Between September and December, our founder Nora Carrillo, together with our ally Cuauhtémoc Domínguez — both proud Chevening Alumni — launched a transformative initiative to support indigenous heritage artisans — 80% of whom were women — through a series of four in-person business development workshops across the Yucatán Peninsula. The program aimed to build key competencies that bridge the gap between local artisan communities and international markets, fostering both economic growth and cultural visibility.
Each monthly session welcomed up to 100 artisans, engaging them in practical, hands-on learning experiences. Participants travelled from eight rural towns — Oxkutzcab, Tekax, Muna, Acanceh, Teabo, Chumayel, Tipikal, and Dzityá — as well as from Mérida, to attend workshops in the state capital. Over the course of the program, 120 artisans were trained in total.We were proud to collaborate with five Chevening Alumni with business expertise, who generously volunteered their time and insights. Their contributions not only enhanced the learning experience for participants but also deepened alumni engagement within the Chevening community. Together, we created a meaningful space for knowledge exchange, mutual support, and dialogue around shared challenges and solutions.
By combining education, market access, and community-building, this project marks a vital step toward empowering indigenous artisans and ensuring their voices are heard on international platforms.
After a collaborative process with artisans from Yucatan, we’re excited to share our latest report highlighting key strategies to support the sustainable growth of the artisanal sector.
The report captures insights from co-creation workshops and emphasizes the importance of well-rounded education in areas like fashion design, English, finance, digital skills, and business development. It also outlines the need for stronger commercial connections and greater international visibility.
This resource is intended to inform cultural policy and empower the artisans who keep our heritage alive.
This project was made possible through the collaboration between Muuch’ Creative, the Apparel Industry Board, Inc. of Chicago, and the Outbound Exchange program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government and implementation support from the YLAI Team at IREX.
We are thrilled to announce our exciting partnership with Makesense Americas and the reaction for impact programme makesense x Laidlaw Foundation. Our united objective is to encourage action-oriented leadership and spotlight the arts and culture as transformative tools in combating climate change and fostering community development.
The star of this alliance is the iin kii kalante program, driven forward by artists Patricia Uh and Angel Aviles, cherished members of our creative community.
Thereaction for impact programme makesense x Laidlaw Foundation is an effort by the Laidlaw Foundation and Makesense to promote action leadership, empowering the Laidlaw Foundation’s scholars to combat climate change and advocate for the empowerment of minority groups through concrete actions with organizations and collectives. iin kii kalante, an independent cultural hub in Tecoh, Yucatan, serves as an exemplar of an artistic and socio-cultural project that ensures access to vulnerable groups and fosters culture, art, and community-based development.
At Muuch’ Creative, we are delighted to have facilitated the connection between the fantastic Laidlaw-makesense program and the project pioneered by Patricia Uh and Angel Aviles. Laidlaw scholars have been actively participating in the project’s activities, generating value propositions to promote and disseminate the artistic and socio-cultural projects of “iin kii kalante” to new audiences, emphasizing the importance of ensuring art accessibility in Yucatan.
We are thrilled to promote the involvement of Master Angel Aviles as a workshop facilitator in the Impact Carnival taking place at Huerto Roma Verde, Mexico City, on August 12 from 1 pm to 5 pm. This forms part of the activities of the re_action for impact programme makesense x Laidlaw Foundation. We are confident that his knowledge and experience in community development will provide immense value in exploring community-centered approaches to art, cultural heritage, accessibility, climate change, and community development.
We also wish to express our heartfelt thanks to our anonymous supporters—those altruistic, big-hearted citizens who didn’t hesitate to contribute towards making the participation of “iin kii kalante” in the Impact Carnival a reality. You inspire us.
We are very happy to share our collaboration with The Apparel Industry Board, Inc. (AIBI), in welcoming several outstanding guest speakers to share their experience and wisdom in these conversations on international trade and artisan production.
The Apparel Industry Board, Inc. (AIBI) is comprised of the major players in Greater Chicago whose careers and business expertise span all facets of the industry including design, manufacturing, merchandising, sales, retail, marketing and finance. AIBI’s mission is to nurture and support designers based in Greater Chicago and is constantly developing new programs to better serve and promote the industry as a whole.
In Muuch’ Creative our mission is to harness the power of creativity to tackle global challenges by fostering economic and social development through the promotion and support of creativity and entrepreneurship in artists and artisans.
