It's Hispanic Heritage Month! A time to celebrate the culture, history, contributions, and achievements of Hispanic and Latinx-Americans. At Friends NYC, we carry the work of many Latinx makers, and we’d like to share a few of them with you here. Consider supporting these artists this month and beyond!
Plus - this month when you shop any Hispanic or Latinx maker, we will donate a percentage to the Translatinx Network of NYC. Translatinx Network's mission to promote the healthy development of trans people through the delivery of a wide range of information and services. Through promotion, outreach in education, and capacity-building, Translatinx encourage and strengthen the creation of safe and productive environments for TGNC+ community members.
Jamsie Waymsie
James Montes is a 33 yrst old Mexican American Mixed Media Artist living in California and the guy behind Jamsie Waymsie. All his art goodies are handmade in Fresno, California.
The Lotería is a popular card game of chance played throughout Latin America. Each Matchbox is hand-painted and contains one Lotería card image on the front side that is trimmed in SPARKLY golden glitter flakes, the back side is a solid color. All matchbooks are sprayed in a heavy gloss coat to prevent glitter fallout and for added SPARKLE. These are truly tiny pieces of Mexican nostalgia and we can’t get enough of it.
Chillhouse
CDMX
We took a trip to Mexico city and were able to buy the cutest mini food magnets we ever did see. These are all made in Mexico and you are supporting several Latinx owned micro businesses by purchasing these adorable novelty cuties.
Rompotodo
Rompotodo is the work of Niki Chataldjkian in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She makes the cutest ceramic pieces. She says her mission is “to heal this world: through cute objects, colors that resonate, and the moments created from them.” You can read all about the collaboration Friends did with her and the inspiration behind her work here. And pick yourself up a ghost pipe or ghost candle holder in store or online!
Tesoros Trading Company
Tesoros Trading Company is a retailer and wholesale distributor of folk arts and crafts and traditional items from over twenty countries, largely from Mexico and Central & South America. They work with families as well as larger factories. We've been lucky to add these treasures to the mix at Friends, in particular our long selling Jesus Ashtray (pictured above).
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month, familia. Take the opportunity to get to know the work of someone in the Latinx community. And spread love, it's the Brooklyn way.
