Luz María Alta, a 51-year-old Kichwa woman, is originally from the community of Santa Bárbara, located in the Cotacachi canton. She is a prominent community leader, embroiderer, artisan, farmer, and promoter of community-based tourism. Throughout her life, she has made a valuable contribution to the strengthening of cultural identity and the integral development of her community.

At the age of 20, she was elected the first female president of Santa Bárbara—a historic milestone that marked the beginning of greater female participation in leadership and decision-making within the community.

Luz María learned the art of embroidery from her father, Mariano Alta, a renowned artisan and community member of Santa Bárbara. Over time, she shared this knowledge with her family—sisters, daughters—and with women in her community and other areas of the Cotacachi canton. She taught hand embroidery and the crafting of traditional blouses, using this practice as a tool for empowerment, economic independence, and cultural preservation.

For more than 16 years, she has led embroidery and sewing workshops and has represented the work of women artisans at numerous fairs and cultural events. The women in her community recognize and respect her as a teacher and mentor in the learning of traditional embroidery.

Luz María has collaborated on various projects with social organizations, foundations, and government entities, all aimed at revitalizing and strengthening artisanal practices within Indigenous communities.

Luz María shares that years ago, an old blouse with a distinctive design—one she only remembered from her childhood—came into her hands. This garment became her source of inspiration to recreate a traditional blouse model known as “librillo,” named for its pleats and the inclusion of the symbolic chakana design. After many attempts and adjustments, she succeeded in recreating the garment through her own personalized process.

Today, Luz María proudly watches as the women of her community wear these traditional blouses, crafted and embroidered by their own hands. Her work is a clear example of how textile art can become a driving force of identity, resilience, and community development.