Juxta Nation comes from the words justa that means fair in Spanish and nation. Introducing the X as a symbol of unity between all peoples.
just
[ juhst ] adjective
Based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair
nation
[ ney-shuh n ] noun
A large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.
Juxta gives place to a Nation with an origin but no boundaries, with a tradition expressed in creativity and innovation, with an essence that embraces equality and cultural diversity. A nation built through unity, diversity, respect, and harmony, contributing to the social and economic justice of everyone’s good living.
One of the things that we have learned during this period is that the dialogue circles and work meetings between the Juxta Nation cooperatives are necessary to identify the challenges and opportunities that we face in order to achieve our objectives related to social entrepreneurship. As an organization, it is clear to us that building agreements with the partners helps us to strengthen the progress of the cooperatives and the appropriation of the social enterprise Juxta Nation by the associated women.
Entrepreneurship through innovation within cooperatives is fundamental as part of the strengthening of women's capacities and their professionalization. In this sense, at the end of last year, the Entrelazado area (Jewelry Facilitation) was opened, linking innovation in artistic design with awareness of the value of the pieces made by the artisans from the empowerment that comes from recognizing themselves as creators and designers.
As part of this work, a jewelry collection was generated from Juxta Nation, which has motivated them to continue with this line and enhance their creative abilities. In this regard, we have identified the importance of experimenting with new techniques and designs in our quest to compete in broader markets.
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Juxta Nation's journey began in 2013 through trainings for indigenous women from Los Altos de Chiapas focused on capacity building and textile skills, human development and good governance managed by NGOimpacto, the foundation of this project.
This is how, thanks to a gradual and sustained evolution, the first cooperatives of women artisans were formalized in 2021. Juxta Nation's business model and social structure allow for 100 percent involvement of the artisan members, who actively participate in each link of the value chain and receive additional equitable profits from the sales obtained.
The first collection "Amanecer" was the result of the textile experimentation of the artisans as designers, the added value of the collection came from the transmission of ancestral knowledge and the knowledge of the organization that has collaborated in the empowerment of women for 9 years.
For the creation of the second collection, the women artisans have carried out various activities, which could be divided into three phases to summarize the most important ones.
First Phase
It began with informative meetings, where they were able to define a theme of inspiration, color chart, concept of the collection, in order to develop a moodboard that has served as a reference to be able to develop it.
Second Phase
The creative idea of the collection, for which they decided to develop four autonomous mini collections, where each cooperative designed its own conceptual capsule applying techniques and knowledge of embroidery and weaving and showing the identity of each of their communities, the collection is united by a common thread: The Inheritance “Herencia”, which has been passed from generation to generation.
Third Phase
Production
Now the most demanding part is ahead, the women have begun the creation of the pieces using ancestral techniques of backstrap loom and brocade, which combined with a contemporary design will give them an important differentiator at a commercial level.
Through these processes, women artisans create a vision of themselves and the world. Affirming tradition through something new and resilient. Prepared for change the artisans are transforming their culture in our presence and manifesting their own vision in the textile world.
Thanks to GlobalGiving and all the donors we can continue to professionalize significantly indigenous women, with positive implications in their economy and labor insertion of new generations with the aim of generating a sustainable local development that allows them to achieve economic security for themselves and their families, the road to the "Lekil Kuxlejal".
Kolaval / Wokolaval / Gracias / Thank you
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Artisanal weaving workshop with women artisans from Los Altos de Chiapas
Continuing with our purpose dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of native cultures and esthetics, Juxta Nation, invites you to the event “Backstrap Loom Expressions: Artisanal weaving workshop with women artisans from Aldama and San Juan Cancuc, Chiapas.
It was a one-of-a-kind immersive experience where guests were able to get up close and personal with the fine work of the women weavers of Juxta Nation, who create and recreate unique pieces and generously shared their wisdom and ancestral knowledge with the attendees. The workshop was taught by the master artisans and designers of Juxta Nation.
Weaving New Destinations: Juxta Nation
As a mirror of the millenary processes of the backstrap loom Maria of Aldama, Maria of San Juan Cancuc and 47 other fellow weavers, have been part of a personal and professional evolution to give birth to the social enterprise Juxta Nation, which encourages autonomy and self-management of women artisans as fashion designers, entrepreneurs and agents of change.
Juxta Nation harmoniously intertwines high quality contemporary design, fair and conscious trade and the preservation and appreciation of the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples, emerging as a referent of contemporary Latin American fashion.
This way, Juxta Nation is positioned as a vehicle of integral transformation not only for the artisans who, in addition to being designers, are partners and owners of the enterprise, but also for their families and communities, whose ultimate purpose is to achieve the Lekil Kuxlejal or "harmony of life" according to Mayan cosmogony.
Meet: María
María is a 37-year-old artisan from the community of Tsajalch'en, municipality of San Juan Cancuc. She speaks the Tseltal language and belongs to the Yaxinal Antsetik Cooperative. She learned to weave at the age of 10, and the first brocade she was taught to make is the Bats'il Chil or fine brocade.
