<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><i class="">Amazing protest by the Washington Fair Trade Coalition and friends! <a href="https://twitter.com/citizenstrade/status/700135009936539648" class="">Tweet here</a>.</i><br class="">
<div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""><div class="">Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">From: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Gillian Locascio <<a href="mailto:gillian@washingtonfairtrade.org" class="">gillian@washingtonfairtrade.org</a>><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><b class="">TPP: REBEL ALLIANCE TOOK ON THE TPP TODAY!</b><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">February 17, 2016 at 8:08:11 PM EST<br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div class="">Fair Trade Advocates,<br class=""><b class=""><br class=""></b></div><b class="">Check out this awesome Star Wars themed action we had today in Tacoma! </b>Tomorrow the battle rolls on to Olympia, stay tuned or come out the Capitol Steps at 1 PM and check out the action :)<br class=""><br class=""></div><b class="">Fantastic video from the Tacoma News Tribune here: <a href="http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article60923852.html" target="_blank" class="">http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article60923852.html</a><br class=""></b></div><b class="">We will also be on the 5 PM news on 3 different stations, if you see us let us know!<br class=""></b><div class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div class=""><br class=""><br class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span style="" class="">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: </span><span class=""></span></font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span style="" class=""><br class="">February 17<sup class="">th</sup>, 2016</span><span class=""></span></font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span style="" class="">Contact: Victoria Leistman, Communications Associate, Washington
Fair Trade Coalition </span><span class=""></span></font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span style="" class=""><a href="tel:%28516%29-650-7530" value="+15166507530" target="_blank" class="">(516)-650-7530</a>, </span><span class=""><a href="mailto:vleistman@gmail.com" target="_blank" class="">vleistman@gmail.com</a></span><span style="" class=""> </span><span class=""></span></font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span></p><div class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""> </font></span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><b class="">Rebel Alliance gathers in Tacoma for Star Wars themed TPP protest </b></font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><div class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""> </font></span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;" class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><b class=""><span style="" class="">Tacoma, WA</span></b><span style="" class=""> – Today, scores of protestors
at </span>Tollefson Plaza engaged in a Star Wars themed protest to
influence elected representatives’ positions on the Trans Pacific Partnership
(TPP). The <span class="">Washington
Fair Trade Coalition, Backbone Campaign, and local <a href="http://350.org/" target="_blank" class="">350.org</a> chapters put on a
lively street performance <span class="">to ensure Congressman Derek Kilmer
and other undecided officials do not support corporate interests advanced by
the TPP.</span></span><span class=""></span></font></span></div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">Protestors
in Star Wars costumes made up the Rebel Alliance of “We the People” in a stand
off against the “Corporate Empire” <span style="" class="">to win over
life size replicas </span><span class="">of Congress. </span><span style="" class="">Light sabers were drawn in the
epic battle between Luke Skywalker’s alliance and the dark forces of a massive
blow-up TPP Death Star.</span><span class=""></span></font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">“These corporations
have betrayed The Republic. They are strong with the dark side of the force,”
said Luke Skywalker. </font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class="">Sith Lords
descended on the scene in black hooded capes that read “Big Ag,” “Oil,” and “Pharma”
pointing to the sectors that would most benefit from the trade deal. </span><span style="" class="">The performance called out the prominence of corporate interests
in the TPP, which could threaten laws we rely on for environmental protection,
financial stability, affordable medicine, safe food, and local jobs. </span><span class=""></span></font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span style="" class="">Trade negotiators representing twelve countries around the Pacific
Rim signed the TPP in Auckland on Feb. 4<sup class="">th</sup>, but the agreement will
not go into effect unless ratified by the participating countries. Congress
could vote any day, putting </span><span class=""><span class="">the fate of democracy on the line as the US
considers finalizing the biggest trade deal the nation has ever brokered. </span></span></font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">“The
Rebel Alliance represents a wide spectrum of public interests that the TPP
jeopardizes,” said Director of the Washington Fair Trade Gillian Locascio.
“Today, we fight against corporate interests and we will continue fighting to
get our elected officials to reject the dark forces behind this agreement.” </font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class="">The performance
ended in a cry for help from the Rebel Alliance, signifying the work still
needed to be done to sway Washington’s elected officials against the TPP.</span>
Participants then carried signs reading, “Stop the TPP” and marched to Kilmer’s
office to deliver their message against the trade agreement and make sure the
decision-making power of their elected officials are used for good.<span style="" class=""> </span></font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">Those
present at the event represented the more than 70 Washington labor, faith,
environmental, farmer and social justice groups that make up the fair trade
coalition and that are calling on representatives like Kilmer to reject the
deal. </font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><div class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""> </font></span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p style="text-align:center" align="center" class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span style="" class="">###</span><span class=""></span></font></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><div class=""><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""> </font></span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class="">
</font></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><i class=""><span style="" class="">The </span></i><span class=""><a href="http://www.washingtonfairtrade.org/" target="_blank" class=""><i class="">Washington FairTrade Coalition (WFTC)</i></a></span><i class=""><span style="" class=""> is a coalition of 70 Washington labor, faith,</span></i><span class=""></span></font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><i class=""><span style="" class=""> environmental,
farmer, and social justice groups that are committed to creating a fair,</span></i><span class=""></span></font></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" class=""><font size="2" class=""><i class=""> balanced, and sustainable global
trading system.</i></font></span></p><br class=""><br clear="all" class=""><div class=""><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div class="">Gillian Locascio<br class=""></div><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)" class="">Washington Fair Trade Coalition | 206.227.3079<br class=""></span></div><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)" class=""><a href="http://www.washingtonfairtrade.org/" target="_blank" class="">www.washingtonfairtrade.org</a> | @WaFairTrade</span><br class=""></div></div></div></div>
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