Mr. Parker,

My name is Jordan Alcantara and I am a senior at Seattle Preparatory School. Today, our school held its annual Peace and Justice Assembly and focused on the Nike sweatshop worker exploitation and Team Sweat. Our guest speaker, Mr. Jim Keady, educated us on the current injustices occurring around the world, and enlightened me and many of my fellow classmates on the current system we allow to persist. I come to you as a concerned high school student, with a simple hope. Please change the current policies to create a more just system. I fully recognize that many changes have already taken place and some conditions have already been improved. But there is still a long way to go. My education at a Catholic Jesuit institution has driven me to say somethingabout this andtry to make a change. I recognize that as a woman for others, it’s part of my responsibility to help promote change in any way that I can.I ask, as a student, a Catholic, and a person of this world, please do something to change the current injustice.

I thank you greatly for your time.

Sincerely,
Jordan Alcantara

Jim Keady visited my school at Seattle Prep today. I was dumbfounded by the way Nike has so little concern for their workers. HOW can a company this large, who is so much in the public eye, get away with something like this? Because they have not spoken the truth. Therefore, it is up to us to spread the truth about Nike. I noticed that it is hard for many people to put themselves in other peoples shoes, but it is something we all must do in order to change this system. We must fight for out brothers and sisters in Nike sweatshops around the world. We must fight so that hopefully one day Nike will pay them enough wages in order to meet their basic needs. It begins with advocacy, and it begins with you and me. Thank you for coming to our school, and thank you for all of the work you have done thus far. I am joining because I too share in your dream that one day our world can be sweat free.

- Cassie Padon

Mr. Parker,

Today Jim came and talked to my high school, Seattle Prep. Don’t get me wrong, i absolutely love your product and have supported you my whole life. My high school is sponsored by you, as well is my AAU basketball team. All of my shoes are from your company, and I cant do anything to stop wearing your shoes, because they are simply the best on the market, and it is a team requirement for my AAU team to wear all Nike products, but I do assure you I will no longer show the Nike symbol on the socks, rather roll them down, I will now cover the swoosh on my shoes, and show as little emblems of Nike as possible. What you do with your sweat shops, and beyond minimum wage revenue for your workers is something you should be ashamed of. How would you like if your family had to suffer through what they do? Yes you are giving them jobs, thats great, congratulations, but think of being in their shoes! Would you want to barely have enough money to just feed YOU for the day! Let alone your significant other, your kids? What about that fancy house im sure you live in, or that 100,000 dollar wip you roll around in? How about all those fun trips you go on since your so wealty? How would you like it if that was all a fantasy? All some wonderland because you dont have enough money to buy any mode of transportation, live in anything but a box? Your workers are being put through a real life hell, that whole period check for women? If that happened at my school my parents would file a law suit! Jim said that had been cleared up but you should be ashamed for that! I really hope for you sake, the sake of the people your hurting, and the sake of the world and every single person who looks up to your company and the stars you endorse who i hope to be one day, i hope that you and Nike straighten up your act and fix the sweatshops. You make 19.2 BILLION dollars a year, and a pair of air force 1’s, one of your best selling shoes, cost less than 15 dollars to make! And you sell it for what, 100 dollars? And on top of that you only give 2.50 to your labor workers? What would you do if they go on strike? I know i would if i was in their shoes! “Success is simple, do whats right, the right way, all the time.” Yes you are being succesful, but not the right way.

- From a Seattle Prep Student

Dear Mr. Parker,

You may not know it, but the factory conditions in Indonesia are absolutely atrocious and inhumane. Also, workers can’t support their families on the wages that they are payed by Nike. This could be drastically fixed by doubling the labor cost per shoe and adding that same amount to your bill, because I for one would be more than happy to pay an extra $2.43 for my pair of Nike Blazers in order for the Indonesian worker that made my shoe to be able to support their family.

I love Nike and I love buying products from Nike and Nike is doing wonderful things in the world of sports. However, I want to feel good about purchasing your product. I don’t want to feel like I am endorsing inhumane working conditions. Please, help me feel good about myself when I purchase Nike apparel and shoes.

Thank You for your time Mr. Parker.

