Catholic girls tell Nike to "Just Stop It!"

Salt Shakers
May 2002

Catholic high school girls tell Nike to "Just Stop It!"
Voice of the Faithful making itself heard

Catholic high school girls tell Nike to "Just Stop It!"
They Go After the Brand and Tell NIKE CEO to "Just Stop It" After nearly one year of organizing, students at Mount St. Joseph Academy in Flourtown, Pennsylvania are prepared to mail a video message to Nike CEO, Phil Knight along with countless logos and tags they removed from the Nike clothing they own. In addition, a letter of solidarity signed by 400 of the 500 students will accompany the video and tags. As part of a broader anti-sweatshop campaign, the students wrote over 200 letters to the Limited, Abercrombie & Fitch, and the GAP corporations accompanied by the tags that they cut from their clothing. The main focus of the campaign was to ask these corporations to treat their workers fairly and with human dignity.

The video is a testimony of the young women at Mount Saint Joseph Academy who learned of the alleged abuse of workers at Nike's production plants in Indonesia and wanted to offer their solidarity and support to the mostly young women that produce goods for Nike. The tape contains vivid images of the students cutting off and covering their logos and admonishing Nike CEO, Phil Knight to "stop the inhumanity." "After learning about women in Nike's factories having to deal with exploitation and oppression, like having to prove they are menstruating to get a day off, how could we, as their fellow human beings, not care and want to do something about it?" said Courtney Kenney, one of the student organizers.

The actions that these students have taken were in response to a presentation given by Mount Saint Joseph Academy alum, Leslie Kretzu. Kretzu founded and currently directs the New Jersey-based non-profit, Educating for Justice, and has spent the past two summers living in Indonesia with Nike factory workers

"I continue to be inspired by the awareness, maturity, and sense of global responsibility I have seen in these girls," said Kretzu. "They are truly living out the mission of Mount Saint Joseph Academy and of Catholic Social Teaching. As an alum who is committed to social justice work, it is encouraging to see so many students who are putting their faith into action."

The package, including the video, will be sent to Mr. Knight this month in honor of May Day, the International Working Class Holiday. If you would like to obtain a copy of the tape, please use the contact information below.

For more information contact Jim Keady at Educating for Justice: (732) 988.7322 office (917) 804.0491 cell JWKeady@aol.com email

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