Doña Herminia learned traditional weaving at the knees of her mother and grandmother as a young child. She quickly grew in skill and creativity, and as a young adult, joined Ixoq AJ Keem, a group of women weavers of Maya Tz’utujil ethnicity who sell their products primarily in San Juan La Laguna. Today, she leads the organization and employs seven women in her own business.

A Friendship Bridge client for over five years, Doña Herminia joined the Artisan Market Access Program in 2016. “It has helped me learn about business, the North American market, quality control, and so much more,” said Doña Herminia. “Beyond that, it has shown me the value of formal education – especially for my children – since I only studied through 4th grade.”

Doña Herminia continues to mentor women who want to become better artists and businesswomen. “I want to help women learn,” said Doña Herminia. “I advise them to take advantage of opportunities presented, and to invest the time to learn.