At Grace & Fire, consumer-creator relations are important to us. A huge part of ethical buying is knowing who you are buying from. Not only that, but there is value in knowing that so much love and so many stories are behind every bag you purchase from Grace & Fire. That is why we are creating monthly weaver spotlights—so you can learn about the talented women that drive our business.

For the month of July, we introduce Carmelina. Carmelina is a 36-year-old mother of three from El Rosario, Chimaltenango. She started working with Grace & Fire when it became too difficult to hold a more traditional job. Carmelina’s past jobs, such as washing and making tortillas, require her to leave her children alone and unattended. But with Grace & Fire, Carmelina is able to weave at home, where she can look after her family while also earning the money to support them. This is important for Carmelina because her son has cerebral palsy, meaning that he needs a lot of nutrition. Her work with Grace & Fire means she can also buy clothes for herself and her children.

Carmelina thanks God and the customers of Grace & Fire for helping her to continue supporting her family. It’s been a journey learning how to weave, and Carmelina is happy that her new-found skill renders her able to contribute to her family’s needs.