I, like many people, make many choices when buying products, and for many reasons, some even political. But I think I’m too eager, as so many of us are, to make price the bottom line choice, without ever thinking about how that low, low price is possible. I try to be a good global citizen by buying fair trade, especially in industries I know to be worker exploitative, like clothing, chocolate, coffee, and jewelry. But it did not occur to me before visiting NURFC that my price on a rug or bricks could be made possible by child or forced labor. Now that I am aware, I will look for products by goodweave, for instance, which combats child labor in the rug weaving industry.
For more information about slavery today, and the steps we can take to help eradicate it, please visit our Invisible: Slavery Today permanent exhibit on the third floor.
- Gina K. Armstrong, IMLS Coca-Cola Museum Studies Apprentice
