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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Día de los Muertos is almost here. And in the coming days, families across the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> will transform a corner of their home into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">an ofrenda\u003c/a> — colorful handmade altars honoring loved ones who have passed away. Photos and mementos are placed alongside candles, sugar skulls, cempasúchil (marigolds) and the departed’s favorite food and drinks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, Día de los Muertos is when the living pause from their daily routine and remember the dead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For centuries, families in Mexico and several other Latin American countries — where it’s also known \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/11/02/500105108/bread-babies-and-purple-drink-ecuador-s-spin-on-day-of-the-deceased\">as Día de los Difuntos\u003c/a> — have also used this time of year to reunite with relatives and friends. Celebrating the dead can be done in both the privacy of one’s home and in community \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11894929/to-also-celebrate-the-living-dia-de-los-muertos-returns-to-the-mission\">out in the streets\u003c/a>, with music, dance and art.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102437\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mariachi group performs at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to the Bay Area’s large Latino diaspora, there are multiple public Día de los Muertos events held across the region that are family-friendly and open to all — including those who are just starting to learn more about this tradition.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep in mind that some events are high-energy celebrations with spaces for dancing and socializing, while others are more solemn occasions that include traditional blessings and spoken word.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another thing to note: This year, because Nov. 1 and 2 fall on Sunday and Monday respectively, you’ll also find many organizers have scheduled their Día de los Muertos events a few days before (or after) the traditionally observed dates, with events running from this week through Nov. 8.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día De Los Muertos NightLife Celebration at the Academy of Sciences\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Thursday, Oct. 22\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each month, the California Academy of Sciences hosts 21+ nighttime gatherings where adults can enjoy the museum with live music, drinks and performances. This month’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.calacademy.org/nightlife/nightlife-d%C3%ADa-de-los-muertos\">NightLife event\u003c/a> is in collaboration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085109/carnaval-brings-colorful-costumes-and-latin-dancing-to-san-franciscos-mission-district\">with Carnaval San Francisco\u003c/a> and will showcase different Día de los Muertos traditions from the Mexican state of Michoacán.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This occasion will also honor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985440/claude-albino-alligator-memorial-golden-gate-park-san-francisco\">Claude, the albino alligator\u003c/a> that lived at the Academy of Sciences since 2008 and became a local icon before dying last December at the age of 30. Sacramento-based artist Carolina Argote will unveil a sculpture of Claude in the incredibly colorful and intricate style of \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/tour-of-giant-brightly-colored-creatures-celebrates-artistic-heritage-of-oaxaca\">alebrijes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11784189\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1832x1374.jpg 1832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1376x1032.jpg 1376w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1044x783.jpg 1044w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-632x474.jpg 632w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A traditional Mexican altar for El Día de los Muertos celebration. (Tiffany Camhi/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you’re feeling like dancing, the Bay Area’s own \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/11835183/meet-the-latina-dj-crews-fighting-cultural-erasure-one-45-at-a-time\">Chulita Vinyl Club\u003c/a> — a collective of Latina DJs who work to preserve the region’s old-school cumbia scene — will be laying tracks in the Academy’s East Garden.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Full-priced tickets are $26 and EBT cardholders pay $5.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘In Their Name: Día de Los Muertos 2026’ exhibition at SOMArts Cultural Center\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Opening ceremony on Friday, Oct. 23; exhibition on display through Nov. 20\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curated by Bridgètt Rex and Mission District-raised Rio Yañez, this exhibit celebrates the Mexican traditions of Día de los Muertos “while welcoming cultures around the globe to honor the dead together in solidarity.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dozens of artists have \u003ca href=\"https://somarts.org/intheirname-press/\">been invited\u003c/a> to create their own altars dedicated to loved ones who have died. This year’s exhibit is dedicated to Oakland-based florist and educator \u003ca href=\"https://evergreenfuneralservice.com/obituaries/latosha-stimage\">Latosha “Tosha” Stimage\u003c/a>, who passed away earlier this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of photos with pink, green, and yellow paper flowers stands next a small mortar that carries burning sage. A few candles are nearby.