by Heidi Kyser

Braving the constant downpours that showered Greater Los Angeles during the week of Jan. 18, a crowd of 40 to 50 attendees (according to organizers’ estimates) attended an evening of learning and talking about the fair trade of tea.

The event, co-sponsored by the Center for India and South Asia, took place Wednesday, Jan. 20, at UCLA as part of the university’s International Institute Human Rights Film Series. It included the viewing of Tom Heinemann and Erling Borgen’s 2008 documentary “The Bitter Taste of Tea: A Journey Into the World of Fair Trade,” followed by a discussion forum featuring panelists Katherine Stone, UCLA professor of law, Rodney North of Equal Exchange and David Funkhouser of TransFair USA.

Moderating the discussion was Beatrice Hohenegger, guest curator of the recent exhibition, “Steeped in History: The Art of Tea” at UCLA’s Fowler Museum and author of the book “Liquid Jade: the Story of Tea From East to West.”

The organizers expected – and typically get – higher attendance, but as Hohenegger pointed out, residents of Los Angeles are famously averse to going out in bad weather. “It seems like Southern Californians are more afraid of the rain than of earthquakes,” she joked, adding that those who did attend were seriously interested in the topic, which made for a lively discussion.

“One audience member said, ‘I had no idea things were like this, and now that I’ve seen this (the film) I want to do something. What can I do?’” Hohenegger said. “It was heartening to see that people are motivated to make changes.”

She said she became interested in Fair Trade tea when researching her book. Against most people’s advice and despite the region's reputation as being dangerous, she traveled to Assam and spent time at tea plantations there.

“I saw how things are today,” she said, “and I started connecting that with history. Part of my interest in the book and the exhibition was the history. There are magnificent things that came out of this history and tradition, and there are some of the darker things too.”

At least one audience member pointed out that the film placed unbalanced emphasis on the darker side of things. Manik Jayakumar, CEO of QTrade Teas & Herbs, was “quite vocal” according to Hohenegger. “He pointed out that there are some positives that the film didn’t address, and he’s not wrong about that.”

In any case, the event opened the dialog, which can provide a starting point for change, she added.

During the discussion, panelist Stone addressed how to bring about improvements to a system as large and cumbersome as the fair trade movement. “She (Stone) explained the difference between soft law and hard law, and noted that in an effort to improve labor situations, you can’t start with hard law.” Developing voluntary rules and business practices, through organizations like Fair Trade International is one way of instituting soft laws that can eventually provide the framework for hard laws, Hohenegger added.

Asked whether the discussion would be continued, she said she hoped so, but it would depend on those who attended and the industry at large.