MayaWorks

Upcoming MayaWorks Sales

2010-07-13T15:36:00.003-05:00

Happy Summer from MayaWorks! MayaWorks products may be coming to a neighborhood near you. Check out these upcoming summer sales.

Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival
July 17th & 18th
12pm - 7pm
Dawes Park at Sheridan & Church
Evanston, Illinois

Bebe Paluzza
July 31st, 10am - 5pm
August 1st, 11am - 4pm
Renaissance Schaumberg Convention Center
1551 North Thoreau Drive
Schaumberg, Illinois

Brantling Bluegrass Music Festival
August 6th, 7th & 8th
4015 Fish Farm Road
Sodus, New York

SoNo Arts Celebration
August 7th, 10am - 6pm
August 8th, 11am - 5pm
South Norwalk, Connecticut

Dekalb Corn Fest Craft Fair
August 21st, 10am - 5pm
August 22nd, 10am - 4pm
164 E Lincoln Hwy
Dekalb, Illinois

To check and see if MayaWorks is coming to your neighborhood visit our website at https://www.mayaworks.org/sales/. Want to see MayaWorks come to your neighborhood? Make it happen! Become a MayaWorks volunteer! Email stacey@mayaworks.org or call 312.243.8050 for more information.

MayaWorks Hand Up Challenge is a Big Success

2010-07-08T10:12:00.007-05:00

Because of its generous donors, MayaWorks raised more than $30,000 in its Hand Up Challenge. That's way above our $20,000 goal! We are very grateful for the many women and men who believe that the economic development of communities begins with the development of its women. We could not do our work without your support.

Donations help MayaWorks sustain tutoring centers in its artisan communities, fund scholarships, pay for artisan training and provide microloans so that women can start small businesses. These are all vital programs that address the cycle of poverty. It is our goal that our women become economically independent and their children have a brighter future.

Thank you for standing with us as we develop strong communities in the central highlands of Guatemala.

Where angels are?

2010-06-27T13:07:00.001-05:00

The village of Xetonox is where they make the simple, pretty, rustic MayaWorks cornhusk angels. Ten of us were there, on a MayaWorks tour.

It was the middle of the afternoon and we were all moved by both the poverty and the serenity of the home in which we were gathered. Our hearts were were moved by the strong and lovely people of this isolated place. And we were also, well, pooped. It had been a long day. We needed coffee. We needed a break.

Just then we were told that two of the women were going to demonstrate for us how they make cornhusk angels. I plastered my polite and supportive smile onto my face, while inside I wondered if they ever had North Americans just sort of implode on these trips. These people are awesome, but I need to rest my poor brain.

Several women brought in a pile of cornhusk. The women explain they don't make the angels alone, it's a group project. Whenever there's an order, they meet to work.

One of the women made a little ball out of a sheet of newspaper, then expertly wrapped with a single dried husk.

Voila! A head.

Fingers fly. The body, the skirt, the arms. Someone takes a small hank of cornsilk, braids it, hot glues it to the angel head to create brown silk hair.

And it's done.

Like I said, we were all tired. As soon as they started to make the angel, some of the other Mayan women, who were standing off to the side, turned to ask Mirian some questions about business. It's not easy to get an opportunity like this, these women have things to discuss with their area manager. They are speaking to each other in Kakchiquel.

Someone else starts stalking in Spanish, so that conversation flies. Our group realizes that somehow the formal part of the presentation is over, we start chatting a little bit among ourselves. We kid each other, we marvel together at these people and this day. We're relaxing, stretching, you know how it is at the end of a meeting.

The women making the angel intuit that the dynamics of the group has changed. They're no longer the center of attention, so they start chatting with each other, once again, in Kakchiquel. It sounds like they might be enjoying a bit of gossip about us. There are some quiet giggles. Then again, they are young women, they may be talking about young men they know.

So there we all were. Some stunning young women. Some beautifully aged women. Little tots. Leaders cementing relationships with these women that they know. The ten of us travelers from the US smiling and moving about. All talking with animation and contentment in our three languages.

I look at the women working with the cornhusks. Right then, the angel's wings are being attached.

Wherever we come together in the name of peace, justice, and hope - well, that's where the angels are.

Do you hear them?

2010-06-01T20:57:00.003-05:00

Several years ago I lived several days as a guest in the home of Dona Vicente in Xetonox, a small hamlet about 20 minutes down a dusty road from Tecpan, in Guatemala.

