Outpost fair trade mural in Bay View

MILWAUKEE - It's easy to skip over fair trade marks on food products at the grocery store. 

Artist Nova Czarnecki is painting a fair trade mural outside Outpost Natural Foods in Bay View to change that.

When you buy products from the store, you don't think about who produced them.

"There’s a real person that produces those products that they’re buying,"  Nova Czarnecki said.

Fair Trade Month's goal is to raise awareness on why you should purchase a fair trade certified product.

Margaret Mittelstadt, director of community relations at Outpost, says fair trade products tell stories from people around the world.

Margaret Mittelstadt, director of community relations at Outpost.

"Even though you’re buying and shopping for products here in Milwaukee, what you purchase can influence what happens on a global scale," Margaret Mittelstadt said.

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A fair trade product means the workers and farmers receive equitable trade and income for their products.

"All of those items are actually grown by people, and oftentimes, they come from parts of the world that can be exploited," Mittelstadt said.

The Outpost located on Kinnickinnic is one of the three locations chosen for a project raising awareness on fair trade.

Ranjana Majurya is an organic tea farmer who is featured in the Bay View mural.

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The organization commissioned the mural to celebrate the people who produce everyday foods.

"We’re able to tell that story through art and through the artist's interpretation of what it means to support a farmer on another side of the globe," Mittelstadt said.

To support the farmers, you can look for a fair trade mark on products in your local stores.

The fair trade mural will be completed on Oct. 22, when there will be an event to celebrate the mural and Fair Trade Month.