Yucatán Artisan Fair Empowers Women Entrepreneurs

Yucatán, Mexico — Eleven entrepreneurs from six municipalities participated in the First Artisan Fair for the Rights of Mayab Women 2026, organized by the Secretariat of Women (Semujeres) at its headquarters building. The event recognized the rescue and promotion of traditional manufactures such as embroidery, beekeeping, and gastronomy, among other creative expressions.

At the inauguration, Semujeres head Sisely Burgos Cano acknowledged the effort of the participating Yucatecan artisans in this first edition of 2026, as well as the work of those who, from their communities, keep traditions alive through knowledge transmitted across generations.

The official reiterated that women’s empowerment and financial independence strengthen society as a whole and contribute to building a life free of violence, safe, and in peace.

She also highlighted the diversity of products offered, a result of the creativity and dedication of women who are part of the empowerment programs promoted by the agency.

In this first edition of 2026, artisans from the municipalities of Umán, Ticul, Chocholá, Opichén, Kanasín, and from the south and deep south of Mérida participated, offering sweets, typical food, pasta crafts, jewelry, embroidered clothing in cross-stitch, woven bags, artisanal candles with various aromas, and beauty products made from honey.

Miriam, originally from Kanasín, is an example of effort and perseverance. A mother of four children, she has been dedicated to making typical food for 35 years and stated that, thanks to Semujeres’ support and participation in these artisan fairs, she has managed to expand the presence of her work beyond her municipality. She indicated that her day begins at four in the morning to fulfill her daily activity.

For her part, Wilma Baeza González from Mérida offered cosmetic products made with traditional herbalism, such as macerates and oils, produced by her and her collaborators with local inputs.

She explained that participation in these spaces has allowed her to position her brand, to the point of currently having a website from which she receives orders from different countries in America and Europe.

In turn, Jazmín, 34 years old and a resident of Mérida, shared that through various workshops she learned to make aromatic artisanal candles, which she has promoted at different fairs.

She highlighted that, thanks to events organized by Semujeres, her products have been well received, offering aromas that invite meditation and harmony.

María Isela González and her daughter Rubí Chablé, originally from Ticul, represent the family preservation of traditions, as their hipiles and blouses embroidered in cross-stitch and counted thread are the result of knowledge transmitted by at least three generations. In their designs, detail, color, and creativity combine the contemporary with the ancestral legacy.

For both, it is essential to keep these cultural manifestations alive, as they noted that traditional embroidery techniques have been declining, although there are still embroiderers who continue adapting their designs to diversify the offer and respond to customer preferences.