In the quiet corners of Queens, a group of undocumented Latin American women are using needles and threads to stitch stories of their lives. The ‘costureros’ or needlework circles, such as BordeAndo and Las Comadres Bordadoras, have become safe havens for a community enduring racial profiling and persecution. These spaces are more than just places of craft; they are living archives, where traditions meet displacement and where each stitch tells a story.

BordeAndo, founded in 2018, is a collective of Ecuadorian, Dominican, Salvadoran, and Mexican women. Their name, bordeando, plays with the idea of moving borders, both geographical and personal. The women range in age and have lived in the United States for between 10 and 50 years. Each member brings with her a piece of her past, a thread of her grandmother’s wisdom, and a desire to find a sense of belonging in a new land.

Las Comadres Bordadoras, founded in 2021, is a more recent addition to the community. It is a nomadic group, moving from community gardens to public libraries, fostering a network of support and camaraderie among women from Mexico, Cuba, El Salvador, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina. Their name, comadres, reflects the close bonds formed among these strong, resilient women. They are more than friends; they are family.

Their work is not just about embroidery; it is about preserving memories, weaving stories, and creating a map of their lives. The exhibition Thread of Voice / Un hilo de voz at the Queens Museum, curated by the author, provided a platform to showcase these women’s art and the stories behind their craft. Through photographs and film, the exhibition highlighted the personal and collective narratives of these immigrant women, transforming the act of sewing into a form of resistance and resilience.

These costureros are not just creating textiles; they are creating a counter-map to the world. Each piece of work is a testament to their strength, their creativity, and their enduring hope. In a world that can be cruel and unforgiving, these women are weaving threads of hope and warmth, one stitch at a time.