\" class=\"wp-image-11894973\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An altar made by the Young Women’s Freedom Center for people lost to police brutality and gender violence as well as people who passed through the program, at a Día de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco’s Mission District on Nov. 2, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opening reception on Oct. 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. will feature an artists’ market and a musical performance by Las Hijas de la Madre.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A general admission ticket is $15, but those 16 years old and under get in free.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos in Half Moon Bay hosted by ALAS\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Saturday, Oct. 24\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ALAS stands for Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or “Helping Latinos Dream,” and the nonprofit will host a \u003ca href=\"https://www.alasdreams.com/events-1/alas-dia-de-los-muertos-catrinas-calabazas-y-cumbia-1\">Day of the Dead celebration\u003c/a> at its office on 507 Purissima Street. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year’s theme is “Catrinas, Calabazas y Cumbia,” paying homage to Half Moon Bay’s nickname as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103119/half-moon-bay-pumpkin-festival-traffic-tips-2026\">World Pumpkin Capital\u003c/a>. There will also be Aztec dancers, face painting and sugar skull decorating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two people wear face paint and flowers in their hair and look at the camera.\" class=\"wp-image-11894972\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mariah Cativo (left) and Lucy Molina pause for a portrait as they walk along 24th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District during a Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Healdsburg Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Oct. 25\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">City officials and local nonprofit Corazón Healdsburg will host a Día de los Muertos celebration in the city’s main plaza from noon to 6 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Families are welcome to bring photos of loved ones to add to the communal ofrenda. There will be live music, a car show, dance performances and craft activities for kids throughout the day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos at Lawrence Hall of Science \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Oct. 25 and Oct. 31 \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley \u003ca href=\"https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/dia-de-los-muertos-community-celebration/\">will host two workshops\u003c/a> in English and Spanish to create a community ofrenda that will be displayed at the Fruitvale Día de los Muertos Festival in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The workshops will be led by Lidia Ruelo-Salazar, a healer and culture keeper, and her sibling, Erick Salazar, an artist. The first workshop, from 1-3 p.m. on Oct. 25, will focus on the tradition of cartonería (papier-mâché) and the art of making alebrijes, mythical animals. The second workshop, on Oct. 31, will teach participants how to make calaveras (skulls) using seeds, soil, and natural materials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tickets are $27 for ages 3 and older. Children under age 2 are free.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luna Mexicana at the Oakland Ballet\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Performances on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year sees the Oakland Ballet celebrating the 10th anniversary of its \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandballet.org/performances-events/luna-mexicana/\">Luna Mexicana\u003c/a> production, which brings different Mexican folklórico traditions onstage with contemporary dance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Performances are family-friendly and are advertised as “ideal for ages 7 and up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tickets for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-ballet-luna-mexicana-oakland-california-10-30-2026/event/1C0064F9420695A3\">Oct. 30\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-ballet-luna-mexicana-oakland-california-11-01-2026/event/1C0064F94275961E\">Nov. 1\u003c/a> performances are already available on Ticketmaster and prices can range from $35 to $100.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xol Venegas wears handmade butterfly gloves to the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. Día de los Muertos is her favorite holiday. “It’s about that nobody gets forgotten in the end. That everybody feels a sense of community,” she said. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Avenue of the Altars in San José’s Mexican Heritage Plaza\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Saturday, Oct. 31\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Located on the corner of Alum Rock Avenue and King Road, the Mexican Heritage Plaza is one of the most important gathering spots for East San José’s Latino community. This year, the venue celebrates the \u003ca href=\"https://mhplaza.org/allevents/avenida26\">10th annual Avenida de Altares\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to event organizers, folks are welcome to “explore a community altar gallery, participate in hands-on art activities for all ages, browse an artisanal vendor market, and experience colorful face painting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission and starts at 5:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In terms of attendance — and sheer scale of production — this is by far the biggest celebration for Día de los Muertos in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Sunday, Nov. 1, nine blocks along International Boulevard in the city’s Fruitvale neighborhood will fill up with giant ofrendas created by local artists, live music stages and dozens of booths from community groups and local artists.