I am thinking so much about Vicente and her husband and their family. I know that my age is within a few years of their ages, we laughed about that.

In my life, here in Racine WI, my husband are working hard to get ready this weekend for a party to celebrate the graduations of two of our children from high school and from college.

Vicente and Jorge are dealing with the aftermath of the torrential rains that followed Hurricane Agatha. What I have heard, through MayaWorks, is that some members of their extended family perished in mudslides. That their home, the place where I stayed, was perilously close to a slide.

In honor of the struggle of their lives– here is something I wrote after staying with them.

This is how Doña Vincenta, and a million other Maya women, make breakfast for their families every morning.

First you get your husband, your sons, or yourself to grow a milpa of corn. Milpa is the word for a smallish plot of land owned by the family. It may be passed down from your parents or you may have purchased it. A milpa is, more or less, the size of a basketball court.

Most likely your primary farm equipment is a hoe, a machete, and knee-length rubber boots. You may own, or perhaps your neighbor does, a backpack sprayer with which to spray fertilizers or pesticides on your crops.

Some farmers own oxen and a plowshare.

I'll never forget watching the neighbor walking behind his oxen, guiding his plowshare, while the music of the Backstreet Boys poured from a boombox.

When the corn is ripe, go out and pick it by hand. You'll select out about 30 excellent ears to hang from the rafters to save for seed corn for next year. The rest you put in your hand-made slatted corncrib.

Oh, in your spare time, after harvest, you will hack down every cornstalk in your milpa. You slice off all the leaves of the stalk. That will be feed for animals. The stalks will be used as fencing.

We were talking about breakfast, right?

Every afternoon fill an empty seed sack with corn from the corn crib. Measure out about a half laundry basket of corn.

Hopefully you have a man about who will spend about 5-10 minutes beating the bag of corn with a stick to knock kernels off the cobs. Empty the whole bag of corn and cobs into a basket, pick through it to pull out all the now empty cobs. If there are kernels of corn left on the cobs, peel them off with your thumbs.

You will end up with a dishpan of corn kernels. Burn the cobs as fuel in the stove in the kitchen.

I didn't see the following part happen, but I'm pretty sure it did. Take your basket of corn kernels to the one neighbor in the neighborhood who owns a molina - a generator-powered grinder/mill. That person, for a few centavos, will grind your corn into cornmeal.

Bring the cornmeal back home.

Now it's time to cook, which you do in water laced with lime. Lime is from limestone, you can buy chunks of "cal" in the market. Powdered cal is -- get this -- what we call "calcium supplements."

Lime helps corn soften, helps it cook faster. Though now you see why Maya, who rarely eat dairy, don't get osteoporosis. They eat trace amounts of lime in every tortilla.

The cornmeal in limewater must be boiled and simmered for an hour until it turns into mush. This is done outside over a wood fire because the pot for this job is too big to heat up over an inside stove.

Stir the pot from time to time. It's not easy to keep this "masa harina" cooking while not sticking or scorching, especially when it rains.

After it's cooked, pull the pot off the fire. Cover it with a cloth and put it in a place where animals can't get it. Let it cool overnight.

In the morning you must make tortillas at least a half-hour to an hour before your husband and/or sons leave for work. Many men work an hour or two away, so leave they leave the house by 6:00 to 7:00. You have to have enough tortillas made by then so your men can fill their bellies, plus have another dozen or so tortillas for each to take with to eat during the day.

Bring the heavy pot inside your little house. The fire under your kitchen stovetop must be quite hot, you'll have stoked that already.

Mix the cooled corn dough some more with your hands. Now pull out a golf ball-sized lump of the dough, mix it in the palm of your hand. From time to time, dampen your hand with water from a little bowl. Pat the lump flat, round off the edges, slap the tortilla on the hot flat surface of the stovetop. When it's cooked just enough, flip it over. Be careful to not burn your fingers.

Keep doing this until you have made between 5 and 25 tortillas for every member of your family. The bigger the nutritional needs of each family member and the fewer other foods you have to give them -- this determines how many tortillas you make.

There are 12 people in Doña Vincenta's family. This includes her family, plus the wife and 4 small children of their oldest son. Marta, Vincenta's daughter-in-law, helps make the tortillas.

