Georgetown students started their fall semester this week and Alta Gracia stopped by to help them settle in. Students gathered to hear our CEO Joe Bozich, Georgetown University President, John DeGioia, and Georgetown Professors John Kline and Ed Soule talk about the history of Alta Gracia and how Georgetown continues to support our work on their campus. Alta Gracia factory workers, Maritza Vargas and Elba Nurysalso stopped by to kick-off their East Coast Tour, sponsored by United Students Against Sweatshops.
“By recognizing and supporting the Alta Gracia Factory, we have been able to require substantially higher workplace standards – including guaranteeing all workers a living wage, full respect of labor rights, and exceptional health and safety standards,” President, John DeGioia said during his opening remarks. DeGioa was presented with a Georgetown, Alta Gracia T-Shirt from Joe Bozich and the Alta Gracia factory workers as a special thank you for his ongoing support of our work.
“I’ve never talked about Alta Gracia for only ten minutes,” Bozich joked as he started explaining why he is so passionate about Alta Gracia, the challenges we have faced and the results we are seeing.
Watch Bozich tell his personal story:
After describing a series of tragic events including the death of several of his family members, Bozich went on to say, “These series of events made me ask myself the question, what can I do to provide hope? That’s what Alta Gracia is all about, providing hope.” Alta Gracia factory workers, Maritza Vargas and Elba Nurys told their story, how Alta Gracia has changed their lives and their community. “We were dying in a way. Now our work is dignified work and now we can live a dignified life because of Alta Gracia,” said Vargas. Nurys went on to say, "These shirts are made with love, and we think about the people who wear them".
Watch the Alta Gracia factory workers tell their story
When the Q&A, the message that students and attendees left with was, spread the word. “If you share Alta Gracia with five of your friends and they share it with five of their friends and they share it with five of their friends, we will be able to open more factories,” Vargas said in response to a student asking what they could do to help. In his closing remarks, Bozich said, “The thing that ultimately convinced me that this project could be successful was you. It was the students”.
For more event coverage take a look at our media coverage hot off the presses:
Dominican Workers Laud Georgetown Support for Living Wage Factory
Alta Gracia Finds an Audience and a Market at Georgetown
Learn how to get more involved with Alta Gracia on your campus!
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