Empowerment is the “go to” word when speaking of Mercado Global. The accessories brand is all about supporting women in developing countries and helping them change their lives.
On March 31st, Mercado Global is hosting its annual gala, Fashion Forward. The event aims to raise funds and awareness of the brand’s mission: to help women artisans find the economic and professional liberty they deserve.
But, before we share other information on the gala, let’s understand a little bit more of the brand’s work.
Meet Mercado Global
Mercado Global is a Brooklyn-based accessory brand and non-profit that empowers rural Latin American women to become entrepreneurs. Through donor-funded business education and leadership programs, we help women create community businesses to support themselves and their families.
By designing collections for the international market while using traditional local weaving techniques, the brand is changing the status quo for women, communities, and the industry.
In their almost 20 years of story, they’ve helped over 1000 indigenous women from Guatemala. And now they’re looking to extend their work to Honduras.
They create the bags in partnership with designers from all over the world. Then they send the creations to artisans who make them.
The bags are not only beautiful, but they also have an extra charm. Each one of them has the name of the artisan that made it.
Empowerment & Transparency
Ruth Álvarez De Golia founded Mercado Global after a college trip. She visited the artisans and found out these women wanted to raise funds to send their children to college.
She immediately decided that she wanted to help and empower these ladies to become entrepreneurs. So, she launched Mercado Global, which provides artisans with the tools and resources needed to work.
But besides the empowerment work, Mercado Global is also worried about transparency and accountability. Therefore, they release annual reports to share the truth behind the bags and purses they produce with the community. They also have a 15 Year Report, in which they share everything they’ve done in the past years.
The report shows that their transformative model has generated the following transformation and opportunities:
- Income Opportunities: Women in their programs have limited sources of income, in a region that is mostly funded by tourism. By providing technical training, the materials to produce high-quality accessories, and the opportunity to work with major international retailers, Mercado Global empowers artisans to be well-paid entrepreneurs.
- Community-Based Education: Their indigenous staff members are vital to the brand’s work. Specially because they are often women who worked as artisans. They lead workshops that are crucial to changing community norms and improving the artisans’ health, wellness, and financial outcomes and their families.
- Tool Distribution and Financial Assistance: With the help of their regional partners, Mercado Global gifts artisans with sewing machines and looms, so they may develop their craft and increase production, resulting in additional income. Furthermore, they provide matching monetary incentives for artisans to save a portion of their earnings, allowing them to build their resources. And in times of need, such as a medical emergency, the brand also offers financial assistance.
Artisans & Their Story
Supplied with the proper training and skill set, high-quality materials and equipment, and access to international markets, Mercado Global artisans earn three times the daily wage of the average Guatemalan. They are far more involved in their households’ financial planning and decision-making and have the knowledge and resources to better support their families.
Their artisans can now focus on long-term plans – helping their children receive an education, ensuring their families are healthy, and saving for the future.
Meet Some
Julia, one of the first women to become a Mercado Global artisan, recalls their Founder and Executive Director, Ruth DeGolia, playing with her oldest son when he was just 4 years old. Now, he has graduated high school and is studying to become an accountant.
“Mercado Global has allowed us to better understand the story and value behind our traje, our language, and our way of life. We learn the intricate weaving techniques of our ancestors and preserve our culture that is slowly disappearing”.
“I hope that more women participate and aren’t forced to wait for their husband’s income. I see other women that have many small children and I know how difficult it is to support my two sons through high school – it’s extremely challenging to provide food and clothing while also providing an education.
Maria, a Mercado Global artisan since 2015, lives in the small town of Xejuyú II with her eleven children and husband. After one year of joining the program, she was able to send four of her children to school. Through their financial literacy training, Maria has also learned to save money to maintain her household, with stable work and fair wages.
“Before, girls didn’t have the opportunities to fulfill their dreams like they do now. I was only able to finish the third grade before I had to start working.”
She also opened her heart saying “I have a lot of dreams for my children, but I mostly want them to study and fight for a better future. I am grateful that Mercado Global has provided my family with more opportunities.”
Fashion Forward: The Gala of Empowerment
The 9th edition of the Fashion Forward Gala will happen on March 31st. The renowned New York City event annually raises funds and awareness for Mercado Global.
This edition will also celebrate Mercado Global’s expansion this year to new regions while honoring the women they partner with and the supporters that make this possible.
The Fashion Forward Gala will be at The Bowery Hotel on Thursday. It will start with a VIP Cocktail Hour at 6:30 pm ET with the main event at 7:30 pm ET.
The Honorees
Mercado Global will be honoring three of its key supporters and pioneers in their fields:
Omar Hernandez is a NYC restauranter from Venezuela and the Founder of Omar’s La Ranita and Omar’s La Boîte. He has also launched private dining clubs in Manhattan and Miami. His dinners have drawn celebrity guests, including Madonna, Ralph Lauren, Martha Stewart, and Spike Lee. He has been featured in local and global press, including WWD, Forbes and others.
Lizzette Kattan Pozzi, a pioneering magazine editor. She has worked as Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar Italia and Harper’s Bazaar France. Pozzi has also helped launch Italian Men’s Harper’s Bazaar and was the Fashion Director of Italian Cosmopolitan. Her enduring devotion to Honduras led her to become a career diplomat for 17 years and served as the Consul General of Honduras in Milan. She has recently become a published author with the release of Roatan and the History of the Bay Islands of Honduras.
Joan Solotar is the Global Head of Private Wealth Solutions at Blackstone. Blackstone’s Private Wealth Solutions’ mission is to bring institutional-quality products across a broad spectrum of alternative asset classes to high-net-worth clients and their advisors. She also serves on the board of directors of First Eagle Investment Management. Before joining Blackstone in 2007, Ms. Solotar was Head of Equity Research at Bank of America Securities and a highly ranked Institutional Investor All Star financial services analyst at Credit Suisse and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.
Attend Fashion Forward
The event will also have Mapy, a 2021 Grammy Awards performer and award-winning violinist, doing a special performance. Latin American chefs will provide specialty dishes and cocktails.
Event attendees will include corporate leaders and influencers, top brands and retailers, and renowned philanthropists worldwide. They’ll come together to show support for women and marginalized communities, ethical fashion, and entrepreneurship.
For extra information, click here. And, don’t forget to purchase your ticket by clicking here!
