Media and Graphic Design Intern for local Portland sustainable handcrafted business

Job Title: Media and Graphic Design Intern Description of Company: Awaz (meaning voice in Hindi) is a locally owned and operated, Portland sustainable business dedicated to providing high quality, ethically-sourced handcrafted fashions from natural fibers through fair trade business practices. We believe in an economic model that honors the producer, consumer and the environment with every purchase. Since 2008, we have been trading with small artisan groups in India and Nepal that help to create just livelihoods for workers and improve the lives of women and families in the Global South. Our unique line of handcrafted fair trade products are made from natural fibers, recycled materials and support the preservation of traditional craft work such as block printing, handloom weaving and kantha embroidery . We are proud to offer Fair Trade Clothing for Men and Women made from 100% Cotton and Hemp for a sustainable lifestyle. http://www.voiceforempowerment.com/ Overview of Internship: We are looking for an experienced graphic designer to play a key role in elevating AWAZ’s brand presence in printed and online materials. Our sales are growing and we need a strong, consistent brand image to take our company and webstore to the next level and strengthen our market presence for ethical handcrafted products. This internship will provide exposure to a variety of graphic design tasks in a collaborative, innovative work environment with the opportunity to create or expand on a portfolio of finished products. This is a critical, hands-on position in AWAZ’s integrated Marketing and Communications Team, helping to ensure brand integrity and consistency in all published materials. The ideal candidate will work our team to contribute to ideas and develop and implement all areas of media and marketing. Your voice is important! Design tasks include: ·         Web and newsletter graphics ·         Photo editting ·         Promotional merchandise ·         Business cards ·         Flyers and brochures ·         Create mock ups and sketch concepts ·         Product Catalogs ·         Stickers and buttons ·         T-shirts ·         Etc. Requirements: ·         Enthusiasm and passion for our mission ·         A passion for design, and a constant drive to learn ·         Ability to provide creative input on product marketing and webstore branding ·         Collaborating with photographer ·         Excellent time management and communications skills, a collaborative work ethic ·         Ability to meet project timelines and juggle multiple tasks ·         Ability to work independently, but seek help when needed ·         A portfolio of outstanding work ·         Solid skills in Photoshop, Illustrator and/or InDesign ·         Video editing skills a plus! We are currently creating a series of short Youtube videos    to tell our story. ·         Creative writing skills a plus! ·         Previous webstore and/or retail marketing experience a big plus! Schedule: Minimum 15 hours/week or as needed for project deadlines. To Apply: Please submit a resume and a PDF of design samples, or supply a link to your online portfolio, to the attention of Sarah Mitts to sarah@voiceforempowerment.com. Include a brief letter of interest and why this position is perfect for you.

Start Date: Immediately

Location: Portland, Oregon.

Salary: We are looking for a person to fill this role on a long term, paid basis. Reliable, successful candidates will be given $100 monthly stipend during initial stage and travel reimbursement. This will be revisited as candidate proves their work and commitment. Can be negotiated depending upon experience.

AWAZ 2013 Event Schedule for Portland local and national - COME HAVE FUN WITH US!

Our summer season is upon us. For another year, we bring the Awaz shop to your community for some summer celebration. Join us for great music events, festivals and street fairs - decked out in the finest quality ethical clothing. We have expanded our Clothing Line to offer a wide array of western and mandarin collar Men's Shirts as well as women's new Indian-inspired Tunics and Kurtas and Organic Jersey Cotton dresses and yoga wear. We always have something new that you'll love!

* Check Back - We're always adding new events!
Anahata Music Festival – Saturday, June 15^th (www.anahatafestivalpdx.com)

Hump Day – July 10 (www.humpdaypdx.com ) - 50% OFF Jewelry Sale!
Mississippi Street Fair – July 13^th (www.mississippiave.com)

Bend Summer Festival – July 12-14^th

Enjoying 23 years of success, the Bank of Cascades Bend Summer Festival draws 75,000 visitors for a weekend like no other. Festival features fine artists and craftspeople, artisans and performers, and five stages of some of the best regional and national blues, rock and jazz. 

http://www.c3events.com/upcoming-events-2013/The_Bank_of_the_Cascades_Bend_Summer_Festival

Last Thursday on Alberta - July 25th  (http://www.lastthursdayonalberta.com/ )

Hump Day – August  7^th (www.humpdaypdx.com )

Multnomah Village Days – August 17^th (www.multnomahvillage.org )
Hawthorne/Division Street Fair – August 18^th (http://thinkhawthorne.com/events/ )

Portland India Festival @Pioneer Square – August 18^th 

Join us for a showcase of our ethical fashion line at Portland's premiere Indian event while we practice the art of block printing and share a booth with DJ Prashant!