Doña Vincenta told me she makes tortillas for two hours every morning. She makes more than 100, puts them in a basket, covers them with a cloth. That is her pantry of tortillas for that day.

She will make harina again that evening for the next day's tortillas.

The tortillas are delicious and filling. They will be accompanied by a few beans, perhaps a salsa made of tomatoes and greens, or chilies. One topping I was served was several hotdogs sliced very small, mixed with cooked tomatoes and onion.

I don't think I will ever buy instant oatmeal again.

How MayaWorks Practices Fair Trade

2010-05-24T14:56:00.008-05:00

MayaWorks is much more than an outlet for Mayan products. The commitment of MayaWorks to the economic development of women goes far beyond the exchange of money for goods made in Guatemala. At its core, MayaWorks is about creating work for women so that they become self sufficient. MayaWorks believes that community development happens through economic development of women who otherwise have limited ways to participate and contribute to the economic stability of their families. Giving women an opportunity to earn an income from their skills gives them self-confidence and hope for themselves, their children, their family and their village.

MayaWorks operates within the principles of Fair Trade. This means that women are paid a fair wage in the local context and take part in decision making. MayaWorks artisans are paid at or above the minimum wage in the local context. They receive a 50% cash advance at the time an order is placed and are paid the remaining 50% when they turn in products.

All MayaWorks artisans work from their homes. This allows them to be available to care for their children and elderly family members. On average women weave five hours per day making over 165 products for distribution through MayaWorks in the United States.

MayaWorks provides artisans the tools they need to weave and finish products including foot looms and sewing machines. In addition, MayaWorks assures that artisans are fully trained to create new products. Each weaving group receives at least three trainings per year that include workshops such as how to weave ikat fabric and sew complicated children’s items, as well as workshops that develop transferable skills such as business administration and financial management.

Artisans are not organized by cooperatives but rather by local weaving groups. They share leadership and, together, decide who will be a part of their group and what products they will make. MayaWorks has worked with the same weaving groups for over 15 years and has made a conscious decision not to take on additional groups until all of its artisans are working at capacity.

MayaWorks makes a commitment to its artisans and their families by providing educational opportunities such as literacy courses, scholarships and local tutoring centers. MayaWorks also offers low-interest microloans so that artisans develop into entrepreneurs and have an alternative source of income.

MayaWorks’ Guatemala operation has been completely managed by indigenous women since its inception. These administrators understand the complexities of doing business in Guatemala, speak the artisans’ native language and live in the same communities as the artisans. More importantly, they are driven by their desire to see indigenous women progress in a country where they are often regarded as less than second class citizens.

We are thankful for the support we receive from friends like you who have made it possible for us to provide nearly $2,000,000 in earnings to indigenous women in Guatemala and over $190,000 in support of charitable activities in artisans' local communities. Gracias, mil gracias!

Join MayaWorks at Green Festival Next Weekend!

2010-05-14T10:14:00.004-05:00

In one week, Saturday May 22nd from 10am-7pm and Sunday May 23rd from 11am-6pm, join MayaWorks at Green Festival in Chicago at Navy Pier! MayaWorks will be one of 350 vendors offering environmentally friendly, sustainable, recycled and socially conscience products. Also enjoy many speakers and delicious food! For more information visit http://www.greenfestivals.org/chicago/

MayaWorks Hand Up Challenge

2010-05-07T13:02:00.004-05:00

In a world where women own just 1% of the world's financial assets and earn only 10% of the world's income, MayaWorks has provided nearly $2,000,000 in earnings to indigenous women in Guatemala. MayaWorks is about creating work for women. It's about giving women a hand up to use their skills to provide for their families and build a brighter future. A friend of MayaWorks has made a $10,000 challenge gift to the Hand Up Challenge. For every dollar MayaWorks raises, the donor will make a matching donation. These dollars go a long way in funding artisan training, awarding scholarships to young girls, supporting tutoring centers in artisan communities and granting microcredit loans so that women can build small businesses. Together we can transform women's lives. Take part in our Hand Up Challenge and help women realize their dreams! Donate by June 30 on our secure website at www.mayaworks.org/donate.php.

Thank you!

Vote for MayaWorks for Best Non Profit in Chicago!

2010-05-05T10:27:00.003-05:00

MayaWorks has been nominated for Best Non Profit in Chicago in Mindful Metropolis' Best of Mindful Chicago! Please take a few minutes to show your support, we would love your vote! Last day to vote is this Friday, May 7!

