A Red Persimmon at Eastern Market: Katrina Ulrich and Fair Trade

Where are you from?

That can be a very complex question for many to answer. What influences shaped your life? What in your upbringing caused you to end up here-Eastern Market, the United States, Washington, D.C., on the east coast? What made you start making, selling, importing this or that object ? What motivates you to act? These are just a few of the questions that might open conversation, especially with the folks who exhibit at Eastern Market.

(Art piece in work space)

The Jesuits say, "give me the child from zero to six and I will give you the man." I was born in New York City in the Bronx, and yet my first memories are of Tennessee. The farm, the country side, rows of corn, my granddaddy's gravel road, climbing trees, picking fruit, mean pigs and even meaner cows, and church. My grandfather founded a church--Ole Groove Baptist--and was a Sunday school teacher for adults for sixty-five years. When I moved back to the city, my mother put my brother and me in Catholic school. I will never forget her response when I asked her why (we were not Catholic.) She said" Public schools went to hell when they took prayer out of them." My mother did not cuss and she was a public school teacher for thirty-two years.

There are many gifts I received from my upbringing among them; the most important to me are a deep sense of faith and a rock solid work ethic. And this background is not mine alone.

There are those at Eastern Market who have made helping others the foundation of their businesses. Katrina Ulrich (Red Persimmon Imports) is one of them.

Ms. Ulrich was born June 10, 1959, in Manumbaro, Madagascar. Her first language is English; her second is Malagasy. She grew up with the Indian Ocean as her playground. In conversation, Ms. Ulrich speaks of her fascination with coral reefs, white sand beaches and sheltered bays and how she loved walking on top of coral reefs as a child.

At an early age she was taught that it was important to not only give back but to serve others, and at all times to help those less fortunate than herself. Her father was a Lutheran minister and missionary. At sixteen her family moved from Madagascar to Johannesburg, South Africa. There she did volunteer work at a Waldorf School as a teenager. Her father worked with a Tawane Lutheran Church where he taught congregants the importance of supporting the ministry and giving back to their own communities.

At eighteen Ms. Ulrich left Africa; she would not return for twenty years. For college she went to her father's alma mater, St. Olaf College in North Field, Minnesota, where she created her own major in functional art. In her first job in the States, she worked in a toymaking workshop called Banbury Cross. As a child she was taught knitting by her mother; in school she was taught fine handsewing and embroidery by Spanish nuns; before that, as a child at home, she learned how to sew with a treadle sewing machine. At the toy workshop, therefore, she focused on working with Marimekko fabrics and fine hand work.

At twenty-two, she was married, and later had three daughters, so for the next twenty-two years Ms. Ulrich built a family and home. However, she never stop making or working for others. During this stage of her life she apprenticed for a year with a master weaver, moved to the east coast and to Maryland, and started three home-based businesses; the third was the charm: Red Persimmon Imports.

Her first venture into business was importing felted wool from Germany and making "art" dolls. These dolls were based on a philosophy she learned while volunteering at Camp Hill Village at a Waldorf School in South Africa and were influenced by American dollmaker Akira Blount. In her second business she made wall pieces based on her love of and fascination with mermaids. In 1998 she worked part time at G street Fabrics. There Katrina learned how to quilt and in her own words "became enamored of patterned cotton fabrics."

1998 was a pivotal year in Ms. Ulrich's life. She went to visit her sister in Kodai, India, and there taught quilting and weaving for six weeks at a women's income generation program run by her sister. Katrina indicated to me that going to India was a rite of passage. It changed her way in the world. She said "...that it was the beginning of me coming back into my real self." She again started selling mermaid-themed wall pieces and dolls at the Waldorf School Christmas bazaars.

(Baskets from Madgascar)

In 2000, she returned to Madagascar for the first time since she was sixteen years old. She fell in love with the basketry there, and bought some to sell. Her first contract for the baskets was with the National Geographic gift shops; she also received a purchase order from one of the Smithsonian gift shops. But then came the civil war in Madagascar in late 2000-2001, putting a stop to all exports. In 2001 she went back to India and helped her sister start a program for women in Bodinayakunur, Tamil Nadu, called Blue Mango.

Blue Mango employs and teaches women sewing, arts and crafts. These are women whom many would consider unemployable in their own society, such as widows, women living with HIV and women with handicaps. From 2001-2004 Katrina Ulrich went back and forth between her home in Maryland and India, giving her time and knowledge. Initially she was helping her sister establish Blue Mango, but now she also has a say in production, development and design of products.

(appliquee work and sewing done by Ms. Ulrich)

When a friend told her about Eastern Market, Katrina set up her Sunday stand at The Flea Market at Eastern Market in 2004. The name Red Persimmon is a salute to the name of her sister's work shop, Blue Mango, an Indian fruit which turns a light blue as it ripens. Red is Ms. Ulrich's favorite color and persimmons are a local Maryland fruit.

