Walking down Evans Ave., the face of Natividad Vallejos can be seen looking out onto the street. Vallejos is a member of Café Femenino, a women-run coffee program in Peru that Kaladi Coffee Roasters has held a partnership with for several years. Vallejos’ image on the east-facing wall of Kaladi is the product of Fairtrade America’s mural campaign. Drawing from Vallejos’ story as inspiration, the mural aims to emphasize gender equality and long-term trade relations, which are at the heart of what fair trade stands for.
“I think when most people think of fair trade, they think of the movement. It’s a global movement to make sure that when somebody produces something they work hard on, they are adequately compensated for it, kept safe while they do the job and have everything they need for both their community and themselves to thrive now and in the future,” Mary Linnell-Simmons from Fairtrade America said. Linnell-Simmons went on to explain that fair trade agreements between companies and cooperatives provide fair wages to farmers, require good working conditions, ban child and forced labor as well as protect the environment.
The desire to spread the core values and stories behind fair trade is what inspired the mural project. This spans beyond the Denver area. The mural of Natividad Vallejos is one of three within the project, the others being located in Los Angeles and Nashville. Each piece aims to spotlight a different theme that is valued in fair trade, with gender equality at the forefront of the Denver mural.
“Having more gender equity in farming is really important. We see that when women are more represented, it leads to different kinds of community and cultural change,” Linnell-Simmons voiced.
The impressive artistry of the mural is credited to Giovannie “JUST” Dixon. Dixon began his career as a muralist in Phoenix, where he spent his time painting on walls as a form of art. In the past few months, he explained that his art has been focused on social activism, which is true for his piece in the Fairtrade America project. When asked why he decided to partner with Fairtrade America, Dixon stated, “When someone with any kind of disadvantage can get highlighted, why not? I’ll be an ally for anyone.”
A stoic black and white face accentuated by the coruscating yellow sun and deep red coffee berries, Dixon’s final product is bursting with passion, one that is close to his heart. “There was the focus on gender equality, which I’m all for. I was raised by a single mother who was also an immigrant, so that mural hit home for me,” Dixon said. He went on to explain that Natividad reminded him of how his mother and other farmers worked endlessly to provide for others.
Along with artists like Dixon, Fairtrade America has partnered with companies that sell ethically-sourced commodities in order to spread the message of fair trade and the stories of the farmers that make the entire system possible. “It wasn’t like we were expecting it to draw people in here. We saw it more as a way of honoring our commitment to fair trade and the specific group we were focusing on,” Mark Overly, owner of Kaladi, said when describing why he decided to provide a space for Fairtrade America to showcase a mural.
Overly explained that the wall has long been a space where artists could raise their voices through their work, and it was time to redo the wall when Fairtrade America asked for their participation. Overly saw the request as a way to tell the story of fair trade that Kaladi has been a part of year after year. “In the last few years there hasn’t been much conversation on fair trade, and this is helping revitalize it. It’s a very public thing and it’s brought that conversation back,” Overly said.
Exhibiting Natividad’s story and their relationship with Café Femenino to the public was an important part of engaging in the project for Overly. With his participation in fair trade over the years, Overly found that, “being part of that whole network is what makes Fairtrade America strong. By ourselves, as a roaster, we are nothing. It’s the whole network that makes us strong. That’s what I really love about it.”
Engagement with the project does not stop at the companies and artists involved. Positive reactions from the public were a key observation of the campaign’s effect for Overly, Dixon and Linnell-Simmons alike. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much excitement they [the murals] have generated. We don’t want them to just be faces on a wall with no one aware of who they are. That’s why we integrated a QR code and website on every single wall. We want people to be able to easily read about the stories and understand these are real people. Their lives are affected by the decisions we make in the United States, and there’s power and connectivity in that,” Linnell-Simmons explained.
The campaign was intended to be a one-time occurrence for the month of October this year, but Linnell-Simmons spoke of the possibility of extending the campaign into next year with more art, locations and stories being spread. “I think we will continue to need that beauty and art in the world in 2021,” Linnell-Simmons concluded.
From spreading artistic expression and beauty to bringing awareness to the positive effects of fair trade agreements, it’s undeniable that the mural campaign has created an impact. And with one cup of coffee or a visit to the mural, anyone within the DU and larger Denver community can contribute as well.