India Festival is Oregon's premiere Indian cultural event of the year filled with tastes, sounds and sights of diverse India. ICA will host India Festival on August 18th, 2013 from 11am to 9pm.

Please be there with your family and friends to get a taste of Indian culture for FREE and get a glimpse of this growing, warm and welcoming community. This is a celebration of India’s independence and cultural heritage. The festival has grown every year with record crowds and new vendors.

Don’t miss out on a memorable event that draws crowds from all over the West Coast!

(http://icaportland.org/events/india-festival/ 

Hempstalk Portland - September 7-9th

N Kelly Point Park Rd

Portland, OR 97203

We'll have our full line of Hemp and Cotton Clothing, hemp bags, wallets, belts and sun hats for your fashionable hemp lifestyle, the natural way.
Portland's annual Hempstalk Festival in Portland, Oregon advocates decriminalization of marijuana for medicinal, industrial, and recreational use. Founded in 2005 by the Hemp and Cannabis Foundation, the festival takes place the weekend after Labor Day in September, and features food vendors, live music, guest speakers and information booths. This public event has always been free to attend.
http://www.hempstalk.org/festival/

Belmont Street Fair – September 14^th (http://belmontdistrict.org/whats-happening/street-fair )

Veg Fest @ the Convention Center – September 21-22nd   ( http://nwveg.org/vegfest )

World Fair Trade Day May 11, 2013 in Portland - Rocks the TPP with Oregon Fair Trade Campaign

SATURDAY May 11, 2013 is the day this year!

WFTD is the largest Fair Trade event of the year in N. America, and events take place May 4-19 in 2013. Around 100,000 people attend hundreds of celebrations to promote Fair Trade and campaign for trade justice together with farmers & artisans. LEARN MORE >

{ONLINE SHOP SALE} 

anyone who buys online this Saturday gets a
 FREE box of Equal Exchange Organic Fair Trade Tea
 and a gift from India!

SHOP NOW >

This year, AWAZ joins with our local advocacy partners here in Portland to oppose the next biggest Free Trade Agreement on the International Day of Action. It's because of FTAs that create the foundation and rules for Corporations to exploit workers and the environment around the world, that the Fair Trade Movement, what I call, the People's Movement, is so important. We need to change our foreign policy today.

THIS Saturday, May 11th, join the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign and many other organizations for World Fair Trade Day and the People's Assembly on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The event is from 1-4pm, (doors open at 12:30pm) at First Unitarian Church (SW 12th Ave and Main St., Portland), and will include speakers from a variety of groups, as well as break-out sessions to do some action planning. This is an international day of action, held in solidarity with groups all over the world as the current round of TPP negotiations take place in Lima, Peru. 

AWAZ will have a table selling goodies and passing out FREE Fair World Project Publications for a chance for YOU to win a FREE trip to Peru!

On May 11, just prior to a new Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiating round in Peru, we call on the 99% who are harmed by corporate globalization to oppose the TPP.

There are many reasons for people to come together on this date:

- The TPP undermines access to fundamental medicines by extending monopoly protections for Big Pharma.

- The TPP empowers corporations to sue governments for environmental and health measures they do not like

- The TPP creates a race to the bottom on working conditions, environmental standards and all kinds of public regulations

- The TPP prioritizes large-scale corporate agriculture (GMOs, antibiotics, etc) over sustainable local farming


We will hear from guest speakers including Barbara Byrd - OR AFL-CIO and Ann Pickar - Portland Area Global AIDs Coalition, Benjamin Gerritz - Positive Force NW, and Peruvian environmental justice leader César Ipenza, from Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental speaking via Skype. The speakers panel will be followed by break out groups to further discuss issues and plan for next steps.
We will join trade justice advocates in Lima, Sydney, Ontario and many more cities and towns around the world that are holding community assemblies to discuss the problems with the TPP and the free trade model.

