Continuing Textile Traditions: Guatemala & Mexico

March 19, 2022

The presenters on this panel discussion work with women-led groups, indigenous and Ladina, rural and city, small and large. Their work includes weaving, embroidering, and sewing, among other artistic endeavors, and their programs have social elements geared toward achieving a sustainable livelihood for the women and their families. 

Elena Laswick is the co-founder of Amano Marketplace, an online platform connecting U.S. consumers with Guatemalan and Peruvian artisans through designs, stories and experiences. 

Allison Havens was the Director of Yabal in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala for the past 9 years, and recently transitioned out of the leadership role in early 2022. She currently works as the Administrative Manager for the US Board of Directors of UPAVIM, another Guatemalan women’s organization. 

Andrea Muñiz is Digital Communications Manager for PSYDEH, a Mexican non-profit organization that empowers women. 

Hannah Swenson is Sustainability Coordinator for Bordamos Juntos, a social enterprise led by PSYDEH, a longstanding non-profit organization based in Hidalgo, Mexico, which supports women’s empowerment projects in rural, Indigenous communities, and connects local women’s handmade textiles to national and international markets. 

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