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danza Azteca performs a traditional Aztec ceremony at Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Oct. 29, 2023. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Someone making their first-ever appearance at the celebration is the towering 34-foot sculpture of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102579/a-giant-la-catrina-sculpture-sends-a-defiant-message-from-oaklands-latinx-community\">La Catrina\u003c/a>, an elegant female skull figure that serves as a symbol for the dead coming into the world of the living. The piece was brought in by the nonprofit Unity Council, which leads organizing efforts for the Oakland event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a high-energy event, so expect to hear live banda music for hours and lowriders bouncing through the streets. And for the first time, the Oakland Roots and Soul will be hosting street soccer games along 39th Avenue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de Muertos Celebration at La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">La Peña is one of the longest-running spaces dedicated to Latin American and Caribbean culture in the Bay Area, and this year’s \u003ca href=\"https://lapena.org/event/dia-de-muertos-celebracion-ceremony-ofrenda-son-jarocho-food/\">Day of the Dead celebration\u003c/a> will give families plenty of opportunities to be creative together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Programming starts at 5:30 p.m. with a bilingual storytime, then moves outdoors for a \u003ca href=\"https://aktalakota.stjo.org/lakota-culture/native-american-four-directions/\">Four Directions ceremony\u003c/a> that will then lead to guests building an ofrenda together. Guests are accordingly encouraged to bring photos and mementos of loved ones. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11784506\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Altar for Día de los Muertos. (Adriana Morga/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The night will end with a jam session open to the community and a son jarocho concert — music emblematic of the Mexican state of Veracruz.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Admission is free, and there will be food and drinks available for purchase.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tenderloin Street Fair’s Día de Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco’s Tenderloin district is throwing a free family street fair from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Día de los Muertos, featuring a full lineup of live music from all over Latin America: rock with Soucano, salsa with Agua Pura, psychedelic Peruvian cumbia with Combo Tezeta and Mexican música regional with Banda La Tóxica.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’ll also be lucha libre matches, a kids zone and loteria. Tickets are free, but you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-street-fair-presents-dia-de-muertos-celebration-2026-tickets-2002305378287\">RSVP a spot now\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105590\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba-160x200.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba-1638x2048.jpg 1638w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A poster for Tenderloin Street Fair’s Día de Muertos Celebration.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Tenderloin Street Fair)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San José\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Children’s Discovery Museum in downtown San José will host a family-friendly \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdm.org/event/dia-de-los-muertos/\">Día de los Muertos event\u003c/a> from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’ll be storytelling for children, sand painting, performances by Aztec dancers, and the Chicano theater group Teatro Familia Aztlán will lead a short procession that stops at different installations in the museum, including its 14,000-year-old mammoth skeleton.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tickets are $22 for both adults and children. Seniors pay $20 for entrance and infants get in for free.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de Muertos celebration in Concord\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Local officials will \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jpablobenavente/posts/pfbid0PPbXuAJw1fKaak2R8nY9KB1mF7HwuzvYQgMwpMQxMAj4HNbSnP4QCCGM1mevsRXUl\">host a gathering\u003c/a> at Concord’s Pacheco Square from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. that will feature live mariachi music and “free tacos for the community.” Residents are invited to bring photos of their loved ones for a community ofrenda.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Admission is free.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos in Santa Rosa\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1 and Monday, Nov. 2\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This two-day celebration in Santa Rosa’s Old Courthouse Square brings together artists and performers from all over the North Bay, including the Tri County Pomo Dancers, traditional \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987673/carnaval-putleco-brings-a-oaxacan-festival-of-colors-to-the-bay-area\">Oaxacan tiliches\u003c/a> and giant dancing \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q8FfWIFdF4\">mojigangas\u003c/a>. Organizers have scheduled a tianguis — or street market — featuring dozens of local businesses for Sunday and have invited schools from across the region to set up field trips to visit the celebration on Monday. There’ll be live music and food for sale on both days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Marigold Project’s Day of the Dead Festival of Altars in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Monday, Nov. 2\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more than 30 years, families have gathered in San Francisco’s Potrero Del Sol Park to install intricately decorated large-scale ofrendas. While honoring loved ones, many of these have also tackled larger political and social questions — like the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> policy or Israel’s 2023 war on Gaza. