Folk Art Market – Saving the World One Bracelet at a Time

I would like to save the world but I’m also lazy.  And rather selfish, so if I save the world I just hope there’s something in it for me.  So I’m totally psyched about the Folk Art Market in Santa Fe in July. In 2 days in July, about 150 artists from around the world, some who have never left their village in –  pick any 3rd world country – sell over 2 million dollars and take 90% of it home with them.  That’s how schools are built in Afghanistan, that’s how children have medicine in Uzbekistan.  This is a highly vetted (you have to be really good) show, and  I saw examples of hundreds of things I want for my house – or my closet, or how about wear right now.  And, some of the stories moved me beyond belief.For example, we all know about the genocide in Rwanda from the movie.  Close to 1 million people killed in a week.  That left a bunch of widows that had no support and were starving.  When a United Nations emissary asked “Can you make something?  Well, yes we make baskets.” Now Hutu and Tutsi women weave next to each other, and the national symbol of Rwanda is a basket.