Press Release

Partnership for Central America launches digital art collection in partnership with Mastercard, CARE and HUG

March 31, 2023 | MIAMI, FL

Three Central American artists were selected to inspire the “En Sus Manos” (In Her Hands) digital art collection, which will support gender equality initiatives in Central America.

The Partnership for Central America (PCA), a coalition of private sector organizations advancing economic opportunity in Central America, partnered with  Mastercard, CARE, and HUG to drop its first cause-backed Digital Art Collection during Miami NFT Week. The “En Sus Manos” (In Her Hands) collection will be available for purchase Friday, March 31 through Friday, April 14 on HeyMint.xyz’s website.

Three talented artists: Ale Bara (aka Alejandra Barahona) from Guatemala, Kem (aka Nycolee Suazo) from Honduras, and Male Cuellar from El Salvador were selected to participate in the digital art movement, incorporating their unique style and experience to present this limited-edition collection. The three artists have collaborated on three colorful pieces that pay tribute to the grace and power of Central American women and the influence in their hands to establish important roots, values and connection to their culture and countries. 

The “En Sus Manos” three-piece digital collection will be dropped as an open edition on Heymint.xyz.  Proceeds from the sale of the digital art will be used to support CARE’s Center for Gender Equality programs in Northern Central America and PCA’s In Her Hands initiative programming. In addition, the three participating artists will be featured on HUG’s social discovery and education platform, where they can continue to learn about the new income possibilities that Web3 offers, while getting connected to other artists and collectors in the community.

A commitment to equality and inclusion

The launch of the "En Sus Manos" Digital Art Collection not only ensures a place for women in Web3 but is also a strong message of inclusion for the generations that were born amidst the digital revolution. “The Partnership is grateful to our founding member Mastercard, partners at CARE, and HUG for their contributions and commitment to advancing and promoting female entrepreneurship. With their collective resources and expertise, we are eager to support the growth of these female artists within the evolving digital economy as part of our journey toward a more prosperous northern Central America,” said Jonathan Fantini-Porter, Executive Director of the Partnership for Central America.

For Mastercard, curating the artists for this initiative builds on our efforts to support passions while fostering economic development and gender balance.  Web3, the metaverse, and blockchain are gateways to digital connectivity for everyone equally and educating the next generation of talent on the possibilities of the ecosystem is a priority for Mastercard. "This initiative is about solidarity, and all the beauty that comes when women use their talent to lift and support each other.  With Web3, the artists have the added opportunity to learn, grow and be part of a movement.  We are so inspired by these artists’ stories and artistic styles. Especially their love for their country and how they each celebrated the incredible role of women in their pieces,” explains Janet Rivera-Hernandez, Senior Vice President of Communications for Mastercard Latin America and the Caribbean.

“CARE is so grateful to have been selected as a beneficiary of this project, through the Center for Gender Equality. The funds raised will allow women entrepreneurs from northern Central America to strengthen their leadership skills, financial and digital literacy, and expand their business networks. Special thanks to the artists from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador for contributing to this initiative,” said Diane Carazas, Regional Director, Latin America & Caribbean, CARE.

“It’s been HUG’s mission from day 1 to build a diverse and inclusive Web3 ecosystem, and we are excited to support an initiative like this that brings more women into the tech industry alongside esteemed partners like The Partnership, CARE, and Mastercard. The “En Sus Manos” Digital Art Collection is a great example of how Web3 can unlock visibility and drive engagement for artists seeking to transition from the physical to the digital world," said Randi Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of HUG.

About the artwork 

“En Sus Manos” expresses the power, wisdom, and influence of the women of three Central American countries by three native artists.  The three pieces entitled “Las Abuelas” (The Grandmothers), “El Baile de las Medusas” (Dance of the Jellyfish), and “Cabezas de Familia” (Head of the Family) are inspired by unique personal stories of the artists.  Each piece contains a layer of contribution by each of the artists, as a demonstration of solidarity between the women. 

To learn more about the artists and view the digital art collection, click here: https://launchpad.heymint.xyz/mint/en-sus-manos

Media Contacts

Andrea Denadai, Mastercard

About The Partnership for Central America

The Partnership for Central America is a non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works with a multi-national coalition of private organizations to advance economic opportunity across underserved populations in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The Partnership serves as a coordinating body of Vice President Harris’s Call to Action and aims to facilitate and support practical solutions to advance economic opportunity, address urgent climate, education and health challenges, and promote long-term investments and workforce capability in support of a vision of hope for Central America. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to membership@centampartnership.org.

About HUG

Founded by Randi Zuckerberg, HUG is an inclusive social discovery platform that connects NFT artists with current and prospective collectors. Through a community-driven, decentralized curation process, HUG spotlights diverse creators, including and especially those from underrepresented and marginalized communities. HUG is also known for HUG Studios, which offers educational and advisory programs for Web3 startup founders and creative entrepreneurs. In November 2022, HUG consolidated the Meta Angels NFT community under its parent company Assemble.

About CARE

Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package ®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls. Equipped with the proper resources, women and girls have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. This year, CARE and partners worked in 111 countries implementing 1,600 poverty-fighting development and humanitarian aid projects and initiatives that reached 174,000,000 people. To learn more, visit www.care.org

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

www.mastercard.com