On his visit to the Twin Cities, César was accompanied by Heather Putnam, who has been active in promoting Fair Trade Internships and Eco–Tourism programs in the coffee growing regions of Nicaragua. Just after they arrived, César and Heather spoke to a group of social justice students from St. Thomas University. The following day, Peace Coffee held an open house and Nicaraguan coffee cupping, which gave the two an opportunity to meet Peace Coffee customers, friends and family. César told coffee buyers and drinkers firsthand the work that goes into producing such a smooth tasting cup of Nicaraguan coffee. The next day, they spoke to a group of Macalester students about how free trade agreements like FTAA and CAFTA have adversely affected coffee farmers in Nicaragua. After the presentation, students brainstormed ways to promote Fair Trade as an alternative to free trade on college campuses throughout the Midwest. On Sunday, following an Easter mass at House of Hope Presbyterian in St. Paul, César and Heather served Nicaraguan coffee during the fellowship hour and were introduced to church members. But between their various speaking engagements and store visits, we made sure that César and Heather had some fun in Minneapolis. In fact, the local Irish pub owner treated César like he was his long lost Irish-Nicaraguan brother. (Apparently the owner and his wife had met in Nicaragua some 25 years ago.) Everywhere they went, César and Heather had smiles on their faces despite the cold temperatures, which forced César to buy a warmer jacket. Their time here didn’t feel long enough, but we were happy to share a few days getting to know each other better over coffee (and a few beers).

For more information about César and Heather’s U.S. speaking tour, check out their complete schedule on the Global Exchange website -- www.globalexchange.org/getInvolved/
speakers/113_events.html. They might be coming to a city near you. And look for our new Nicaraguan coffee offering from CECOCAFEN, available next month!

About César
César Zeledón is a Board Member of the Organization of Northern Coffee Cooperatives (CECOCAFEN), and the Managing Director of the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives Augusto César Sandino, San Ramón (UCA San Ramón), a second-level cooperative organization. He began his lifelong participation in the struggle for the rights of the Nicaraguan people during the Sandinista Revolution of 1979. During the last years of the Revolution, he was a coordinator of the Agrarian Reform, in which the government distributed land to campesinos. After the Sandinistas lost power in 1990, and the new government began reversing many of the Sandinistas’ reforms, César began organizing small producer cooperatives to protect their rights. As a result of this struggle, César helped found the UCA San Ramón in 1992, bringing together 27 base cooperatives to strengthen access to legal rights, markets, and technical assistance. In 1996, the UCA San Ramón, along with 6 other cooperatives founded CECOCAFEN. César was elected as Manager of the UCA San Ramón in 1999.

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