Vote for MayaWorks for Best Non Profit in Chicago Here!

Happy Belated Earth Day!

2010-04-23T16:42:00.003-05:00

Happy Belated Earth Day from MayaWorks!

In honor of our earth check out MayaWorks Recycled Huipul Luggage Tags! Which are made from traditional Guatemalan women's blouses.

purchase here at www.mayaworks.org

Exciting Upcoming MayaWorks Events

2010-04-20T16:44:00.004-05:00

Spring has officially sprung which means many exciting MayaWorks events coming up! Here are two that we would love to see you at!

World Fair Trade Day
Friday, May 7, 9am-6pm
Daley Plaza
50 W. Washington, Chicago

Join MayaWorks along with many other fair trade vendors to celebrate World Fair Trade Day in Daley Plaza. Sponsered by Chicago Fair Trade, this event will have music, culture and the opportunity to shop fair trade!
Admission is free!

Green Fest
Saturday, May 22, 10am-7pm
Sunday, May 23, 11am-6pm
Navy Pier, Chicago

Join MayaWorks at Green Festival! Which showcases over 350 diverse local and national green businesses. You'll also enjoy great how-to workshops, green careers, a Fair Trade pavilion, kids' activities, delicious organic beer, wine and cuisine, and live music. Admission is $15. Discounted to $10 if you ride your bike or take public transportation

MayaWorks New Spring Products!

2010-04-09T10:30:00.007-05:00

Spring has offically sprung! Which means new adorable MayaWorks Florecita Baby products. Check out these great fair trade produts, perfect for any baby!

Comalapa Hi-Top Booties
Your baby will be the most stylish around sporting these Comalapa Hi-Tops. Made with 100% cotton Florecita fabric these boots are not only soft but stay on great with their velcro strap. Available in lilac, coral or baby blue. Fit 6-10 months.$17

Florecita Sunhats
Protect your favorite little baby's head from the sun this spring with a beautiful Florecita Baby Sunhat. Handwoven with "little flower" fabric these hats are truly adorable. Available in lilac, coral or baby blue. Fit 6-10 months.
$23

Order online at www.mayaworks.org

Vote for MayaWorks for Best Non-Profit in Chicago!

2010-04-05T11:11:00.002-05:00

Exciting News! MayaWorks is a finalist in Mindful Metropolis' Readers Choice 2010 in the Category of BEST NONPROFIT! Please vote today by clicking on the link to vote for us!

http://www.mindfulmetropolis.com/Blog/Readers_Choice_2010_Best_of_Mindful_Chicago/54

Ixchel: Mayan Goddess of the Moon

2010-03-31T10:48:00.004-05:00

As an ancient fertility goddess, Ix-Chel was responsible for sending rain to nourish the crops. When fulfilling that function she was called “Lady Rainbow”. She helped insure fertility by overturning her sacred womb jar so that the waters would flow.

Though sometimes depicted as a goddess of catastrophe (the woman who stands by as the world floods), many of her myths show her in a more benevolent light—as a goddess who refused to become a victim of oppression.This was a woman who, when faced with adversity, took charge of her life and turned it around!

Ix-Chel was almost too beautiful, this girl with opalescent skin who sat in the skies brushing her shimmering hair for hours on end. All the gods were captivated by her. All but one, that is. Kinich Ahau, the Sun God, seemed immune to Ix-Chel’s charms. Yet he was the only one she really ever wanted. For years she had longed for him as she watched him glide across the sky in all his golden splendor.

But the more Ix-Chel followed him around, the worse the weather on earth became. As she chased after him the tides would rise, creating floods that inundated the fields and caused the crops to die. So enamored was she, that Ix-Chel did not even notice the havoc she was causing. Like many moon goddesses Ix-Chel was a fine weaver, and it was the beautiful cloth she wove that finally captured Kinich Ahau’s attention. Soon they had become lovers.

Ix-Chel bore the Sun God four sons. They were the jaguar gods and could creep through the night unseen. They were named for the four directions, and each one was responsible for holding up his corner of the sky.

Unfortunately Ix-Chel’s love affair with the Sun God drew the ire of her disapproving grandfather. In his anger he struck Ix-Chel with lightning, killing her. For the next 183 days she lay lifeless as hundreds of dragonflies surrounded her body and sang to her. Waking suddenly, she returned to the palace of the Sun God.