In this event, we aim to promote cultural exchange, economic growth, and sustainability in the artisan industry by facilitating the development of global networks and market access for artisans. Find more about the event and the speakers below!
Monday, June 5, 2023at the Chicago Fair Trade Museum
5:00 pm Refreshments
6:00 pm Panel 1 – Importing and Exporting: Building Global Artisan Networks
6:45 pm Short Break
7:00 pm Panel 2 – Empowering Artisans: Strategies for Ethical and Sustainable Partnerships
Join AIBI and Muuch’ Creative in welcoming several outstanding guest speakers to share their experience and wisdom in these conversations on international trade and artisan production.
Panel 1 – Importing and Exporting: Building Global Artisan Networks
A conversation centered on opportunities for importing and exporting products, best practices, and learning about international trade regulations and logistics. The event aims to promote cultural exchange, economic growth, and sustainability in the artisan industry by facilitating the development of global networks and market access for artisans
SORAYA HERNANDEZ is the International Trade Director at the Womens Business Development Center. She has deep cross-industry, multinational/multi-cultural, operational, consumer market intelligence, strategic business consulting, and business/client development experience, running the gamut from helping tenured Fortune 500, middle market, and family-owned businesses to early-stage/emerging startup B2B and B2C enterprises.
MICHELLE KING THOMAS is a writer, activist, and social entrepreneur. She specializes in sales and operations that help social impact brands and social enterprises stay profitable and strategize for revenue growth.
Panel 2 – Empowering Artisans: Strategies for Ethical and Sustainable Partnerships
This discussion explores ways to create ethical and sustainable partnerships with artisans. Experts and leading artisans will share insights on fair trade, transparency, and environmental sustainability, providing valuable knowledge on fostering equitable collaborations and positive impact in the artisan sector.
OTTO RENE ACEITUNO is a guatemalan artisan entrepreneur resident of Colonia la Limonada (one of the largest slums in Latin America).
After his eldest son suffered an accident due to belonging to a gang, Otto founded a handmade shoe factory that gives opportunities to his local community.
La Limonada shoe workshop is where Otto today gives young people at risk and former gang
members the opportunity to have a job and learn the craft of shoe making. Father and son
work together in the family business; this inspirational story has opened connections for Don
Otto to work in alliance with national and international designers, such as The Root Collective
is the founder of Antalika’a. At Antalika’a, women work within the tradition of embroidery, practicing the cross-stitch technique, also known as “Xoc Bi Chuy.” This type of embroidery is characterized by cross stitches used to create shapes, letters, or drawings, allowing them to express their creativity. They also practice machine embroidery, which has been adapted to our traditional shapes and colors following the invention of the sewing machine.
Yucatecan embroidery is a cultural heritage of Mexico and one of the most notable symbols of our identity. This is due, among other things, to its deep pre-Hispanic roots.
Mildre has participated in the Latin American Impact Investing Forum in Guatemala and Mexico. She is a spokesperson for handmade textiles in Mexico.
JACKIE CORLETT is the Founder of Motif Handmade and a designer who loves connecting like-minded designers and buyers with the amazingly talented artisans of Bangladesh – especially hand weavers!
Jackie also enjoys leading design & marketing workshops for fellow artisan based social businesses.
KELLY WEINBERGER founded WorldFinds, after learning about fair trade in Nepal and meeting artisans struggling to find a market for their goods. She decided to put her marketing skills to work and create a space where design-driven styles could create economic opportunities for the women she met.
Today WorldFinds partners with artisans in India, Nepal and Bangladesh and their products can be found in over 1600 retail stores. They continually strive to create social impact with their repurposed textile jewelry, accessories, and gift collections.
NORA S. CARRILLO-BERMEJO is a consultant in creativity and innovation. She works to develop projects within the wide range of the creative economy in order to improve the welfare of communities in equilibrium with their environment in the southeast of Mexico.
She is the founder of the creative and social enterprise Múuch’ Creative, and she collaborates as a socio-environmental innovation consultant at MakeSense Americas.
If you are in Mexico City let’s meet in We Are Todos! A special event to share our creative products and our surprise product! within the celebration of the 40 years of Chevening, the UK government’s international scholarships programme.
There you will find many surprises and our unique products!
We got creative so If you want something special for your self and your beloved ones, you have to visit us!
We will have art pieces and artisanal clothing to decorate your life and melipona honey products perfect for your skin and health.
Remember! when you buy a product in Muuch’ Creative you are impacting communities!
Muuch Creative 