10
May
2010
An Interview with Ira Lippke
I recently got a chance to spend about 30 minutes on the phone with Ira Lippke. For those that may not follow us on Twitter or Facebook – or possibly just missed the messages we’ve sent, Ira is responsible for much of the photography you see on CICR’s website and some literature. He also plays a big role in the photography found on Agros’ website. Ira is a gifted photographer as well as a passionate humanitarian.
I wanted to share a large excerpt of our conversation with you all…
Dan: What started your love for photography?
Ira: One day I was at the Stanwood (Washington) library. We had just picked up some pictures from the local photo lab and while my parents went in, I was sitting in the car looking through these family snapshots. I was 14 at the time, and I realized a couple things while looking through those pictures:
- I realized that I had so much to be grateful for. There was so much beauty everywhere surrounding me. Looking at the pictures enabled me to objectively stand outside of my life and realize I had a lot to be grateful for.
- Photography is such a powerful medium.
- Our photos weren’t very good. It seemed that most of the photos I ever saw were dark, grainy, and lacking detail and quality. I wanted to know how to take a good picture, so I ended up going in to the library and checked out a couple books on photography. My father let me borrow his old Olympus camera and I was set.
I would often go with my friend David and take pictures just for the fun of it. Our main goal was just to take interesting photos of things we would see everyday. I ended up attending Biola University and I got the job as the university photographer. At the time, I was studying History, Philosophy, and Literature – I was working towards a Humanities Degree. During my years at Biola, I was able to pay my way through school with photography. I became known as “the photographer” among many at school. My Junior year, I took a break and started my business while living in Warm Beach (Washington). I did a lot of photography for bands at the time and shot various album cover pictures.
Dan: Did you go back to school after starting your business and finish your degree?
Ira: Yes, I finished my education at Biola and received my degree in Humanities – Which I feel adds a little more substance and content to my photography rather than if I had studied photography itself. My pictures are about these same dramas and questions that literature, history and philosophy are about. I love telling stories and showing the human element. It’s been 10 years since I started my business and I now have two locations… first in Los Angeles and one in New York.
Dan: What photography style would you say is your “main” style?
Ira: I describe what i do as “Fine Art Documentary Photography”. It’s a photography approach that tells stories, but with an awareness of the elements of fine art (line, color, texture and form). These days I’ve been shooting some of the top weddings in the world, and also documenting humanitarian issues internationally. I go from shooting tragic issues in remote areas and then several days later find myself photographing VIPs in Beverly Hills, Italy, Pebble Beach, or the Turks & Caicos. This creates a really telling contrast. I’ve shot some remarkably exquisite weddings – but then I go to these really grounding areas which really fills out the human element for me.
Dan: How did you hear about Agros?
Ira: I’m good friends with Sean Dimond at Agros. I knew Sean before he worked for Agros and he has always been involved in humanitarian work. He told me about Agros and not long after got a job there. He is now the Director of Communications for Agros.
Dan: How many trips have you been on with Agros and where to?
Ira: I’ve gone on a total of 4 trips with Agros and have visited Honduras, Nicaragua, Chiapas, and Guatemala.
Dan: What was it that made you decide that Agros was a fit for you?
Ira: I always refer to Agros as my favorite charity. As I’ve travelled to Africa 4 times, Indonesia 2 times, the Middle East, India and quite a few other places, I often find myself in areas where humanitarian groups are working. Typically, solutions involve the West giving charity away to these areas but, unfortunately that is often times damaging to the local economy and the local sense of dignity. Charity of that nature can create a culture of dependence and undercut the local economy.
When I was recently in Southern Malawi I asked the chief of one of the tribes where I could go to take documentary photos. He sent me to his home village that, it turned out, he sends all visiting humanitarian groups. While I was there, people kept telling me how they needed more help for this and that and they were continuously asking for money. The generosity of the West had created a dependance there. Agros villages are the exact opposite. They are proud of what they’ve done and they are so generous. They don’t ask for money, but instead they often come up to me with big smiles and plates of food. It’s a different experience from other models I’ve experienced.