Their relationship was turbulent—Kinich Ahau had a suspicious nature and was often consumed with jealousy. To make matters worse, he also had a fiery temper. Suspecting that the innocent Ix-Chel was having an affair with his brother (the Morning Star), Kinich Ahau threw her out of the sky.

Ix-Chel quickly found refuge with the vulture gods. Hearing this, Kinich Ahau rushed to plead with her to return and promised never to treat her so poorly again. Little time passed before he became jealous and abusive again.

Finally Ix-Chel realized he was not going to change. She decided to leave him for good. Waiting until he fell asleep, she crept out into the night, taking the form of a jaguar and becoming invisible whenever he came searching for her.Many nights she spent on her sacred island (Cozumel) nursing women during their pregnancies and childbirth. Ix-Chel, like other moon goddesses, governed women’s reproductive systems so it was quite understandable that she would become the protector of women during pregnancy and labor.

The small Isla de Mujeres (“Island of Women”) was devoted to the worship of Ix-Chel. Comfortable with all phases of life, she was honored as the weaver of the life cycle. She protected the fertility of women and was also the keeper of the souls of the dead.

Ix-Chel encourages us to acknowledge the negative forces affecting our lives. And she prompts us to assert ourselves fully in the face of physical or emotional violence that would diminish our sense of self.

Check out MayaWorks Ad on Gozamos!

2010-03-29T10:38:00.002-05:00

Go view the MayaWorks advertisement on gozamos.com!

Gozamos is an awesome new online magazine spotlighting Chicago community and culture! Very cool!

The 1st Peoples of Guatemala

2010-03-19T22:31:00.004-05:00

The trip with MayaWorks was a wonderful introduction to the Mayan people, their culture, and history.

Unlike other trips, where you visit a new country and leave knowing little about the people who live there, the MayaWorks tour takes you into the homes and villages of the Mayan people, lets you hear their stories, and learn about their beautiful arts and crafts.

While their history has been fraught with violence and hardship, as has been the case of all 1st peoples, the Mayans have survived with dignity and pride and a welcoming attitude. They are proud of their culture and their talents and are happy to show this in their beautiful dress, their incredible weavings and their smiles.

Their weavings are skillful and interesting with old and new designs, a history of a people woven in their fabrics.

Their murals tell the story of their people, a living book to help the old remember and the young to learn. The murals reflect a sense of community that the modern world has lost.

The MayaWorks trip captures all your senses in experiencing a beautiful country and its people.

Carol & Chris Melby, IL February 2010 tour participants

TransFair gets $1M to Create Fair Trade Towns in the U.S.

2010-03-15T09:56:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
TransFair gets $1M to create fair trade towns

San Francisco Business Times - by Sarah Duxbury

Green Mountain Coffee and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Foundation believe it takes more than one village to promote Fair Trade practices.
The two organizations have made a three-year grant of almost $1 million to create "Fair Trade towns" across the United States. The program will be administered by TransFair USA, the Oakland-based nonprofit that certifies Fair Trade products.
Thirteen Fair Trade towns already exist, and San Francisco is one of them. In essence, a fair trade town is a community-based approach to educate consumers about Fair Trade products and how to alleviate poverty on the farms that produce Fair Trade goods.
The ultimate vision is that adding new fair trade towns will help to grow the Fair Trade movement, increasing sales of the certified products.
Email Sarah Duxbury at sduxbury@bizjournals.com / (415) 288-4963.

Fair Trade Futures Conference: Transforming our Global Community

2010-03-11T09:48:00.004-06:00

Sponsored by the Fair Trade Federation...

From September 10-12, 2010, the Fair Trade Futures Conference will bring together entrepreneurs, students, advocates, faith community members, concerned citizens, interested individuals, and others in Boston, MA for the largest Fair Trade event in North American history!

The event will include seminars, workshops, site visits, discussions, social activities, and an exposition of 50+ Fair Trade vendors to educate and inspire about the holistic approach to business and poverty alleviation that Fair Trade provides.

For more information and to register, please visit the Conference Website: fairtradeconference.ning.com.