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year’s theme is “Familia: Entre raices y el Cielo,” which translates to “Family: between roots and heaven.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Event organizers ask visitors to reflect on family as “a living ecosystem” and point to the many families around the world that “continue to experience displacement, separation, and violence.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Altar building will begin at 10 a.m., and a sunset ceremony and land blessing is scheduled for 5 p.m. At 8.p.m. there’ll be a performance by the Mission District-based band La Gente SF, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13984468/best-concerts-2025-bay-area-live-music\">known for\u003c/a> blending cumbia, reggae, salsa and hip-hop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day of the Dead Ritual Procession in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Monday, Nov. 2\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organized by the Comité de Rescate Cultural (the Culture Rescue Committee), San Francisco’s 45th annual Día de los Muertos procession brings together hundreds of musicians, artists and culture keepers. And this year’s theme is “Nuestros muertos no se venden” — “Our dead are not for sale.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The procession will first gather at Bryant and 22nd Street at 7 p.m., then move over to 24th Street in the direction of Mission Street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thousands of families gather on the sidewalk to watch the procession, with many— both kids and adults — in skull face paint. If you don’t know how to paint a skull, don’t worry — you can easily find a makeup artist walking around that can help you out, along with food vendors and musicians set up on each corner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DeA47X9KwP9/\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In previous years, the Mission District has hosted other public gatherings for Día de los Muertos, including an arts exhibition at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last January, however, this space \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071507/financial-crisis-forces-sfs-mission-cultural-center-for-latino-arts-to-close\">shut down\u003c/a> due to major financial pressures, taking away a historic venue for Day of the Dead celebrations in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos at the San Francisco Symphony\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Saturday, Nov. 7\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city’s premier symphony orchestra will perform music from across Latin America with José Luis Gómez, music director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, as conductor. The culture of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala will be in the spotlight this year, with performances from salterio players David Hernández Pozos and Claudio Israel Vázquez, along with traditional dancers from Redwood City’s \u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/\">Casa Círculo Cultural\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you get to the Symphony before the performance starts, you’ll have the chance to walk around the lobby to see interactive altars and plenty of catrinas.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Dia-de-los-Muertos\">Seat prices\u003c/a> depend on location and can range between $35 and $180.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A person wears an elaborate headdress, face paint and purple, ribboned dress as they dance in the streets.\" class=\"wp-image-11894971\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Daniela Zurita walks during Día de los Muertos in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021, in memory of her mother who passed away in August due to COVID-19. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Redwood City’s Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 8\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, the biggest \u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/adult-initiative/dia-de-los-muertos/\">Día de los Muertos celebration in San Mateo County\u003c/a> will take place a week after most events in the region. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dance and music performances will fill Redwood City’s Courthouse Square from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Families will also have the chance to learn how to make sugar skulls, get catrina face painting and join the ritual procession.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year’s celebration will also feature a competition for the best ofrenda mounted on a car — “Recuerdos sobre ruedas or “memories on wheels.” According to organizers, entries should honor the memory of children who have passed away and “should reflect tenderness, innocence, and the love families hold for the little ones who left too soon.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Día de los Muertos is almost here. And in the coming days, families across the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> will transform a corner of their home into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">an ofrenda\u003c/a> — colorful handmade altars honoring loved ones who have passed away. Photos and mementos are placed alongside candles, sugar skulls, cempasúchil (marigolds) and the departed’s favorite food and drinks.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Día de los Muertos is almost here. And in the coming days, families across the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> will transform a corner of their home into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">an ofrenda\u003c/a> — colorful handmade altars honoring loved ones who have passed away. Photos and mementos are placed alongside candles, sugar skulls, cempasúchil (marigolds) and the departed’s favorite food and drinks.