The year was 1981. Ronald Reagan had just taken office, and a young 20-year-old man from Guatemala made a life-altering decision—he enlisted in the U.S. Army with nothing but determination, hope, and a belief that love could carry him across borders.
He had fallen in love with a young woman whose life brought her often to New York to work with her father. In May of 1982, they married near Fort Hood in Texas and began building a future rooted in courage. When his military service took him to Korea, she followed. Wherever life led, they chose to walk it together.
In 1986, that journey brought them to New Orleans.
They sold Guatemalan goods at the French Market, working long days and believing deeply in the beauty of culture, craft, and perseverance. Over time, that belief became a family business, then a storefront in the French Quarter—eventually filled with jewelry sourced from around the world.
In 1990, they had a daughter.
Raised between New Orleans and Guatemala, she grew up between worlds, often feeling like she didn’t quite belong. Art became her refuge. Creativity became her voice. What once lived in imagination would later be cast into jewelry—pieces first made by her mother, inspired by her own drawings.
I am that daughter.
The jewelry you chose this holiday season carries that entire story—the leap of faith, the struggle, the resilience, and the love that made it all possible. When you wear your Cristy Cali jewelry, you become part of that legacy.
Thank you for being part of our community, and for carrying this story forward with us.
Wishing you warmth, light, and meaning this holiday season.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays.
With love & gratitude,
Cristy
