Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
As a Fair Trade business that originated when our founder Teresa fell so deeply in love with Guatemalan culture that she decided to base her life's work around sharing it with Americans, we can proudly say all year long- we love and celebrate Hispanic heritage!
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States from September 15th to October 15th to honor the deep impact these countries, their culture, and their citizens have had in creating the America we know today.
Hispanic Heritage Week was officially started in 1968 by Lyndon Johnson and expanded to Hispanic Heritage Month by Ronald Reagan in 1988. The dates of observation were chosen intentionally with September 15th being the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Additionally, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.
In this newsletter, we will highlight a few Hispanic countries and their products, but if there is ever a specific country whose products you're seeking, type that country into our website search bar:)
You can also always call or email us with product origin questions- we love sharing the stories behind our products!
Additional information on Hispanic Heritage Month can be found here.
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Guatemala
As you may know, the journey of Lucia's World Emporium began when our owner Teresa visited Guatemala for a summer class in college. During this time, she fell in love with the beauty and culture of Guatemala (and met her wonderful husband Edwardo). After spending 18 years in Guatemala, Teresa returned to Lexington with her husband and two children, where she opened Lucia's World Emporium in 2007.
When you learn more about Guatemala, it's easy to understand what kept Teresa for so long. The country has been inhabited for over 20,000 years and its inhabitants speak over 22 languages; to say that Guatemala is a cultural oasis is an understatement.
Outside of the active volcanoes, wonderful music, and spectacular landscapes, Guatemala is home to an incredible coffee industry. Many of our most popular Guatemalan products are our eclectic handmade coffee mugs that are microwave/dishwasher safe, and eager to hold your favorite brew! Shop our Guatemalan products here.
You can explore the stories of the talented Guatemalan artisans we partner with to bring you jewelry, purses, ceramics, and more here<3
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Peru
Peru is a beautiful and diverse country filled with plants and wildlife that you cannot find anywhere else on the globe. Featuring the highest sand dunes in the world and the Lost City of Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Peru is definitely a location to add to your vacation list!
A fun fact about Peru, which impacts many of the goods we receive from them, is that three-quarters of the world’s alpaca population lives in this remarkable country. As a result, we stock much of our most comfy and luxurious winter wear from Peru, along with many other fabric-based products that are safe for pets and young children!
Shop our products handcrafted in Peru here.
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Ecuador
Ecuador is an exciting country sitting just on the equator at South America's west coast. Due to its location, Ecuador is actually the closest country to outer space! In this beautiful place, you can find a wide variety of landscapes from the Andean Highlands to the Amazon Jungle, to the alluring Galápagos Islands.
Because of its rich and diverse topography, Ecuador prioritizes the needs of our planet in its daily practices as well as its legislation. In 2008, Ecuador rewrote its constitution to recognize the Rights of Nature. Instead of treating nature as property, Ecuador concluded that nature has constitutional rights, including the “right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles.” In line with Ecuador's values, you will find that the majority of our Ecuadorian products are derived from their connection to their homeland and the beautiful resources around them.
Shop our products handcrafted in Ecuador here.