Video Made by Art students in Santiago Atitlan

2010-03-10T11:50:00.002-06:00

Check out this stop motion video created by young art students in a school in Lake Atitlan:

http://vimeo.com/1867816

MayaWorks at Queen of Peace High School

2010-03-09T13:42:00.002-06:00

Come Visit MayaWorks at Queen of Peace High School at 7659 S. Linder in Burbank, Illinois for their Annual Fair Trade Bazaar. The event takes on Saturday & Sunday, March 27th & 28th from 10am-3pm. Many Fair Trade vendors will be present! We hope to see you there!

New Commuter Tote!

2010-02-24T16:26:00.002-06:00

Another NEW MayaWorks product, the Commuter Tote! This gorgeous bag is stylish, roomy and sturdy. Made with rust toned handmade fabric, it offers a medium strap-length perfect for commuting. Measures 15.5" long x 18.5" wide. Straps measure 11" long. Great alternative to the carry-all bag. Made by the Chixot artisans in Comalapa,Guatemala.

Order one!

Masquerade for a Cause!

2010-02-22T16:27:00.002-06:00

Come Join MayaWorks and others at

Masquerade for a Cause!
Wednesday, April 7th
Simone's Bar 960 W. 18th St.
Time: 7pm to close 2am

7pm - 9pm: Looking for volunteer opportunities? internships? responsible travel tourism? Meet and greet the seven non-profit organizations:
Los Patojos/Rising Minds, Chicago Fair Trade, Greenheart, Mayaworks, Womancraft, Academy for Global Citizenship, UNICEF-DePaul U.
FREE appetizers: vegatable quesadillas, tortilla chip chicken fingers, empanadas, and more!

9pm - 2am: music provided by Chicago dj's: Omar Perez, Rick Perez
21 to enter, $10 door charge

70% of proceeds will go the following seven organizations:

1. Los Patojos & Rising Minds, http://www.lospatojos.org.gt/ & http://www.risingminds.org/
2. Chicago Fair Trade, http://www.chicagofairtrade.org/
3. Greenheart, http://www.cci-exchange.com/greenheart_home.aspx
4. Mayaworks, https://www.mayaworks.org/
5. Womancraft, http://www.womancraft.net/
6. UNICEF-DePaul University, http://www.unicef.org/
7. Academy for Global Citizenship, http://www.agcchicago.org/

We hope to see you there!

MayaWorks New Children's Aprons

2010-02-19T16:02:00.004-06:00

Introducing MayaWorks New Fair Trade Children's Apron! This fun, colorful apron was designed specifically for active 3-5 year olds. Great for a painting smock or for cooking, and also for preschool or kindergarden classes.

Measures 16" long x 17.5" wide. Neck strap is closed for easy slip-on. Includes small pockets on front of apron! 100% cotton.

Order online!

MayaWorks on facebook!

2010-02-17T15:33:00.001-06:00

Did you know that MayaWorks has a facebook page?! Its a great way to show your support of our artisan partners while also getting awesome MayaWorks updates!

Become our fan!

Chicago Passes Fair Trade Resolution!

2010-02-12T15:55:00.003-06:00

Congratulations Chicago!!! Chicago Fair Trade's fair trade resolution was passed unanimously Feb 10th, 2010 by the full council after getting support from the Finance Committee. This moves Chicago an important step closer to its goal to become a fair trade city! Goals of fair trade towns USA include:

•City Council Resolution
•Fair Trade available in local shops
•Fair Trade at work places, schools, faith communities and community organizations
•Media attention
•Formation of local fair trade steering group

A Fair Trade Town is any community in which people and organizations use their everyday choices to increase sales of fair trade products and help promote positive change for farmers and workers in developing countries. Since 2000, over 600 communities in three continents have worked to promote the ideals of Fair Trade Towns. If the Chicago becomes a Fair Trade Town, it will make it the largest in North America.

Great job Chicago Fair Trade!

Have you seen MayaWorks Tallitot?

2010-02-11T15:05:00.003-06:00

Have you heard about MayaWorks NEW Fair Trade Tallitot? Handwoven by Lila and other artisans in Comalapa, it is decorated with Maya-inspired star shapes and stripes on either end of the tallit. Fringe is hand-tied and arrives without tzizit. Special requests for knotted tzizit can be made available by special order.

Tallitot are available in 22" by 72" and 36" by 72" in either Blue, Red/Brown or Rainbow. Visit mayaworks.org to view more photos and to place your order. You can also call us at 312.243.8050.