Sincerely,

Cameron Breen
Junior at Seattle Prep

Dear Mr. Parker,

Do you sometimes wake up late at night wondering that if you ever double the wages of workers in countries like Indonesia that they would no longer be exploited by your sweatshops?Have you ever wondered ifdoing good and doing well are not mutually exclusive? Maybe if you spent a day in the life of one of the workers that your company takes complete advantage of, you would become a more compassionate human being and more aware of the circumstances that impoverished people face every day because of people like you.

I write to you today on behalf of all the workers that are silenced in the sweatshops. Today Jim Keady came and spoke to our school about how terribly the workers in Indonesia are treated. Did you even know that in the sweatshops in Indonesia the workers are working in horrendous conditions that are oppressive and unhealthy, and that up to 50% of them are abused? If you have any human feelings inside of you, try make a conscious effort to double the wages of the people that work so hard and so long every day just to barely get by. I am embarrassed to own anything Nike. Good job, Mr. Parker, you’re a terrible person. I am appalled that you are satisfied with selling these products while people suffer because of it, andI personally will work with a conscious effort to spread the word about your company and to avoid buying any of your products until significant changes are made.

Sincerely,
Emma McCune
Student at Seattle Preparatory High School

Mark Parker
President and Chief Executive Officer of Nike Corporation
Nike World Headquarters
One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97005

Dear Mr. Parker,

You have probably already received many of these emails today from a number of my classmates and fellow advocates for workers’ rights. I would like to join the fray and voice my opinion to once again encourage you, emplore you to change your labor policies regarding the workers in your factories abroad. It is not only the moral and ethical decision, one of the best you will ever make, but also more important than ever to help the factory workers survive during these trying economic times. The goal of your company should certainly be to make a profit, but not at the expense of the human dignities of others.

If you were to change your mind in the near future regarding this important issue of unjust labor situations in your factories, you should immediately consider contacting Jim Keady at info@teamsweat.org, and visiting teamsweat.org. You will find resources there that will help you make the right, ethical decision. Hopefully the pressure we the students, the next generation of consumers, place on your corporation can lead to progress and positive change.

Thank you for considering our proposition and hopefully in time we can once again buy Nike products, confident that the workers who manufactured the goods were treated and paid justly.

Nicholas Wang
Student at Seattle Preparatory School
2400 Eleventh Avenue East
Seattle WA 98102

Hello Mr. Parker:

My name is Nicole Zunick and I am a sophomore at Seattle Prep in Seattle, WA. I both wear your products (I am a runner) and am aware of what is going on in the factories that manufacture your products. It would be very beneficial and educational for me if you could help me understand your situation.

First of all, I understand you are a company in a capitalist economy, which means you are working for the greatest possible profit for the corporation owners; not the consumers, workers, etc. I also understand that there are moral expectations and norms in our society today. There are also many laws and regulations worldwide that have to do with this.
My biggest concern is whether or not Nike is responsible for the workers, workers’ wages, safety, etc. that are part of the sub-contractors that Nike has. If so, you have not only a moral obligation to make sure all aspects of the work space and environment are meeting laws, regulations, and requirements, but also a legal obligation. If you do not (or claim to not) be responsible for the workers that the sub-contractors employ, you still have certain obligations. First: you are expected to use companies and organizations that protect the rights of workers and human beings, as well as follow all international or national laws. (You can’t just say that you weren’t aware of the sub-contractors’ actions). Second: you, as a human being, are supposed to treat fellow human beings with respect, dignity, and fairness. Don’t say you are treating the workers from sweatshops the correct way - there are statistics from both your own investigations as well as separate investigations that show this is not true.

Even if you do not have the time to reply to this email or choose not to for whatever reasons, I would ask you to do one thing. Tonight before you go to bed, imagine what your life would be like if you made about three dollars less everyday. Would you still have been able to afford three healthy meals? Have clothes to wear? Talk on your phone? Check your email? Have your kids go to school? Those three dollars wouldn’t make a big difference in your life. However, it could be life altering for the sweatshop workers. I’m not suggesting that those three dollars has to come out of your paycheck, or that all of a sudden the workers’ wages will double and life will be splendid and perfect. However, this should help you put into perspective what those workers’ wages and lives are like. You have the same responsibilities to those workers as all the kids at my high school. We all need to make changes to help those less fortunate than us - instead of taking advantage of them, let’s help create and instill positive changes in their lives.