She believes that the work she does as an artisan is important because it allows her to participate in keeping the culture of her community alive, for example, the traditional costume she wears every day distinguishes her from other communities, and it can reflect the ancestral knowledge that she has preserved.
For Maria, Juxta Nation is a project that makes her feel proud to be a woman artisan and entrepreneur and she is excited about the future benefits of this path that has just begun.
Meet: María
María is a 32 year old artisan from Aldama, Cabecera. She is the mother of 3 children, speaks Tsotsil and belongs to the Luchetik cooperative. Her mother taught her to weave when she was 8 years old, starting with a bag design because it is one of the simplest. Currently, she likes to weave new designs and what she enjoys most is warping and weaving.
For her it is important to maintain the backstrap loom technique in the community because it preserves the tradition and culture, for example, she is one of the women who make the traditional costume of the authorities of the municipality, which allows her to earn income for her family.
One of her favorite activities is going out to the field, working in her apiary and making organic jams to sell. She is proud to be a woman, to belong to Juxta Nation and to make pieces with innovation and design.
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For NGOimpacto, the support of all the donations we have received from people who believe in women artisans from Chiapas as agents of change and transformation, through the GlobalGiving platform, has been fundamental for the development of the social enterprise Juxta Nation. Thanks to the resources raised since the launch of the campaign in November 2020, we have been able to impact 49 women artisans from four different municipalities in Los Altos de Chiapas in southeastern Mexico. Through their work as creators of the Juxta brand, they consolidate a space of autonomy and self-management that strengthens their journey as women entrepreneurs https://juxtanation.co/
Juxta Nation is a social enterprise that promotes the economic autonomy of women artisans from Los Altos de Chiapas, through an online platform that offers contemporary textiles, using ancestral techniques, where women strengthen their work and take ownership of the processes as new entrepreneurs.
Along the way, they have faced the challenge of becoming more professional in the production and marketing of their creations, which allows them to generate better profits and, therefore, greater economic and social impact on their families and communities. There are still major technological and training barriers that prevent women from developing their full potential to achieve their goals of self-training in social entrepreneurship and sales.
However, through a training and facilitation program we have developed a series of IT workshops with the women artisans belonging to Juxta Nation, to train them in marketing tools and practices. We seek to contribute to closing the technological gaps in the communities of Los Altos de Chiapas, and at the same time, strengthen the processes of their own entrepreneurship.
Information technologies should not only be used to sell products and access e-learning platforms, but also to make indigenous communities visible as subjects with rights and to communicate all their knowledge and know-how.
No barriers can stop us
For indigenous women artisans, having the opportunity to market and sell their products online and thus generate better economic income, while receiving transformative leadership training, tools and support through long-term investments in their collectives, creates significant opportunities not only to maintain their traditional craft as a marketable trade, but also to leverage their role as leaders to address broader community needs.
We are very happy to see the progress that women artisans have had with the use of technological and digital tools, which they use for the development of their enterprise Juxta Nation.
"I thought the workshop was very good. I liked being with the colleagues from other communities and learning how to handle the tablet and seeing what I have learned by taking the exam to pass the level." - Norma.
"I liked it because I learned to use the tablet as a work tool. Besides, it motivates me to make progress in my learning.” - Micaela.
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Consolidating the social enterprise, JUXTA NATION, promotes a sustainable social enterprise of contemporary textile products. It applies a focus on design innovation and collaborative value, through self-management and the organization of groups of indigenous women artisans. Allowing them to establish operational strategies both for the development of differentiated contemporary products, as well as commercial operations for direct sales online nationally and internationally. Juxtanation.co (e-retail) being the main platform for direct fair trade of contemporary handcrafted textile products.
In a continuous progress, women artisans (majority members of JUXTA NATION) strengthen their leadership and self-esteem, with knowledge and appropriate tools for the defense of their rights and the protection of their cultural heritage, strengthening their autonomy and self-management.
JUXTA NATION implements an ethical model with transparency and traceability strategies, hand in hand with NGOimpacto. Following up on the training of craftswomen and implementing a database of craftswomen and issuing ethical validation vouchers for products sold under JUXTA.
JUXTA NATION's strategy and plans are scalable nationally and internationally due to possible collaborations with other NGOs with shared long-term values. Allowing a large scale of communities not only in Chiapas or other states of the Mexican Republic but in other countries such as Peru, Guatemala, Bolivia, Chile, to mention a few.
As a social enterprise, JUXTA NATION is committed to the proper inclusion of indigenous women who participate as owners of the platform and as producers for JUXTA through their micro-enterprises or sub-regions.
Here is the link to learn more about JUXTA NATION
Thanks to your donations, today JUXTA NATION is taking its first steps, we know that there is still a long way to go but together we will achieve it.
Kolaval/Wokolaval/Thankyou/Gracias
Karla Aguerrebere
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