Multi-national community resistance put a freeze on the WTO. It stopped the Free Trade Area of the Americas. It can stop the TPP!

RSVP on Facebook! 

For more information on the PDX People's Assembly, please call Oregon Fair Trade Campaign (503) 736-9777 or email elizabeth@oregonfairtrade.org,

Sponsored by: Alliance for Democracy, Oregon Fair Trade Campaign, Oregon AFL-CIO, Jobs with Justice, Working Families Party, Economic Justice Action Group of the First Unitarian Church.

To learn more about events in other communities visit: http://stopthetpp.webs.com/call-to-action

seed funding for Social Entreprenuers | Start Something that Matters : GOOD Maker Challenge

handcrafted solar energy by HESCO for rural mountain communities in the Himalayas, one of AWAZ community partners

Thousands of social entrepreneurs around the world are making it happen, just like the Awaz founder, Sarah, did.
Enter for the chance to propel your idea of changing the world into a REALITY. The Start Something that Matters GOOD Maker Challenge will grant one social entrepreneur $50,000 to launch their plan for driving social impact. Could it be you?
* Apply here: http://startsomethingthatmatters.maker.good.is/
* Submissions are open April 22 - May 17 (12:00p PST)

Stop the TPP, the next biggest Free Trade Agreement - Organizational Sign-On Letter on the TPP & Fast Track

 http://stoptpp.org/

This just in from our local organizer.

Please join us in putting your organization's name on this list and circulating this to your networks.

It's FTAs like this that create the rules for economic injustice and allow companies to continue to exploit workers and the environment. 
Sarah

~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Friends,
We have only two weeks to get hundreds of organizations to sign onto this letter opposing Fast Track, a tool the Chamber of Commerce in D.C. is pushing for to make it easier to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Please bring this to your unions, churches, organizations, and more to sign onto!
Thank You!

Elizabeth Swager
Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
www.OregonFairTrade.orgOrganizational Sign-On Letter on the TPP & Fast Track

Please add your organization's name by Sunday, March 3 at: http://tinyurl.com/tradeletter  

Email info@citizenstrade.org with any questions.

Dear Member of Congress:

As U.S. trade negotiators seek to conclude a standard-setting new trade and investment pact for the Asia-Pacific region by this October and consider launching another with the European Union, we write on behalf of our combined XX million members and supporters to share our expectations regarding commercial agreements in the 21st Century and the congressional oversight role needed to transform past U.S. trade policy into a tool that helps build a more just and sustainable global economy. 

We find it troubling that, even as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Free Trade Agreement enters its 16th major round of negotiations this March in Singapore, U.S. negotiators still refuse to inform the American public what they have been proposing in our names.  Shielding not only proposals, but agreed-upon texts from public view until after negotiations have concluded and the pact is finalized is not consistent with democratic principles.  In this regard, the TPP appears to be even less transparent than some past trade negotiations.  For example, in 2001, the United States joined with 33 other countries in releasing draft text of the Free Trade Area of the Americans, and draft texts within the World Trade Organization are frequently made available.  

Issues that must be addressed so that a TPP, a European Union-U.S. Agreement or any other U.S. trade pact actually improves the quality of life for Americans and people throughout the world include:

• Prioritization of human and labor rights.  Too many existing trade policies go to great lengths to protect the rights of investors, while ignoring or glossing over issues of forced labor, child labor, sweatshop working conditions, political violence, environmental degradation, violations of indigenous peoples’ sovereignty and government suppression of such basic freedoms as speech, assembly, movement and the rights to form independent trade unions and bargain collectively.  Human and labor rights must be front-and-center in any trade agreement if it is to help reverse the global race to the bottom in working conditions and environmental practices.  

• Respect for local development goals and the procurement policies that deliver on them.  Trade agreements should not impede governments from spending taxpayer funds in ways that prioritize local development, environmental or social goals.  The procurement provisions of trade pacts must maintain existing “Buy American” preferences, as well as prevailing wage requirements, green preferences, sweat-free preferences, human rights preferences and policies designed to address long-standing inequalities.  