What I love about Agros is that they empower those in need to help themselves – and does it through the local economy rather than by undercutting it. It’s so much more sustainable that way. It shows that the solution is through hard work, and not handouts. Agros’ work is so humane and dignifying. It’s been an honor to get to know and document these extraordinary people living in Agros Villages. Honestly, these hard-working, hope filled Agros villagers are my heroes.
I had a great conversation with Ira. One thing that is hard to relay in type, is passion. Ira is definitely passionate about his love of Agros and their work.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed doing the interview and putting it together for you!
Dan Ericson
“Coffee Guru”
CICR
16
Apr
2010
Trapichitos Land Title Ceremony
I recently received an email from David Carlson with Agros. I picked a few quotes from that message to share with you. The Land Title Ceremony is the culmination of what these villagers work so hard for!
“…truly it was remarkable and we talked about you in all three villages of Batzchocolá, Trapichitos & Xeucalvitz, passing around an aromatic opened bag of Camano Island Coffee in each as we talked about the demand for their coffee…”
“Diego Bernal (who translated for me into Ixil – when we came to that point) would embellish it, using the moment to reinforce how vital their continued commitment to high quality is to their equation. Thank you for all you’ve done and are doing to support these villagers!”
“Jeff, we have many many photos, (tho’ I don’t have them all collected yet) with the Camano Island coffee bag making the rounds! So we’ll get some choice ones to you!”
Congratulations Trapichitos – the next wonderful addition to Agros’ success stories!
Jeff Ericson
President
CICR
27
Mar
2010
A Meeting with Agros International
This past Wednesday, Dan and I had the opportunity to visit Agros HQ in Seattle. It was a great time and they were very hospitable to us. We were able to share some of the new things CICR has been working on. Many new faces (for me at least) were there for the meeting.
Our customers all know of our close relationship with Agros as we talk about it all the time. Just as it’s important for us to communicate to you the changes you create through being members of our Coffee Lover’s Club, it’s also important for us to spend time communicating our focus with Agros as well. For us, giving Agros a check from our Coffee Lover’s Club orders is only a sustainable act if we can also communicate with Agros and allow them to communicate back. Knowing of Agros’ future goals is part of responsible giving. Allowing Agros to communicate their goals back is part of responsible receiving. We’re so happy to have a wonderful relationship with Agros.
Dan brought his camera and took a few pictures in between making Frozen X-plosion’s and serving brewed coffee.
The table we sat at had a wonderfully colorful tablecloth. Emily at Agros provided Dan and I very delicious sandwiches!
Shannon grabbed Dan’s camera when he came out with the Frozen X-plosion’s for everyone and took a couple great pictures:
Here are a few of the Agros workers enjoying Frozen X-plosion’s.
The purpose of our visit was to for me to share CICR’s vision with Agros and “update” them on the things happening around CICR.
All-in-all, we had a great time.
Jeff – CICR
13
Mar
2010
If you could change the world on your own…
If you could change the world on your own, what would you change? Why would you change it? I ask myself that question often.
It baffles me that the new “richest man in the world” comes from a nation with many poor individuals. Using the current idea of “charity” in America, to most of us it would seem like “the right thing to do” would be for an individual with a lot to give to those with nothing. That idea, however, is exactly the opposite of what would help those in need. You see, giving to those in need is a great idea and will help them in the moment. Unfortunately, for being such a “great idea”, it actually can make things worse by causing a dependency. The long term, however, is left untouched which brings them back to the same problems they had in the beginning.
I personally give to Agros because of one reason alone. I believe in sustainability. Not just the buzz-word that seems to be tossed around. No, I believe in something much more than being a “good neighbor” or being “generous”. I’d much rather give $5 to something that will create change for more than a day than $50,000 into something that will change lives for 1 day and allow them to fall back into poverty as soon as the money is gone.
Here’s an interesting fact. For only $10,000, Agros is able to break the cycle of generational poverty for one family. Why donate to something that will grant dreams for a moment when you can contribute to something that will grant dreams for a lifetime?
It’s so easy – Purchase our coffee and enjoy the wonderful flavor of creating sustainable change!
Dan
16
Feb
2010
Haiti – Relief Work vs. Development Work
”Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” If you’re a CICR coffee drinker, there is no doubt you’ve heard us carry that mantra in many other posts and pamphlets. The problem is, many still don’t truly understand what that means. We feel this post really explains it using the current situation in Haiti.
