Mayana Designs was created in 2020 by Emily Wancier as a way to explore and share her love of artisan handmade beaded jewelry. Drawing from her time living abroad with her family in Ghana, Peru, Nicaragua, and currently Colombia, the jewelry pieces often are inspired by textiles and indigenous art forms that she has encountered along the way. Emily is primarily self-taught and continues to challenge herself by exploring geometric form and color as she transforms Japanese Miyuki glass beads into wearable art. Mayana Designs is committed to offering bead weaving training and employment primarily to single mothers and members of the displaced indigenous community in Medellin, Colombia, where the jewelry is produced in small-batches. As Mayana Designs grows, the hope is that it can expand its ability to provide much-needed income to vulnerable women.