(Kimono's, apron's and other textile items at the Red Persimmon Imports stand)

On a fine weekend in May there are over two hundred stands at Eastern Market. Many of the stands are put together by nationally recognized artists. One of the best is the Red Persimmon stand. At first glance one is assailed by colors and patterns. Textiles, textiles, textiles--kimonos, dolls, quilts, table clothes, napkins, plus objets d'art and chocolate. Of the many wonderful things about visiting her present living space, one was seeing up close and personal Ms. Ulrich's design sense. She lives her merchandise and her life at Eastern Market. She, like many Eastern Market exhibitors, has clothes, food, art, furniture in her work and living space purchased from friends at the Market over the years. In Ms. Ulrich's case, her oak desk and armoire are from Jean and Mike Burzynski and her green, yellow and red cupboards are from Mohammed Elrafai (Far East Antiques). Whether in her bedroom or her work spaces, textiles and color surround her. She has many design influences, some of which come from the missionary style home she grew up in Madagascar: in conversation she spoke of a love for Norwegian design as well. Then, of course, there are the influences of India, Madagascar, Mexico ... Like her product lines, she is always growing and changing.

(Katrina style-living her imports)

(Red Persimmon -stand at Eastern Market)

(Katrina Ulrich)

(Katrina Style with items purchased at Eastern Market)

I asked Katrina, "what does "fair trade" mean to you?" She said, "...first of all, no children are used as slave labor. The working environment is clean, safe and healthy, one where the artisans are paid a good fair wage for what is made." She further stated "... many times a fair trade item might cost more than items made in a factory or sweat shop." But central to Ms. Ulrich is passion: "my passion for my business is women's empowerment."

(Katrina Ulrich at work)

We also spoke about her thoughts on Eastern Market. This is what she said: "There are real people here. There are people from all over the world. It is where I found my home, my family in the United States. I felt at home in the U.S. for the first time."

As for the future, Katrina's first line of clothing--made in India at Blue Mango--is in production now. She has apprenticed with Eastern Market's own John Nickerson (Gnarly Artly) in silk screening. On her next trip to India she plans to study block printing. She also started painting again in January of this year.

Witnessing,

Sonda T. Allen

Turtle's Webb

'Eastern Market: The Turtle's Webb Newsletter'

'Eastern Market: The Turtle's Webb Newsletter'

On the Sunny Side: Ming Chen at Eastern Market

As I have written before and will write again, Eastern Market is a cultural crossroad, where if one chooses one can buy from and/or get to know people from all over the world. Have you ever thought about what forces of our modern era come together to bring so many to America? Have you ever lived outside this country? How many languages do you speak?

I, like many, became aware of being an American when I lived in another country. For me, it was France. I learned many things, one of which was how much Americans embrace our diversity through shopping and food. In our urban centers, we take for granted what many in others countries see as exotic or rare. I learned how much Americans embrace risk. After all, most of us have roots in other countries, and most folks emigrated to this continent by choice. I also learned that we collectively admire folks who come to this country and work hard to make a place for themselves and their families. And I learned all over again that one can witness the best of America in the cross-pollinating interactions that occur every weekend at Eastern Market.

Many exhibitors, farmers and produce merchants work seven days a week. Some even work two jobs a day, leaving Eastern Market after showing their wares for nine hours only to go on to different evening employment.

Ming Chen (or, in Chinese, Chen Ming) is one of those exhibitors. Mr. Chen was born in Shanghai, China in 1957. His father was from Canton and fought both in World War II and against Mao's eventual take over of China. His mother was born in Su Zhou, China.

After Ming finished high school, because of the cultural revolution in China he was unable to go to college. He started working in a factory and quickly advanced in this position, first becoming a small group leader and later a group leader. In 1980 China opened up its universities to the public; his factory recommended him and he began attending evening classes. Thus he worked eight hours a day, six days a week, and attended evening classes for accounting four days a week for three and half hours.

He was grateful for this chance. Ming completed his degree in accounting in two and half years. He was still at the same company, New Asia Pharmaceutical Company, but now he worked in the office as an accountant. In 1983, Ming was selected to become the first salesperson for this company. He worked in this capacity from 1983-1989.

In 1988 Ming received his first Chinese passport. He came to America on August 26, 1989. He went to Marymont University, where he studied English, and in 1990 he started working at Charlie Chiang's Oriental Cuisine Restaurant as a waiter. Chiang's is right next to the University of the District of Columbia. Again, Mr. Chen had good luck, and after only four months in this position he was asked to be the manager of a new Charlie Chiang's in Waldorf, Maryland. In 1993 he became general manager for the central kitchen and for all the carry-out eateries for all five of the restaurants in this chain.

