"The iron in our blood was formed in stars, billions of years ago, trillions of miles away."- The Perot Museum of Natural Science


As human beings, we are not all acquainted with the same Earth. We do not all wake to the same walls of the same room or have the same two hands tuck us in at night. But when cut, we bleed. We all bleed. And although it sounds strange, we bleed stardust.

The iron that governs our red blood cells is composed of the same atoms that once burned in stars, meaning every human being can be traced back to the very same place. In today's world, it is incredibly easy to see the differences between us because we are so distracted by labels and media and stereotypes, but we must remember that we all need iron to live; what is essential to each of us is the same.

So in case you ever forget, we are here to guide you through the differences of our skin and into the samenesses beneath. We are here to remind you of the iron in our blood.

Send questions and comments to theironinourblood@gmail.com

Thursday, March 14, 2013

A Living Wage


Sweatshop workers around the world earn as little as ½ to ¼ of what they need to provide for basic nutrition, shelter, energy, clothing, education, and transportation. In fact, in order to meet the basic nutritional needs of their families, these laborers often must spend between 50% and 75% of their income on food alone. This is not a "living wage."

So in 2009, Joe Bozich founded Alta Gracia, a Dominican Republic-based garment factory that produces apparel for American universities. But his factory is unique: Alta Gracia grants its workers "a safe and healthy workplace," ensures them of the right to unionize, and pays them 340% what Dominican law requires.

Colleges selling Alta Gracia apparel include Duke University, Yale University, UCLA, SMU and more. Is your school apparel sweat-free? Check online at www.altagraciaapparel.com.

Other sources:
http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-sweatshops
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