International Women’s Day 2027
The Minka
An evening of collective beauty celebrating Andean women, craft & culture
On March 3 – 4, 2027, join Ibu in Charleston, SC, for The Minka—our International Women’s Day Mini Summit & Gala—a shared spirit of artistry, collaboration, and cultural heritage found across South America.
Enjoy Andean-inspired cuisine, live entertainment, and a colorful fashion event, while honoring our 2027 Global Champions: Hans Valdez, Kennedy Leavens, and Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez.
Raise your paddle, ignite futures, and celebrate the fierce determination of women worldwide.
Image credit: Maribet Berrocal wearing traditional Acopía-Combapata textiles, Sacred Valley, Peru (detail). Copyright Chris Rainier/The Cultural Sanctuaries Foundation.
The Gala
An evening at Festival Hall
Presented by our leading sponsor, Bank of America Private Bank, Ibu will host a seated gala, including:
- Andean-inspired dinner and drinks
- Remarks from our global champions Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez of Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco (CTTC), Hans Valdez of MIA Peru, and Kennedy Leavens of Awamaki, about the impact of elevating women through the art of their hands
- A fabulous fashion event with the spirited glamor of our partners in design
- Live music and shopping our latest looks
- A paddle raise to fund important artisan grants and new initiatives in the year ahead
Grab your Ibu and He-bu allies to reserve a table and make a night of it with friends. Together, we can make a positive impact, celebrating the power in women’s hands.
Gala tickets & tables
Join us at the table
Gala host committee
Sarah Beardsley & Chris Randolph, Susan Dyes & Keith Smith, Cece & Mack Fowler, Lori Greeley & Jim Cawley, Alicia & Wayne Gregory, Deborah Kennedy Kennard and Bill Kennard, Paige King, Mosmi Naik Patel & Shailesh Patel, Monica & Ken Seeger
Mini Summit
Women of the Andes
Ibu will host a four-session summit on the morning of Wednesday, March 3, at the Charleston Library Society, featuring celebrated global leaders on the topics of culture and heritage, artisan design and impact, and women leaders around the country. Attendees will have an opportunity to engage with the speakers through Q&A sessions at the end of each presentation, and will be able to shop work from each of the speakers at the Ibu Showroom following the presentations.
Speakers include
- A conversation between Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, founder of the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco, and Ibu founder Susan Hull Walker, on preserving Quechua culture and textile tradition
- A panel with Hans Valdez of MIA Peru and Kennedy Leavens of Awamaki on the impact of Ibu grants used to build new gathering spaces for artisans
- A presentation from Olivia McKendrick and Chris Rainier of Cultural Sanctuaries on their preservation work in the Andes and beyond
With gratitude
Our sponsors & partners
The Minka presenting sponsor
Premier Sponsor
Artisan Journey Sponsor
Mola Madrina runway sponsors
Event partners
About Ibu
Beauty. Sovereignty. Joy.
Global fashion marketplace
Providing a marketplace for women’s artisanal goods is our most effective tool for elevating women out of poverty and into a position of sovereignty over their lives.
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Artisan partners
A small team in Charleston, SC, Ibu collaborates with over 100 women’s groups in 40 countries, providing living wages, and because of that, also self-respect, a voice in their communities, and food for their families.
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Capacity building grants
We respond to the needs of women’s artisan communities through our grants program, thereby strengthening their internal capacity to grow into self-sufficiency.
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