strategically where we want to go question 621 00:37:19.590 --> 00:37:22.880 A:middle L:90% , yep, you just talk about the this association 622 00:37:22.889 --> 00:37:25.659 A:middle L:90% between the cost of something and how it's made. 623 00:37:27.030 --> 00:37:29.559 A:middle L:90% I was curious looking on the website and how like 624 00:37:29.559 --> 00:37:30.989 A:middle L:90% the price tag and you said that it's made by 625 00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:36.119 A:middle L:90% women or was made. Have you considered exploring changing 626 00:37:36.130 --> 00:37:37.099 A:middle L:90% how we actually look at price tags as well with 627 00:37:37.099 --> 00:37:39.219 A:middle L:90% the work that you're doing? So that is actually 628 00:37:39.230 --> 00:37:43.940 A:middle L:90% connected to a person right on that product page or 629 00:37:43.940 --> 00:37:45.320 A:middle L:90% explaining like you did here, we have the benefit 630 00:37:45.320 --> 00:37:49.460 A:middle L:90% of knowing that took two days to potentially make and 631 00:37:49.460 --> 00:37:52.119 A:middle L:90% then tying from that information into that advertising structure, 632 00:37:52.130 --> 00:37:54.760 A:middle L:90% right with the product so that people are becoming more 633 00:37:54.760 --> 00:37:57.929 A:middle L:90% aware of every purchase. Yeah, I think that's 634 00:37:57.929 --> 00:37:59.980 A:middle L:90% a great idea. I think there are some companies 635 00:37:59.989 --> 00:38:01.869 A:middle L:90% that, that I've learned a lot from who do 636 00:38:01.869 --> 00:38:06.389 A:middle L:90% that really well. Um also, um so like 637 00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:08.409 A:middle L:90% being very transparent about pricing, I don't, I'm 638 00:38:08.409 --> 00:38:09.920 A:middle L:90% not gonna remember the name of the company right now 639 00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:13.460 A:middle L:90% , but basically we'll lay out like this t shirt 640 00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:15.489 A:middle L:90% , this much goes directly to Artisan, this is 641 00:38:15.500 --> 00:38:16.489 A:middle L:90% that cost, that's something we've been trying to kind 642 00:38:16.489 --> 00:38:19.460 A:middle L:90% of put together and be able to articulate in a 643 00:38:19.469 --> 00:38:21.380 A:middle L:90% better way. So yeah, I think that's that's 644 00:38:21.380 --> 00:38:24.449 A:middle L:90% a really great idea. Um it's also can become 645 00:38:24.460 --> 00:38:29.460 A:middle L:90% like super labor intensive to try to tell. Um 646 00:38:29.469 --> 00:38:34.000 A:middle L:90% such a oftentimes complex story about every product, particularly 647 00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:36.099 A:middle L:90% when you're talking about like, you know, a 648 00:38:36.099 --> 00:38:37.739 A:middle L:90% scarf like this that's handmade and natural diet and we 649 00:38:37.739 --> 00:38:39.469 A:middle L:90% will only have one of these. So how much 650 00:38:39.480 --> 00:38:43.019 A:middle L:90% energy do I put into selling this one scarf? 651 00:38:43.030 --> 00:38:44.860 A:middle L:90% And then I have to do that again for every 652 00:38:44.869 --> 00:38:46.840 A:middle L:90% other piece of natural dyed products. So it's kind 653 00:38:46.840 --> 00:38:50.300 A:middle L:90% of trying to find something that, you know, 654 00:38:50.309 --> 00:38:52.090 A:middle L:90% tells the story well, is transparent and fair to 655 00:38:52.090 --> 00:38:55.610 A:middle L:90% the consumer into the artisan, but that is realistic 656 00:38:55.619 --> 00:39:04.639 A:middle L:90% and manageable for a small company to do anybody else 657 00:39:07.619 --> 00:39:10.139 A:middle L:90% . No, well, thank you very much for 658 00:39:10.139 --> 00:39:13.719 A:middle L:90% having me. I've learned a lot from your questions 659 00:39:13.719 --> 00:39:15.130 A:middle L:90% as well. Every time I come here and have 660 00:39:15.130 --> 00:39:17.250 A:middle L:90% wonderful discussions with with everybody, um I learned a 661 00:39:17.250 --> 00:39:20.900 A:middle L:90% lot. So I appreciate the invitation and for you 662 00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:23.269 A:middle L:90% guys coming here today. Thank you.