• No elevation of corporations to equal terms with governments.  Trade agreements should not grant individual corporations and investors special powers to privately enforce agreement terms by challenging laws, regulations and court decisions through tribunals that circumvent domestic judicial systems.  The “investor-state” tribunal system that allows panels of three private sector lawyers to order unlimited taxpayer compensation for foreign firms who claim that a country’s laws undermine their expected future profits must be eliminated.  International investment rules must also be revised to more narrowly define terms including “investment,” “expropriation” and “minimum standard of treatment” in order to safeguard the ability of governments to regulate in the public interest.  

• Protect food sovereignty.  Trade agreements should respect governments’ ability to implement programs that ensure farmers and other food workers receive fair compensation and that consumers have access to safe and affordable foods.  Likewise, nations must be able to protect themselves from dumping and other unfair trade practices that force farmers off their land.  

• Access to affordable medicine.  Maintaining access to affordable, generic medications is critical to reducing health care costs in the United States and to saving lives throughout the world.  Trade agreements are an inappropriate vehicle for extending the length of drug patents, and U.S. policies should explicitly uphold the standards set forth in the Doha Declaration on access to medicine.  

• Safeguards against currency manipulation.  Trade agreements should include measures that allow the United States and other governments to take measures to counteract trade-distorting currency manipulation.  Agreements should also include strong rule of origin provisions to ensure that the benefits of the agreement go to those countries that agree to meet its rules.

• Space for robust financial regulations and public services.  Trade pacts should set floors, not ceilings, when it comes to the regulation of banks, insurance companies, hedge funds and other financial service providers.  Trade agreements’ services provisions should contain clear and specific language stating that nothing in the agreement should be interpreted as requiring deregulation or privatization of any private or public service.   

• Improved consumer and environmental standards.  Likewise, trade agreements should set floors, rather than ceilings, when it comes to environmental, food and product safety and consumer right-to-know measures.  

We believe a much greater degree of public and congressional oversight is needed if the TPP and other pacts are to achieve these high standards.  Before granting the Obama administration any special trade policymaking authority, please request that it make the draft TPP texts public.

Instead of delegating Congress’ exclusive constitutional authority to “regulate commerce with foreign nations” to the executive branch through the reinstatement of outdated and extreme procedures like Fast Track “Trade Promotion Authority,” we urge you to support a new American trade agreement negotiation and approval process that:

• Requires that Office of the U.S. Trade Representative consult with all interested stakeholders, participate in hearings with all committees of jurisdiction over matters affected by trade agreements and provide a thorough and public assessment of what specific job creation and export expansion opportunities each prospective trade partner would provide and how a proposed agreement would impact human and labor rights, the environment, food sovereignty, access to medicine, currency manipulation and balance of trade among the countries involved — beginning this expanded engagement process with the TPP as soon as possible;
• Sets up an objective process to verify that negotiating objectives set by Congress are actually achieved in the final agreement; and 
• Includes a process by which a majority of the Congress must vote to certify that a proposed agreement is in the public interest and that Congress’ negotiating objectives have been met before the executive branch can sign the agreement and bind the United States to its terms.

Only through this type of robust oversight and public participation can we forge a new national and global consensus on trade policy that works for all.

Sincerely,

[YOUR ORGANIZATION & many others]

Kala Gouda Arts Festival : Craft Melas for Indian NGOs, new work caring for the earth, we see Stree Shakti

(above: signage in MESH's fair trade shop showcasing India's new national Fair Trade brand - this weaver produces the Awaz Table Linen Collection in a Leprosy Colony outside of Delhi)

Every time I go to India I’m often moving around a lot visiting organizations, collecting stories and so busy spending time with people and  that I don’t have much time to share those stories with you, our supporters.

There are so many beautiful community development programs we are connected to here, learning from, supporting, nurturing and building upon that this time, it is about the stories. It is about documenting and sharing the social change that’s happening on the ground here, the life and culture of the people and more about the work we do here in India so that you too can learn, live through our experiences and find more ways that you too can be more involved.

I commit to you to share one blog a week of the Awaz 3-month work in India.

It was a beautiful blessing that this time my arrival was routed through Mumbai in Southern India as the annual Kala Gouda Arts Festival was happening.  I was most excited to know that I could see one of our artisan partners, Stree Shakti, at this exhibition. 

