As a leader in the fair trade movement, Sweetwater Organic Coffee advocates for social and economic justice on behalf of, and in partnership with, small-scale coffee farmers around the world. Our work as fair trade coffee roasters is driven by an unflagging commitment to doing business by the Golden Rule and a set of core values that frame the decisions we make and actions we take on a daily basis. Those core values include: Be Fair, Build Community, Celebrate People, and Do the Right Thing.
Sweetwater rarely takes a position on specific political issues outside of the scope of our work as fair traders. However, the recent decision to rescind the DACA program leaves us with no choice but to protest what we believe to be an inhumane, destructive, impractical, and purely political action that violates not only Sweetwater’s core values but those of our great country as well. Further, because the decision to rescind DACA: 1) inflicts real human suffering on 800,000 young people and their families; 2) adversely affects businesses nationwide that depend on the tremendous talent and work ethic that Dreamers contribute; and 3) tears at the fabric of communities nationwide, Sweetwater must stand up and be counted among the vast majority of people in this country who support DACA. To remain silent would make Sweetwater complicit in a decision that at the very least is a broken promise and at worst amounts to a betrayal of basic human morality.
Sweetwater has always been and remains committed to bringing people together and building community. We reject intolerance, cruelty, hate and other divisive and destructive attitudes and behaviors – the decision to rescind DACA being one glaring example. We know that the vast majority of folks in our community and the country as a whole (left, right and everything in between) share our values. As such, we hope that everyone who supports Sweetwater Organic Coffee will join in supporting our affected Dreamer staff members, neighbors, and their families by actively advocating for the rapid restoration of DACA. Furthermore, we implore our elected officials to enact comprehensive, humane immigration reform that reunites families and which protects the civil rights of and provides a path to legal status for long-standing undocumented members of our community.
For more information on DACA and the Dream Act:
To take action:
Visit: www.aclu.org
Visit: www.unitedwedream.org/about/projects/deferred-action/
Visit: www.refugees.org
Call or write your senators and representatives.