By Jackie Gilbert | Executive Director
Dear friends and supporters,
This has been a season of exciting growth, collaboration, and firsts for our team in La Guajira, Colombia. Thanks to your continued support, we’ve been able to expand our programming and take meaningful steps toward sustainability and self-determination for the Wayuu communities we serve.
July: International Folk Arts Market in Santa Fe
After helping our Program Coordinator Paula Restrepo secure her passport and U.S. visa, we brought her to the US for the first time to the 21st Annual International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico, one of the world’s most celebrated gatherings of Indigenous artists.
We joined more than 150 artists from 60 countries for two days of workshops followed by a four-day market. This milestone marked an important step for our organization, teaching us how to navigate international travel logistics for artisans from Colombia. Next year, we plan to bring one of the Wayuu artisan leaders in our collective to IFAM.
August: La Casa Colectiva & Reproductive Health Workshops
In August, your donations helped us purchase tables for La Casa Colectiva, an educational and community center we’re helping fund in partnership with Fundación Talento Colectivo. The classroom space — now halfway through its construction phase — has already begun hosting our workshops that empower Wayuu women with entrepreneurial, leadership, and innovation skills.
The classroom is just the first seed planted. La Casa Colectiva will include:
We’re currently seeking support to complete construction and bring this vibrant vision to life.
Also in August, Nicole from our U.S. team traveled to Colombia with a Master’s student from the University of California Santa Barbara, to begin developing a culturally sensitive Reproductive Health program for 2026. They’ve already held four focus groups to understand the needs and perspectives of Wayuu women, laying the groundwork for a program that supports sexual education and women’s empowerment.
We also welcomed a new artisan to our collective, Lilibeth Tiller, a 21-year-old Wayuu weaver from the community of Olotsou.
And in our ongoing Innovation Workshop Series, the artisans completed their first collection of designs inspired by native plants around their communities. Their second collection, now in progress, draws inspiration from everyday life in the rancherías. These creations represent a powerful act of cultural reclamation, restoring ancestral meaning and artistry to weaving traditions that have too often been co-opted or commercialized.
September: Weaving Sustainability into Every Thread
In September, we took a historic step forward by ordering our first round of recycled cotton yarns, marking the beginning of our transition away from acrylic yarn, which is currently the only material currently accessible in Wayuu markets.
This shift makes One Thread Collective the first Wayuu mochila brand to transition to recycled cotton, setting a precedent for ethical, sustainable production that honors both cultural heritage and the health of the planet.
October: New Skills and Creative Growth
Alongside our regular monthly workshops — Advanced Leadership, Sustainable Community-Led Entrepreneurship, and Product Innovation — October brought two special learning opportunities.
We invited a visiting instructor from Bogotá to teach Color Theory to our Innovation Team and a Photography Workshop to our artisan leaders. These classes help artisans refine their sense of design and storytelling — essential tools for connecting their work with international audiences and clients.
Looking Ahead
As we move into the final months of 2025, we are filled with gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead. Thank you for walking alongside us. Every donation truly helps weave a stronger, more resilient future for these remarkable women and their communities.
With deep gratitude,
The One Thread Collective Team
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