From the beginning, it was my work with Stree Shakti in 2008 in Purkal Village in the Himalayas that inspired me to start Awaz. I spent 6 months working with Mr. and Mrs. Swamy from the early beginnings of this income generation program for widowed and marginalized women helping to grow and expand their work. From a crowded home filled with women stitching and quilting, Stree Shakti (meaning Women’s Power) now boasts 100 women organized into 10 Self Help Groups who now have their own production center and on-site day care center to host their work. 

I spear headed a Capital Campaign for their Production Center in 2008 and with great joy, we found a donor who made a kind donation to fund the building in honor of their son who past away. 

They now are struggling to keep up with production and are seeking funding for a new training program for 50 new women. 

While I’m here, I intend to help garner support for this program and use any donations to Awaz to provide a grant to the new training program. Please consider a small donation through our website to help lift more women out of poverty in India.

I met Maneet, Vicky and Akash representing Stree Shakti at their stall. Their beautiful handcrafted quilts, pillow covers and fashion accessories stand out amongst all other stalls. When there are so many groups doing weaving and blockprinting and every other traditional craft, they’re one of the only doing hand quilted products. They’ve now achieved the Craftmark, authentic Indian handcraft labeling for their quilting and their work is renown throughout India.

The Growth with Fair Trade for Stree Shakti

They’ve been sourcing better quality fabrics and working hard on quality control over the years that have improved the look of their products  - instantly I can see the growth in their work.

This is truly one of the best feelings experiencing the growth and success of a group you’ve worked so closely with.

After I finally convinced Mr. and Mrs. Swamy to join the Fair Trade movement in India in 2010, the women and the organization are benefiting so much more.

They’re store on site has become part of the new national Fair Trade branded shops and is bringing more customers on a daily basis.

They’re staff have undergone more trainings, they’re part of annual fair trade celebrations, they’re invited to more product development workshops and are now part of this larger network filled with resources and experience to help them grow.

We sponsored a design training from Jaya, an experienced textile designer who works with artisan groups, to help the organization develop Production Plans, implement better management and controls and develop new products with better quality fabrics and prints.

Read more about this workshop from Jaya her self here.

At their stall, I got to catch up on their latest designs and work.

Their Baby Quilts are one of their key products we offer and I saw many new themes we’ll start offering to our customers, including this new fabulous Birthday theme.

Their pillow covers were decorated with intricate hand embroidery of elephants and kalamkari block print fabrics and other modern themes that looked fabulous.  We have a custom order from a store in Portland to implement some designs on pillows with this group while we’re here.

The scarves or “stoles” that Jaya developed with Maneet, their new Designer, were displayed nicely with beautiful embroidery and prints. They’re a unique accessory that showcases the best of India’s craft that I think we’ll order a few of this time. For the last few years, Jaya has been in touch with our groups sharing her knowledge and experience to guide them in whatever way she can and we’re very thankful.

Nowadays Stree Shakti, like many of the groups we work with, are attending some 10-15 exhibitions a year to sell their work in some of the biggest cities all over India. These art and craft exhibitions or “melas” as they are called in India serve as platform for NGOs and craft organizations to get exposure and showcase their work.  “Mela” is a Sanskrit word meaning “gathering,” and it’s used to describe all kinds of get-togethers in India. Many buyers interested in Indian craft come specifically for these melas to source their goods and make connections. Dastkar, whom we learned about during our first visit to India in 2005, has been one of the core organizations in India working to preserve and promote traditional craft for a long time - they now organize great craft melas all over India.

Most of all though, I love these melas because they serve as great opportunities for the women to travel outside of their communities and interact with the customers about their work. They get the feedback and feel the praise for what they do. This in itself is empowering for the women. The women can’t travel all the time, but many times they do. Sadhna, another group we work with, sponsors annual Exposure Trips for women to go outside and visit other women’s organizations to learn and experience their work.

This mela was very exciting and fresh. It’s been two years since my last trip to India and the country has grown so much, not to mention the inflation.

There were many NGOs and also individual artisans and small businesses, like Farmer’s Markets in the U.S., displaying their new, cutting edge, handcrafted work.

In addition to many works of art like this addressing different social issues, as more and more young people are getting involved in activism.

From organizations promoting environmental conservation and recycling to eco-friendly kids toys and games, it was great to see all the good work and people thinking in new ways.