Essex, CT- The First Baptist Church in Essex, Connecticut, is hosting a community potluck and conversation on advancing dignity and justice for garment workers, led by Liana Foxvog of the International Labor Rights Forum. Childcare will be provided.

105 years after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York, abusive and unsafe conditions are plaguing the people who make the clothes we wear. The collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh three years ago, which killed over 1,100 people who had been forced to work despite the visible cracks in the wall, revealed the systemic problems of the modern day garment industry. Learn about the changes that these workers – in the global supply chains of U.S. corporations – are seeking, and what you can do to support them.

WHAT: Behind the Label: Advancing Dignity and Justice for Garment Workers

WHEN: Wednesday, July 27, 2016. Potluck dinner at 6:00pm. Program begins at 6:45pm.

WHERE: The First Baptist Church in Essex, 10 Prospect Street, Essex, CT.

About the presenter: Liana Foxvog is the Director of Organizing and Communications at the International Labor Rights Forum,www.laborrights.org. Liana has over a decade of experience as a full-time organizer for economic and social justice and has been frequently interviewed by media about garment workers’ rights in the global economy.

“Companies no longer see their workers as human beings but as commodities to be exploited for profit.  As a faith leader and as a person, I am appalled,” states Rev. Joy Perkett, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Essex, “Our church decided to host this event so that we can become more mindful about who supplies our clothing, engage our power as consumers and move toward a supply chain that honors the well-being of all workers.”

Lauren Harrelson, a member of the church, adds: “We’ve become accustomed to buying new products, especially clothes, at a really low price without really pausing to ask ourselves, why is this so cheap? Where did it come from, and how were those workers paid and treated? Is that something I want to support? Does it match my values?”

“It feels like a lot of businesses in the U.S. and abroad are putting profits before people in extreme ways,“ continues Harrelson, “and I don’t want to support that if I can help it. It is not a win-win. It is a win-lose. I’m really looking forward to Liana’s discussion so I can learn more about how I can help make a difference in this issue.”

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The First Baptist Church in Essex is a diverse community that ranges in age and comes from all over the shoreline.  We come from areas right in Essex and places as far away as Norwich, Waterford and Middletown.  We gather together from varied backgrounds because of our love for Christ and the world around us.  We are committed to putting our faith into action.  We are warm, generous and welcoming.  Come as you are!