Guantánamo – Since 2013, the sociocultural project Crochet con Alas (Crochet with Wings), led by renowned art instructor María Cristina Velázquez Leyva, has been a creative space for some twenty Guantanamo women as Virgen López Gamboa and her granddaughter Leyasni Campo Romero who knitting different stitches create utilitarian itmes and support themselves economically—a right that demonstrates resilience in these times when everyday experiences awaken consciences, inspire, and foster collective action.
Alongside the Crochet with Wings project, the 63 years old retired women Virgen and Leyasni, a 19 years old librarian, who is expecting his first baby unmarried, participate in visual arts events, handcraft fairs on the city’s boulevard, and various community activities that foster social connections and the exchange of experiences.
At the Rubén López Sabariego House of Culture in the municipality of Guantánamo, the grandmother and granddaughter participate in workshops every Thursday, where they learn half single and double crochet and create their own hand made item with reclyed materials.
They also present their work at exhibitions, festivals, and other initiatives organized by the artisans’ project, which holds the Provincial Community Culture Award.
