Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 1d

I had a bit of a revelation today about the future of fair trade

We need to shift the mindset from "We grow / make things and you buy them" to "We grow / make things and we sell them"

On the surface it's the same thing but in practice it's a subtle shift in agency and ownership

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 1d

This is devastating for the Bangladeshi garment industry still trying to get over the pandemic losses from fast fashion firms cancelling orders

Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 1d

The fire gutted import cargo terminals areas at Dhaka airport, destroying an estimated $1bn of 'urgent air shipments'.

Bangladesh garment exporters fear $1bn losses after huge airport fire

The fire gutted import cargo terminals areas at Dhaka airport, destroying an estimated $1bn of 'urgent air shipments'.

bit.ly

Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 1d

Growing up in an Irish Catholic family in Lancashire it was clear that our culture and traditions were very different from friends who were what my parents called "non-Catholic"
The family's social life was with other Catholics mostly of Irish heritage either through church or our Catholic school

Omar Khan @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social · 1d

All White British people, regardless of class, region, age, politics, gender, sexuality, politics share a "culture"

And all not-White British people are "culturally" different

Is a cute but not very coded or historically unfamiliar definition of racism

Reposted by Joanna Abena Fianu

chiller @thechiller.bsky.social · 2d

I feel someone needs to ask this govt "what is the point of the economy?"

Because if it isn't to improve the lives, health and prospects of us ALL, I suggest we need a new system.

Right now the system seems to be "throw the littlest ones on the fire to keep the rest JUST warm enough to work".

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 1d

One thing that really annoys me about political announcements: your country doesn't always have to be the best in the world, a powerhouse, leading the way to justify spending money. It's enough to say "we think this is important so we're investing in helping people who live here get better at it"

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 2d

Tiring but rewarding afternoon staffing a fair trade stall at Bolton Socialist Club for Black History month. Nigerian jollof and Jamaican curried goat for lunch, dancing to reggae tunes from Marlon and learning all the different ways to play oware.

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 2d

First mince pie of the year and it's not even Halloween.
So sue me.

A mince pie with three holes in the top sat up on a Greggs paper bag

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 3d

Yep. Minimum wage admin job and she wanted me to write a book for her, find and deal with an agent and a publisher and she would take the credit because it was her idea.

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 3d

This reminds me of a woman who employed me to do admin in her business in 2008. We weren't busy so one day she gave me a sheaf of about 12 pages of hand written notes saying

"This is my idea for a book. While you're quiet I want you to write it and get it published"

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 5d

It's a while since I went to an author event but I really enjoyed Mick Herron at Home (not my home, or his home - the one in Manchester)

The reference to John Finnemore's iconic version of the Yellow Car game made it especially rewarding

Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 6d

He brought a strong sense of justice and solidarity into the work he did with schools on behalf of the Diocese, with terrible jokes throughout to put everyone at their ease. He will be missed.

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 6d

When someone you know a bit dies unexpectedly it takes a while to process. One of Greater Manchester's strongest fair trade supporters died suddenly on Saturday morning. Iain was a Director of the fair trade shop where I work, helped set up various fair trade groups and worked for the diocese

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 7d

We ended the day at Devonport Market Hall, and experienced the best* interactive multimedia dome in Europe

*Allegedly but I see no reason to doubt it

Social Enterprise, community building, innovative regeneration - Plymouth shows the way.

Thanks to Gareth & the team at PSEN for a warm welcome

Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 7d

I've had a lovely day today visiting Social Enterprises in Plymouth which was the world's first Social Enterprise City. We visited a community cafe set up to support people with dementia, a road of empty listed buildings being refurbished for community use, a community energy business & a dentist

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 7d

Clever

Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 7d

Love this for you

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 7d

Sadly yes. It should be obvious though. Why should a company take you seriously if you can't even be bothered to write your own application?

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 7d

I suspect this has been happening anyway. I was involved in recruiting earlier in the year and we rejected all the applications that had obviously used AI. Because I don't do it very often it was only when we came across 5 or 6 virtually identical cover letters that we realized what was going on

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 8d

The peculiar joy of boarding a 3.5 hour train where all the seat reservations have been cancelled so you are standing

Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 8d

So do I. Everything is hard so how are we supposed to know which things are hard because we're autistic and which things are hard because they are hard

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 8d

This is exactly the point - we can't tell the difference between the things we are supposed to know how to do and the things we're supposed to need help with.

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 10d

Wild to remember that I had situational mutism from the age of 13 to 21 and in the last month alone I have delivered talks on fair trade to over 500 people.

All it took was 20 years developing and researching a special interest that people seem to want to hear about

And a boatload of masking

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 11d

He could have just said "Nothing happens! Twice! 😡"

Lux "Nightmare" Alptraum @luxalptraum.com · 12d

TFW you paid $1400 to see Beckett’s most famous work without knowing anything about it

One Star Review of Waiting for Godot on Broadway
I recently attended Waiting for Godot on Broadway and spent over $1,400 for two Row C seats (103 and 104). I'm a longtime admirer of Broadway productions and even hold a season pass for Shea's Performing Arts Theatre, so I came in with genuine enthusiasm and high expectations. Unfortunately, this show was unlike anything ! have ever experienced —and not in a good way.
What I encountered was not the artistry, music, or emotional storytelling I usually associate with Broadway, but instead what felt like an endless cycle of nonsensical conversation between characters who seemed trapped in their own madness. I tried-truly tried-to find meaning, symbolism, or even a thread of emotional resonance. I stayed through the first half hoping the second would offer clarity. But by intermission, it was clear: this was a waste of both time and money.
Keanu Reeves is an actor I respect greatly, but I cannot fathom why he would agree to participate in such a disjointed, inaccessible production. His talent was lost in a performance that defied reason rather than provoked insight.
To anyone considering attending: unless you are drawn to highly abstract, nearly incomprehensible theater, I strongly caution you against this show. For the average, educated, thoughtful theatergoer, it is far more frustrating than fulfilling. In my opinion, this was the single most disappointing Broadway experience I've ever had - an unfortunate waste of money and, more importantly, of time.

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Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 13d

And let's not forget he also said Handsworth was a "slum" strongly implying that it had become a "slum" due to the lack of the "civilising" influence of white people

Joanna Abena Fianu @joannafairtrade.bsky.social · 13d

And let's not forget he also said Handsworth was a "slum" strongly implying that it had become a "slum" due to the lack of white people