Yolia Creations is Wearing a Movement

Miranda Encina is the creator and artist behind Yolia Creations, a jewelry business where each product is “hecho con alma.” Their slogan means “made with soul,” and Encina makes each piece by hand, with care. Encina has always loved art in all of its iterations, but decided to venture into jewelry when their brother started leather making.

It all started with a pair of earrings. The first Yolia Creation was a pair of monarch butterfly earrings, a piece that Encina continues to make to this day. The symbolic associations with butterflies are widely-known; they are natural representations of transformation and beauty, but monarchs specifically represent immigration.

For the artist, monarchs are emblems of resistance to borders. They said, “A lot of communities embrace the monarch as the symbol of resistance and resilience to imposed borders and how that manifests in the dehumanization of certain communities and violence against their bodies.”

When people started requesting the earrings on Facebook, the high demand told Encina people were thirsty for wearable, meaningful art. “And then I went from there. I began creating jewelry and art that I wanted to make a statement. As an indigenous person, art for me is a ceremony. It is a statement of resistance.”

Encina is Apache and Navajo and also identifies as Two-Spirit. For them, the indigenous identity is an honor. They explain, “In the indigenous community, it was normal and natural for Two-Spirit folks to exist. Two-Spirit folks see and witness more than one world.”

According to Encina, Two-Spirit people were often in positions of leadership before colonizers targeted and attempted to wipe out the identity. Encina is able to embrace the ways masculinity and femininity are intertwined and often performs gendered duties assigned to both men and women within indigenous ceremonies.

Aside from earrings, products sold range from leather cuffs and wrap rings to light bottles and bracelets. Many products have phrases and statements on them, like “queer af,” “no one is illegal,” “highly melanated,” and “I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.” Some quotes on products are also bilingual and include quotes from legendary figures like Frida Kahlo. Additionally, Encina sells pronoun pins and earrings with QTPOC (queer and trans people of color), trans, and genderqueer flags.

Yolia Creations often attends fairs, and when customers stop by the booth, they’re often excited to see art that represents them. People are amazed and relieved when they engage with the products.

“When people come up to the booth, they’re like, ‘Oh my God; you have this; I am reflected in this art.’” For Encina, it is part of what makes it all worthwhile. They added, “Because we do exist, right? And oftentimes, we don’t know that we exist, until we find a way to make that connection. And for me, this is how I do it.”

The effect is intentional. “I want the earrings to spark some type of thought or consciousness for other folks when they’re being witnessed, but I also want for the person who’s wearing them to feel empowered,” said Encina.

The journey of Yolia Creations is inextricably tied to Encina’s own personal growth. An alum from the University of Colorado Boulder, Encina double-majored in Ethnic Studies and Sociology, studying generational violence and silences. They studied the ways trauma travels through the body and through generations.

Yolia Creations breaks those silences. Encina said, “I have the opportunity to say ‘yes’ to art and something that’s going to help me grow as a person spiritually and mentally. I think, as a person of color, I never even imagined that I would even go to college.”

Activism, resilience, and resistance have always been a tradition within Encina’s family. Encina’s grandmother was involved with the Chicanx movement at CU Boulder, and Yolia Creations is an extension of that work, of a generational movement. Encina said, “Generational movements have happened to get to where I am today, with the privilege to be able to create art and connect with communities. It’s very honoring and humbling for me.”

The jewelry of Yolia Creations demands to be heard and breaks historical silences. The art even offers healing and opportunity to future generations. Encina feels the impact on their two kids, stating, “It has really empowered my children as well. They will say things like, ‘My mom has her own business.’” Their children feel like they can also follow what brings them joy because they witness their mom do so as well. Their child actually chose the name Yolia, a word in Nahuatl whose closest English synonym would be “soul.”

Outside of artwork, Encina is involved in healing for many communities. Their professional work has included working for Child Protective Services; being a court appointed special advocate; and serving as a shelter program director for SPAN, the Safehouse Progressive Alliance Network. They are a leader in Out Boulder County, holding a position on the Board of Directors, as well as chairing the QTPOC Steering Committee.

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Yolia Creations have been expanding, a function of Encina’s connections with the community. After being a vendor at the Black Women’s March in Denver, Yolia Creations was approached to make products for the next Denver Women’s March. Encina also continues to hold booths at events like Boulder Pride, as well at the Museo de las Americas First Fridays event. Looking forward, Yolia Creations will continue to heal and speak for generations past and present. And who knows; they might even dabble in some beadwork.

You can find Yolia Creations on Facebook and Instagram, or through their website, yolia-creations.myshopify.com