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, Día de los Muertos is when the living pause from their daily routine and remember the dead.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, Día de los Muertos is when the living pause from their daily routine and remember the dead.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For centuries, families in Mexico and several other Latin American countries — where it’s also known \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/11/02/500105108/bread-babies-and-purple-drink-ecuador-s-spin-on-day-of-the-deceased\">as Día de los Difuntos\u003c/a> — have also used this time of year to reunite with relatives and friends. Celebrating the dead can be done in both the privacy of one’s home and in community \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11894929/to-also-celebrate-the-living-dia-de-los-muertos-returns-to-the-mission\">out in the streets\u003c/a>, with music, dance and art.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>For centuries, families in Mexico and several other Latin American countries — where it’s also known \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/11/02/500105108/bread-babies-and-purple-drink-ecuador-s-spin-on-day-of-the-deceased\">as Día de los Difuntos\u003c/a> — have also used this time of year to reunite with relatives and friends. Celebrating the dead can be done in both the privacy of one’s home and in community \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11894929/to-also-celebrate-the-living-dia-de-los-muertos-returns-to-the-mission\">out in the streets\u003c/a>, with music, dance and art.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102437\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mariachi group performs at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102437\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mariachi group performs at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thanks to the Bay Area’s large Latino diaspora, there are multiple public Día de los Muertos events held across the region that are family-friendly and open to all — including those who are just starting to learn more about this tradition.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Thanks to the Bay Area’s large Latino diaspora, there are multiple public Día de los Muertos events held across the region that are family-friendly and open to all — including those who are just starting to learn more about this tradition.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Keep in mind that some events are high-energy celebrations with spaces for dancing and socializing, while others are more solemn occasions that include traditional blessings and spoken word.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Keep in mind that some events are high-energy celebrations with spaces for dancing and socializing, while others are more solemn occasions that include traditional blessings and spoken word.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another thing to note: This year, because Nov. 1 and 2 fall on Sunday and Monday respectively, you’ll also find many organizers have scheduled their Día de los Muertos events a few days before (or after) the traditionally observed dates, with events running from this week through Nov. 8.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Another thing to note: This year, because Nov. 1 and 2 fall on Sunday and Monday respectively, you’ll also find many organizers have scheduled their Día de los Muertos events a few days before (or after) the traditionally observed dates, with events running from this week through Nov. 8.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Día De Los Muertos NightLife Celebration at the Academy of Sciences",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día De Los Muertos NightLife Celebration at the Academy of Sciences\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día De Los Muertos NightLife Celebration at the Academy of Sciences\u003c/h2>\n"
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"text": "Thursday, Oct. 22"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Thursday, Oct. 22\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Thursday, Oct. 22\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each month, the California Academy of Sciences hosts 21+ nighttime gatherings where adults can enjoy the museum with live music, drinks and performances. This month’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.calacademy.org/nightlife/nightlife-d%C3%ADa-de-los-muertos\">NightLife event\u003c/a> is in collaboration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085109/carnaval-brings-colorful-costumes-and-latin-dancing-to-san-franciscos-mission-district\">with Carnaval San Francisco\u003c/a> and will showcase different Día de los Muertos traditions from the Mexican state of Michoacán.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Each month, the California Academy of Sciences hosts 21+ nighttime gatherings where adults can enjoy the museum with live music, drinks and performances. This month’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.calacademy.org/nightlife/nightlife-d%C3%ADa-de-los-muertos\">NightLife event\u003c/a> is in collaboration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085109/carnaval-brings-colorful-costumes-and-latin-dancing-to-san-franciscos-mission-district\">with Carnaval San Francisco\u003c/a> and will showcase different Día de los Muertos traditions from the Mexican state of Michoacán.