Image: Fair Trade America - fairtradeamerica.org
Milwaukee muralist Nova Czarnecki with Ranjana Maurya mural
Milwaukee muralist Nova Czarnecki with her Ranjana Maurya mural.
October is National Fair Trade Month, and co-ops around the country are raising awareness as to the importance of purchasing fair trade products. Locally, that includes Bay View’s Outpost Natural Foods (2826 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) who will receive a commissioned large-scale mural for their Milwaukee location.
Fairtrade America, who is in the third year of their “Choose Fairtrade” annual campaign, has partnered with Outpost on the mural to honor their shared commitment to better living and trading conditions for farmers globally. Fairtrade products not only keep farmers in operation, but also provide more eco-friendly practices as well. The Bay View store was selected alongside Portland and Atlanta as this year’s mural recipients from the organization.
In keeping with the theme of supporting local, Milwaukee artist Nova Czarnecki was chosen to paint the mural, which will feature a depiction of organic tea farmer Ranjana Maurya. Czarnecki has painted prominent murals around Milwaukee over the course of the last several decades, including pieces outside of Sprocket Cafe in Bay View and West Elm in the Third Ward. Her subject, Maurya, is a member of Organic India Farmer Producer Company Limited, which grows fairtrade basil used in Organic India tea, sold at Outpost stores. Czarnecki noted that she felt connected with not only the mission of Outpost, but Maurya as well.
|
|
“I feel truly honored to support this great cause” said Czarnecki. “I appreciate not only what Outpost does, but the farmer as well, learning her story. She’s a single mother with five kids of her own, so I am honored to portray her.”
Installation has already begun on the mural and is expected to be completed on Wednesday. The mural will be a focal point of a special Fair Trade Month event at Outpost on Saturday, October 22. For more information about Fair Trade Month, visit the Fairtrade America website.
