Photo: Christine Keeley

From overseeing the organization’s growth from a small nonprofit working with a dozen Indigenous women artisans in Guatemala’s highlands, to its recognition as an innovator in social enterprise partnering with hundreds of artisans, Ruth is a pioneer in the field of ethical fashion. By building a model that connects some of the communities in rural Latin America that have been most impacted by systemic racism and misogyny, Ruth’s vision for Mercado Global has created sustainable income opportunities for Indigenous women with international retailers including Nordstrom, Stitch Fix, Levi’s®, Bloomingdale’s, and Shopbop.

Under her leadership, Mercado Global has led efforts to mainstream fair trade sourcing in the international fashion industry and supported Indigenous women across the Americas in gaining income and empowerment through access to the international market.

Ruth has been recognized for her role in founding and supporting a variety of programs and organizations related to international development and poverty alleviation. She has received honors for her academic work on the impact of globalization on political and economic development in Latin America, including the William H. Orrick prize at Yale University. Ruth was named among the “World’s Best Emerging Social Entrepreneurs” by Echoing Green and appeared on the cover of Newsweek as one of the “15 People Who Make America Great.” Ruth has also spoken at the United Nations, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Global Summit for Women, and the U.S. Department of Labor.