I hope that you realize that you and your company have a huge influence on today’s world. This can allow for great changes through power that are positive, unimportant, or negative. Its up to you to choose - but remember that your company is nothing without all those who use, consume, and endorse your products, as well as those who design, manufacture, and create your products.

Sincerely,
Nicole Zunick

Dear Mr. Parker,

I am currently a freshman student at Seattle Preparatory School. I recently was enlightened by Jim Keady of the labor issues that are going on right now in Indonesia and many other places around the world. When I was exposed to those facts and that information it made me sick to know that several other human beings were exposed to this same information and did absolutely nothing about it. They not only did nothing about it but they strictly denied every bit of it to protect their multi-BILLION dollar institution. Now I just think it’s funny that a freshman in high school is able to see that that is wrong and a middle aged man (no offense) cannot. Don’t you?

Sincerely,
Riley Mang.

PS: I challenge you to living for one week in those laborers shoes and see what it is like. I will by five pairs of air force ones every month if you come back from that week happier and more confident than before that Nike is right.

PPS: Please respond to this email, I am truly interested and open to anything you want to say.

Mr. Parker,

As an athlete, I have worn Nike products for years and thought nothing of it. Your company fulfills a need that must be met, however, my objection is to how you have gone about meeting that need. I have to say that I am sincerely embarrassed to be wearing and endorsing Nike as a high level athlete, in light of what I have learned today about your labor practices in foreign countries. As a human being I feel that the wages and conditions under which your merchandise is being made are morally and ethically wrong. That being said, I honestly think that change can be made. With the amount of influence Nike has in the global market, I can potentially see your company as being a leader in the movement toward “sweat free” clothing. Eventually, this change will come. The seeds have been sown, all that is needed now is a push to get the ball rolling. Who better to give this push then yourself? Please consider what I and my peers have said, and let me know what you think.

Thank you for your time,
- Michael Rochford

P.S I thought I should let you know that Mr. Keady came to my school to talk today, and is a large part of why I wrote this email. I realize that I may not have heard what you have to say in response to Mr. Keady, and if there is anything relevant that I may have been mislead on, please let me know.

Mark,

Jim came and talked to my school Seattle Prep. What the heck man.

- Matt Crawford

Mr. Parker,

This week, Jim came and talked to my school about Nike and it’s sweatshops. I was thoroughly shocked. I am a fan of Nike and I was really outright disgusted. That’s right. Disgusted. I am disgusted to wear Nike. I am disgusted to walk down streets and see Nike. But really, it is not only Nike. Jim also taught me that almost all clothing is made from sweat shops. So really, I am disgusted with all of it. But I am emailing you, Mr. Parker, because Nike is the leader of all these clothing brands. Nike is the leader, the trendsetter, the gotoguy. If Nike makes one step forward, all the other companies follow in suit.

Do you realize you have power over so many peoples lives?
Indonesia. China. Vietnam. The workers who suffer and starve because of your companies selfishness.

What are you trying to imply here?
That Tiger Woods is worth about a million sweat shop workers?

You spend millions and millions on advertising and athletes, yet you cannot even raise workers pay by a mere two dollars for them to have a little more to EAT.

* I bet you enjoy a nice hot breakfast, just like I do. Well, the laborers can’t even afford it.
* I bet you enjoy a nice big warm house with a wife and kids who are well fed and happy with the money you make. The laborers go hungry and have to watch their kids starve, too. As a parent, you should know that pain.
* I bet you have a huge bed to sleep in and don’t even consider that the bed you are lying in is there because of the people who labor to make your products at Nike. They sleep in cement boxes.
* I bet you enjoy a flat screen TV with cable and leather couches. A nice car. Living the American dream.

Well guess what.

So many people suffer to give you your everyday comforts.
I hope you live with that guilt eating away at you forever.
I am going to send you this email everyday. I know you get these because of what you said to Jim. I sincerely hope you read this and reflect on your work.

-Krissy Cha, Student of Seattle Prep School

Mr. Parker,

I recently saw the presentation done by Mr. Jim Keady. I was appalled at the injustice in the Nike sweatshops. I am reaching out to you because I know that you have the power to make a change with this issue.

Thank you for your consideration,
Andrea Pappas
Seattle, WA