In 1995, he left America and went back to China. He was head hunted by a Chinese restaurateur and became manager of 'Hong Kong City in Beijing' ,a fancy restaurant with five levels. Because of management disputes, he left this position and returned to America. China's loss is our gain. Ming Chen became a US citizen in 1999.

(Front entrance of the restaurant Ming manages)

In 2000, he and his wife Sunny started selling imported "bling" hand bags at Eastern Market. In conversation with Mr. Chen I enquired why he chose to come to sell imported goods at Eastern Market. He said that at first he came to support his wife, who started their stand at the Market. He came by himself when she went on a buying trip to China. He recalls it was Mother's Day 2000. He told me he had great sales, almost two hundred dollars, and he was very happy. After that he was determined to gain a permanent space and keep his name on the list for new exhibitors.

By 2000, Eastern Market had a reputation as a great place to show and sell art, imports and vintage items as well as buy produce and other foodstuffs, thanks to the hard work and dedication of John Harrod (founder of Market 5 Gallery and the arts and crafts festival), Tom Rall (founder of the Flea Market at Eastern Market), and the many exhibitors who had promoted outside activities to their innumerable clients over so many years. Hence it was, and still is, very tough for new exhibitors to get into the Market. Furthermore, because of the nature of the exhibiting (the rigors of being outside), being a permanent exhibitor at the Market is not for the faint of heart. It's hard and grueling being outside all year around. Ming "had the right stuff". He hung in for three years, and came on Friday nights, sleeping in his car on the chance of an open space on Saturdays.

He told me that somewhere in this process he started to love coming to the market because it was a different way to make money than working in a Chinese restaurant. He said he was "...always talking to different persons, learning that people do different things, from exhibitors to customers." Moreover, he stated that it was good "...to go outside, fresh air, different people each time. Different is

fun, not like only talking to Chinese people in Chine

se restaurants." Mr. Chen repeated several times his deeply felt sentiment that "different is fun."

(Ming at work at Chiang's Monday evening in the carryout section)

(Mr. Chen feeding and petting the Koi at the inside front entrance)

(Ming setting the table at one of the private dinning rooms)

Ming has now been at Eastern Market for ten years. Some where along the line he changed from importing Chinese beaded hand bags to importing Chinese jewelry and stringing fresh water Chinese pearls. He says he started a couple of years ago to try to make necklaces that matched the bags he sold. This evolved over time to the point where he and his wife are now importing, string, and knotting by hand freshwater pearl jewelry. His pearls come from Xian Cheng in Su Zhou, China. Mr. Chen has a cousin who is a pearl farmer in this region of China.

(Stringing and knotting fresh water pearls at the market)

(Ming and Sunny's stand at Eastern Market)

(Sunny and Ming's stand at the market)

As for so many at the Market--whether exhibitors, clients, farmers or produce merchants--coming to the market is a family affair. The same is true for the Chen family. Ming eldest son Yu Chu Chen works with is father at the market and also lends a hand at Charlie Chiang's Oriental Cuisine restaurant in the carry-out section.

(Ming's eldest son Yu Chu Chen working in the carry-out section of Chiang's)

Every weekend Ming Chen arrives at Eastern Market around 7:45am, where he works his market stand until 5:00pm. He then goes directly to Charlie Chiang's on Connecticut Avenue in North West Washington, where he is the general manager and works until closing around 11:00pm. I have dined in Ming's restaurant before, but I wanted to have a fresh look and images of his routine for this post, so, one recent Sunday after the market. I stopped by Chaing's again to have dinner and talk to Ming about his life. I allowed Ming to order for me. He asked did I want the Chinese-American cuisine or Chinese-Chinese cuisine. Of course, I wanted Chinese-Chinese cuisine. It was spicy, complex and delicious: onion cakes, crispy anchovies with fresh peanuts in hot sauce, a Manchurian dish of shrimp with basil, a traditional dish of the south of China Yun Provence, and finally a traditional Szechuan dish called Shui-Zhu hot and spicy chicken. The food was so good, and I had so many more questions, that I went back to speak more with Ming a week later on a Monday evening. This time I had Chinese broccoli with garlic--wonderful.

(Chinese broccoli with garlic)

(seseme cakes and peanuts and anchovies)

I am not the only Eastern Market exhibitor or client who has found her way to the restaurant that Ming manages. Ming Chen is among many "new" Americans at Eastern Market who import or make art and show it at the Market. We are richer for their presence in our country and at our Eastern Market.

Witnessing,

(Ming working at his stand at Eastern Market)

Sonda T. Allen

(Mr. Ming Chen sunday evening at Chiang's takes a moment to talk)

Turtle's Webb