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Five women-run Latinx businesses you’ve gotta check out

STORY BY ANDREA CARVAJAL PHOTOS BY ALEXANDRA RODRIGUEZ DESIGN BY ALYSSA NICOLE MAUN

Celebrating women of color should be a year-round mission, not just a Heritage Month. Here are some women-run Latinx businesses you should support.

Yola Mezcal Yolamezcal.com

With a recipe passed down from her grandfather, Yola Jimenez is the core founder and crafted her own Oaxaca based mezcal business, Yola Mezcal. The business is exclusively run by women and supports employees with direct pay, choosing their hours, and offering childcare or bringing their child to work.

This mezcal can be found all-around California and New York in various bars, restaurants, and liquor stores. Yola Mezcal didn’t stop with mezcal and held an all-female identifying event called Yola Dia in 2019, where women artists, musicians, and activists showcased their work on the festival grounds in Los Angeles’s Historic Park.

Brujita Skincare Brujitaskincare.com

Brujita Skincare is a Los Angeles based, Latina-owned business. Leah Guerrero created the brand while in Mexico City and has over ten years of esthetician experience in what is known as holistic skincare. Brujita skincare uses organic, sustainable products that come from the roots of Mexico City such as maca root powder, maracuya (passionfruit) oil, and prickly pear oil.

Valfre Valfre.com

Valfre is another Los Angeles based brand, founded by Mexican artist Ilse Valfre. All of the designs come from Ilse’s very own imagination, reflecting a psychedelic world with the characters she creates. The brand continues to grow with different designs almost every month, and has products ranging from clothing to art and home decorations.

GrowMija Growmija.com

Queer Latinx Los Angeles native Iliana is the owner and creator of the online art brand GrowMija. Iliana created the business for her younger sister, to show inclusivity in art and develop a love letter to brown girls everywhere. Her art includes stickers, pins, and canvases that show women of different colors, body, and hair types.

Sunday Energy Sundayenergy.co

Dominican-American Melissa Flores is the founder of the jewelry collection, Sunday Energy. The purpose of each piece of jewelry sent out is to feel the love and positive energy, and they vary from anklets to evil eye earrings. This business is simple, it’s about making jewelry with a purpose. TU SK