Light & Abstraction

Dilmah: The Worlds First Ethical Tea

I recently was introduced to a brand of tea called Dilmah. As is prone to happen in my life, I stumbled upon the tea accidentally. It is available at the local grocery store in Lusaka, Zambia. Shortly there after, I took some photographs of my morning activities (tea included!) which were placed on my personal blog. Directly, after that I was contacted by my friend Gloria who is actually promoting Dilmah tea on her blog in the U.S. I think my life is always full of these sorts of happy coincidences!

As you all know, I whole heartily support sustainable projects, and this support often crosses over into my professional life as I love to work with sustainable organizations. I was thrilled to learn that not only does Dilmah promote sustainable tea growing, the founder of Dilmah, Merrill J Fernando, also started the MJF Charitable Foundation that helps tea growers and underprivileged workers in Sri Lanka. The MJF Charitable Foundation represents an alternative economic model, and it is much more than a charity because it represents a genuinely sustainable and fair way of doing business.

It took Merrill just under 40 years to bring his family tea, Dilmah, to consumers. The concept of a young, middle class Sri Lankan seeking to establish an ethical, producer owned tea business was at the time both controversial and fiercely opposed. Then as now, big transnational businesses controlled the tea industry. During the four decades he fought to achieve his dream, he continued to fulfill the commitment of caring for his staff and workers as comes naturally to any family business. As his business was blessed with success, his company and consequently his social justice obligation, grew. 

As if that wasn't enough to convince you already, Dilmah makes a fantastic cup of tea! I've only tried out the sweet mint so far but it is superb!  Dilmah's core foundation is based on integrity, ethics, quality, authenticity,freshness, and sustainability. The UN uses Dilmah as an example to other nations how sustainability can change the financial climate of a nation which Dilmah has for Sri Lanka.

I encourage you to check out their newest Dilmah promotion, The Chefs & the Teamaker, where chefs from around the world create recipes utilizing Dilmah's tea and you can too! Dilmah should be the light shining at the end of the tunnel for countries everywhere looking to take back their local industries for the betterment of their country!

Moth to the Flame

Weekend in Pictures: Chaminuka

 © Crystaline Randazzo Photography - All images are copyright of Crystaline Randazzo and in no way are to be used by Google, Google Advertisers or any third party. These are not your pictures. Steal them and I will sue you.

Inspire Me Monday: Ken Heyman

I put together an inspiration board of some of Ken Heyman's work that I loved, and I realized that I hadn't really explained the inspiration for inspiration Monday. I started doing inspiration folders in grad school. I had a professor who created little books of inspiration that he carried around to inspire him.  At some point in grad school I started putting all of those photos I love in a screen saver folder, my screen saver changes ever so often and I get to inspired on a regular basis.  I have gotten more questions about the photos on my screensaver than I can count. I love having certain photos up in my office to remind me that it only takes me in the right place at the right time to do something beautiful. Having so many people comment on the photos made me realize that others are equally inspired, if not equally motivated to go out and find inspiration. So this is how Inspire Me Monday began.

If you guys read my Monday blog last Monday then you probably saw this  weeks inspiration coming, but I needed to do a separate inspiration board on Ken Haymen. I highly recommend you watch some interviews of Ken on Mark Bussell's blog. Ken has some unbelievable stories and shot some of the most famous people of his era.

In the interview Ken talked about how he photographed relationships, and that was the very basis for his photography. What a powerful statement, and fantastic honor. To be able to photograph relationships, and that emotional connection that individuals can give or receive.

After my experiences this year, I can truly say that I am inspired by the sheer capacity of humanity. It astounds me what each individual can endure, withstand, and be capable of. Even in the very worst of circumstances, the touch of a hand can express what words cannot say. A hot meal and conversation can put a stitch in the rips of a heart, and wrapping your arms around allows you to hold each other up. That is what humanity is about, life, death, and tragedy have nothing on love.

I am so amazed by people, by what each individual can endure, withstand, and be capable of. We each have the unique opportunity to effect those around us. And so today I am dually inspired by the humanity of Ken's work and the capacity of humanity.

Finding Beauty in the Depths....

Does the phoenix rise from the ashes?

Is there beauty in death?

Life eternal…

Or only hell on earth?

Is it self sacrifice…

To fall from the tree

In hopes another…

Grows up in your place

Or is that only masochism?

Does rebirth lie dormant?

Does circumstance forced its existence?

Or does the power to reinvent….

Lie only within the individual

 © Crystaline Randazzo Photography - All images are copyright of Crystaline Randazzo and in no way are to be used by Google, Google Advertisers or any third party. These are not your pictures. Steal them and I will sue you.

Inspire Me Monday: Margaret Mead

This week I stumbled upon a jewel of an interview, and am currently floating along on a cloud of inspiration. I don't know if any of you believe in fate, but it all came together in a way that can only be described as kismet. On Friday, I was researching non-profits in Zambia and came across one called Mamma Cash, on one of the side panels was the following quote:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful people can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."-Margaret Mead

Honestly, I have never heard of Margaret Mead but I loved the philosophy behind the words. The truth is that I truly believe that individuals can make changes, and that change is started by tiny ripples and not by crashing waves. I posted the quote on my facebook page and didn't think a thing about it.

Then later that night as I was reading my blogs I came across the following article on New York Times The Lens: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/learning-photography-from-margaret-mead/

I was stunned, Margaret Mead is a photographer? Research ensued. It turns out that Margaret Mead is an famed anthropologist (I'm ok with admitting my own ignorance) and Ken Heyman was a former student and then a photographer who traveled with her, together they created two books Family in 1965, and World Enough in 1975.

I sat entranced by videos put together by Mark Bussell as Ken Heyman described his experiences with Margaret Mead, Andy Warhol, Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, and more.   I was even more entranced by his photography (which might call for another blog altogether). I instantly jumped on Amazon and purchased Family by Margaret Mead, Coming of Age in Somoa by Margaret Mead,  and The Trashing of Margaret Mead by Paul Shankman. I was absolutely enthralled by Margaret Mead's story in a way I have not been since I read Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits by Linda Gordon. Yes it's true, I have yet another woman crush.

As ridiculous as it sounds, I believe we were meant to be friends, and meant to run into each other in this round about fashion. It was only a matter of time even though she passed away in 1978 and I am alive and kicking. Inspiration is not bound by time or death, and I cannot wait to get to know Mrs. Mead better.