MayaWorks at Winifred Godfrey's Mayan Procession

2010-02-10T14:15:00.005-06:00

Join us Friday, March 26th from 5:00-7:30pm for the opening of Mayan Procession by local Chicago artist and MayaWorks volunteer, Winifred Godfrey. Her beautiful life size paintings will be on display at the Cultural Cener in the Renaissance Gallery from March 26th to May 2nd and we encourage you to visit! Admission is free. Winnie will also be giving a lecture on Guatemala on Wednesday, March 31st at 2pm (enter at E. Randolph Street). Visit Winnie's website!

The opening on March 26th will be accompanied with a MayaWorks sale. We would love to see you there! This is an event not to be missed!

MayaWorks Volunteer Blog

2010-02-09T15:15:00.007-06:00

Good Afternoon friends of MayaWorks! We hope you are all staying warm in this weather. If you live in Chicago, we know how you are feeling!

I want to share with all of you our New MayaWorks Volunteer Blog!
mayaworks-volunteers.blogspot.com

This is a place for MayaWorks volunteers to blog about their upcoming sales, what works and doesn't work for them in selling MW products, venue ideas, product ideas, display ideas, etc!

If you are a MayaWorks Volunteer we encourage you to follow and share on it. Contact stacey@mayaworks.org if you would like access to create a post or simply email it to me and I can post it for you!

If you are not a MayaWorks Volunteer we encourage you to become one! This is a great opportunity to directly support our artisans in Guatemala, by selling their beautiful products at your church, school, home, office, club, women's organization, neighborhood festival, youth group, senior group, or where ever else you would like! Ask any of our volunteers, this is a fun and rewarding experience!

Please contact me, stacey@mayaworks.org for more information on how to become a MayaWorks Volunteer and make sure to also visit our website www.mayaworks.org.

Stacey
MayaWorks, Marketing and Customer Relations Associate

MayaWorks Volunteer Lunch was Wonderful!

2010-02-08T14:05:00.002-06:00

This past Saturday a faithful group of about 20 MayaWorks Chicago Volunteers gathered for an appreciation lunch to celebrate an excellent and very successful winter sales season. The lunch was hosted by our board member, Rachel and from what I gathered everyone had a wonderful time!

This was a great opportunity for all of us to better get to know one another as well share sales, venue and product ideas. At the lunch we were able to identify what we believe works best for our sales and also what we thought may be helpful in the future.

When we were all gathered together we really saw how helpful it was to bounce ideas off of one another which brought on the idea to have a MayaWorks volunteer blog where volunteers can share their thoughts to help better their sales and relationships with one another! This will be coming soon!

It was great to all get together. MayaWorks is so appreciative of our incredible volunteers. We would not be the organization we are today without them!

Stacey
MayaWorks, Marketing and Customer Relations Associate

2010-02-05T18:08:00.002-06:00

Please stayed tuned for updates during our MayaWorks tour in Guatemala! Starting on February 15, Jeannie and I will be in Guatemala to visit with our staff members in Chimaltenango, work on new product designs, and conduct a tour where we visit our artisan partners!

See you soon!

Naomi

MayaWorks Product Manager

MayaWorks has a Blog!

2010-02-05T10:26:00.003-06:00

MayaWorks now has a blog! MayaWorks is a fair trade and non profit organization that promotes economic development for Maya women and their families by supporting a marketplace for their handcrafted goods. With a distribution center in Chicago and an office in Guatemala, MayaWorks works with seven artisans groups who create our beautiful products.

MayaWorks believes the education of young Mayan girls is critical to the economic development of communities. Currently MayaWorks provides scholarships to 120 girls in Comalapa, Santiago Atitlan and Agua Caliente through our Scholarship Fund.

MayaWorks also has a Revolving Loan Fund to allow artisans to utilize their creativity and entrepreneurial fervor in generating income beyond what can be earned from MayaWorks orders. Microloans can make the difference of what food makes up the family's daily diet and allow children to stay in school and not be needed to supplement the family income.

Visit our website, www.mayaworks.org, to view our handcrafted and fair trade gifts such as bags, beaded jewelry, home goods, baby items, fabric by the yard, and holiday and religious items including kippot and clerical stoles.

Please follow our blog to learn more about our mission, learn of new products, hear about our travels to Guatemala, be the first to know about exclusive offers and discounts and to learn how you can become more involved!

Happy Blogging!

Your friends at MayaWorks