Wendy Sanchez’s household has been making silver pendants, jewellery, and statues for 3 generations in Taxco de Alarcón, Mexico. 5 years in the past, the 35-year-old introduced her household enterprise to Chicago and began La Platería. The social media enterprise began as a interest, however Sánchez stated it generated sufficient income that round 4 months in the past, she began engaged on La Platería full-time.
Sánchez moved to Chicago 10 years in the past, however she is proud to be from Taxco, a metropolis recognized for its sterling silver craftsmanship. Sterling silver jewel is sturdy, and won’t tarnish.
Sellers can declare their merchandise are sterling silver or from Taxco, however consumers typically haven’t any manner of verifying if it’s true. “There’s a number of fraud nowadays,” Sanchez stated
Sánchez’s total household lives in Taxco, the place every member makes a speciality of a unique side of the silversmithing trade. They oversee the whole course of, from when the silver is extracted from Taxco’s wealthy silver mines, to the design and manufacturing of the completed merchandise.
Photograph Credit score: La Platería Fb web page
Now, prospects can order earrings, rings, pendants and extra from La Plateria’s Instagram and Fb web page.
“You’ll be able to clear the silver with toothpaste, baking soda,” stated Sánchez. “As a result of we’re direct producers, clearly we’re promoting a fabric that we all know, that comes from us.”
Sánchez selected a silhouette of Taxco’s well-known Church of Santa Prisca because the enterprise brand. Her hope is that in the future La Platería has a bodily location.
“What I get pleasure from probably the most is doing what I like, particularly surrounded by my household,” Sánchez stated. “For me, it’s been an honor.”
Anita Li is a senior at Northwestern College in Evanston, IL, the place she research journalism. She’s beforehand interned at NPR member station WLRN in Miami and tv station FOX 5 DC in Washington, D.C. In school, Anita has labored at Northwestern’s pupil newspaper the Each day Northwestern, primarily engaged on the audio desk. She grew up within the D.C. metro space and loves consuming tiramisu, dancing, studying languages and making individuals snort.
You’ll be able to join together with her here.
Writer’s Notes: This story, amongst others, was produced by undergraduate college students within the bilingual reporting class at Northwestern College’s Medill Faculty of Journalism, Media & Built-in Advertising and marketing Communications.
Led by Prof. Mei-Ling Hopgood, the category goals to assist journalism college students follow delicate and moral engagement and reporting with multicultural communities in Spanish and English. College students visited the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Enterprise Expo at Navy Pier final fall and interviewed native enterprise homeowners.