This post comes to us from Laurie Werner, the Director of Program for Agros International. You can find this post on Agros.org but we want to highlight it for our prosumers.
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FROM THE AGROS BLOG:
The tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti is beyond what many of us can even fully grasp. We see shots of the wreckage, people still being miraculously pulled out of the rubble, and the large scale effort to just get food and water to people, not to mention much needed medical care. The absolute suffering and horror that they have lived through over the past weeks has moved the world.
For those who survived–they now face the dual task of grieving all that has been lost while also rebuilding lives, homes, and livelihoods. We cannot underestimate how hard this will be.
The overwhelming generosity that has been pouring from all over the world to help with the relief efforts has been amazing to see, and uplifting in light of the disaster and incredible need in Haiti at this time. It is critical and necessary.
But in time the abundance of emergency and relief care will wane, and eventually exit the country. When it’s time to rebuild, will Haiti have the tools and support to provide sustainable, long-term solutions for its people? What will Haiti look like in a year, or three, or five to ten years from now?
In the trainings we provide all those who visit an Agros village, we outline the difference between “relief” work and “development” work. “Relief” work can be defined as the various interventions needed to meet immediate, critical needs (such as food, water, shelter, and medical care) in the aftermath of a disaster. This is what we are seeing in Haiti right now.
“Development” work is a longer-term effort to provide opportunities to people to shape and rebuild their communities. This includes stabilizing family/community economies; creating access to education and healthcare; building lasting food security for families; enabling people to build necessary infrastructure; and in the case of Agros, helping families own the necessary assets–such as farmable land–required to make the development effort truly sustainable.
This is what Agros does through our holistic community development model. We empower rural families living in abject, extreme poverty to reach a level where they become land and business owners, generating sustainable income and becoming an active part of the regional community and economy. Taking a long–term approach, we offer the training, credit, and partnership necessary for rural families to eventually build and own a sustainable community. Families acquire the assets and knowledge to ensure that their future generations will live beyond the subsistence level.
Of course even this can be no guarantee that tragedy won’t strike and that the impact won’t be devastating. Civil conflict, natural disaster, and disease will continue to harm and affect those who are the most vulnerable.
However, having more stabilized and strengthened communities and economies can help families weather disasters better, and can shorten the recovery time.
Haiti was already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, and the majority of families already lived in devastating poverty. The scale of the destruction is due in many ways to the already failing infrastructure and overwhelming poverty present in the nation when the earthquake struck.
As Haiti begins to rebuild, the development process must be driven by values and processes that ensure true sustainability. As we’ve learned in Agros villages, the work of empowering impoverished and tragedy-stricken communities must start with the notion that the people themselves have the dignity and capacity to do it themselves. What they need is tangible investment, opportunity, and support.
There are many hurdles to overcome, just as the communities we work with have overcome the suffering and damage of civil wars, hurricanes, and earthquakes. But it can be done–Haiti can be rebuilt. And we hope and pray that the development efforts to rebuild and strengthen Haiti are truly successful, for the people of this small nation and for our world.
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We hope you enjoyed this read. Check out Agros.org for more blog posts and information.
25
Jan
2010
What is True Success for a Coffee Roasting Business?
We’re happy to report another record year for CICR in 2009. In spite of a rocky economy, our customers have realized that there is more to purchasing coffee than just enjoying a delicious hot cup of coffee. Our success is a direct reflection on our customers’ desire not only to enjoy the finest coffee available but also to create positive changes worldwide. Our shade grown, organic, fairly traded coffee may be enough to keep us afloat in rough times, but if our outreach weren’t intact, it wouldn’t be a contributing factor to the successes of the third-world farmers that grow the coffee.
We talk a lot about our “mission” as a business as well as the quality of our coffee. Many of you may be becoming used to our constant championing of our customers and the change they create. That is good as far as we are concerned! It means you’re relating the purchase of our coffee to the change it creates and ultimately, understanding the entire purpose of our company.
Just remember, it’s far more valuable to support third-world farmers through your purchase of the product they grow and your support of Agros than it is to support a charity that just throws money and support at people who need more than just a “gimme”. Of course if you can do all that and support a great coffee roasting company at the same time, you get the rare pleasure of enjoying the perfect mix!
CICR
