Interview with Marcia Mazria, January 6, 2021

Interview Summary

Marcia Mazria served as a Peace Corps volunteer in an economic development program in Peru from 1964-1966. She talks about taking a break from college after two years in a fashion design program at Pratt Institute and getting married to join the Peace Corps with her then-husband. She discusses her work with the Oficina de Artesania y Pequena Industria, a community-based organization in Arequipa, to kick-start the alpaca fashion industry in Peru, which has since developed a worldwide market. She created fashion designs, worked with local weavers, seamstresses, knit and crochet artisans and leather craftspeople, and got a professional women’s organization to sponsor the first of several high-end fashion shows to promote their goods. She discusses aspects of her daily life, including the mistreatment of neighboring child servants, whom she characterizes as slaves. She concludes by discussing the value of Peace Corps; how it taught her flexibility and broadened her perspective on the importance of politics for bringing about change.

Interview Keyword

Peru (Country of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Economic Development 1964-1966 (Date of service) Fashion design Fashion industry Arequipa (Peru) Alpacas

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Peru Peru Acculturation Communication and culture Culture Culture shock Intercultural communication Interpersonal communication and culture Interpersonal relations Interpersonal relations and culture Language and culture Language and languages Lifestyles Manners and customs Voluntarism Volunteers

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