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This occasion will also honor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985440/claude-albino-alligator-memorial-golden-gate-park-san-francisco\">Claude, the albino alligator\u003c/a> that lived at the Academy of Sciences since 2008 and became a local icon before dying last December at the age of 30. Sacramento-based artist Carolina Argote will unveil a sculpture of Claude in the incredibly colorful and intricate style of \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/tour-of-giant-brightly-colored-creatures-celebrates-artistic-heritage-of-oaxaca\">alebrijes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This occasion will also honor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985440/claude-albino-alligator-memorial-golden-gate-park-san-francisco\">Claude, the albino alligator\u003c/a> that lived at the Academy of Sciences since 2008 and became a local icon before dying last December at the age of 30. Sacramento-based artist Carolina Argote will unveil a sculpture of Claude in the incredibly colorful and intricate style of \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/tour-of-giant-brightly-colored-creatures-celebrates-artistic-heritage-of-oaxaca\">alebrijes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11784189\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1832x1374.jpg 1832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1376x1032.jpg 1376w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1044x783.jpg 1044w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-632x474.jpg 632w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A traditional Mexican altar for El Día de los Muertos celebration.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tiffany Camhi/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you’re feeling like dancing, the Bay Area’s own \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/11835183/meet-the-latina-dj-crews-fighting-cultural-erasure-one-45-at-a-time\">Chulita Vinyl Club\u003c/a> — a collective of Latina DJs who work to preserve the region’s old-school cumbia scene — will be laying tracks in the Academy’s East Garden.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And if you’re feeling like dancing, the Bay Area’s own \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/11835183/meet-the-latina-dj-crews-fighting-cultural-erasure-one-45-at-a-time\">Chulita Vinyl Club\u003c/a> — a collective of Latina DJs who work to preserve the region’s old-school cumbia scene — will be laying tracks in the Academy’s East Garden.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Full-priced tickets are $26 and EBT cardholders pay $5.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "‘In Their Name: Día de Los Muertos 2026’ exhibition at SOMArts Cultural Center",
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"text": "Opening ceremony on Friday, Oct. 23; exhibition on display through Nov. 20"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Opening ceremony on Friday, Oct. 23; exhibition on display through Nov. 20\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Curated by Bridgètt Rex and Mission District-raised Rio Yañez, this exhibit celebrates the Mexican traditions of Día de los Muertos “while welcoming cultures around the globe to honor the dead together in solidarity.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Curated by Bridgètt Rex and Mission District-raised Rio Yañez, this exhibit celebrates the Mexican traditions of Día de los Muertos “while welcoming cultures around the globe to honor the dead together in solidarity.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dozens of artists have \u003ca href=\"https://somarts.org/intheirname-press/\">been invited\u003c/a> to create their own altars dedicated to loved ones who have died. This year’s exhibit is dedicated to Oakland-based florist and educator \u003ca href=\"https://evergreenfuneralservice.com/obituaries/latosha-stimage\">Latosha “Tosha” Stimage\u003c/a>, who passed away earlier this year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Dozens of artists have \u003ca href=\"https://somarts.org/intheirname-press/\">been invited\u003c/a> to create their own altars dedicated to loved ones who have died. This year’s exhibit is dedicated to Oakland-based florist and educator \u003ca href=\"https://evergreenfuneralservice.com/obituaries/latosha-stimage\">Latosha “Tosha” Stimage\u003c/a>, who passed away earlier this year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of photos with pink, green, and yellow paper flowers stands next a small mortar that carries burning sage. A few candles are nearby.\" class=\"wp-image-11894973\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An altar made by the Young Women’s Freedom Center for people lost to police brutality and gender violence as well as people who passed through the program, at a Día de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco’s Mission District on Nov. 2, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of photos with pink, green, and yellow paper flowers stands next a small mortar that carries burning sage. A few candles are nearby.\" class=\"wp-image-11894973\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An altar made by the Young Women’s Freedom Center for people lost to police brutality and gender violence as well as people who passed through the program, at a Día de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco’s Mission District on Nov. 2, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The opening reception on Oct. 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. will feature an artists’ market and a musical performance by Las Hijas de la Madre.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A general admission ticket is $15, but those 16 years old and under get in free.\u003c/p>\n",
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"attrs": {
"text": "Día de los Muertos in Half Moon Bay hosted by ALAS",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos in Half Moon Bay hosted by ALAS\u003c/h2>\n",
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"text": "Saturday, Oct. 24"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Saturday, Oct. 24\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>ALAS stands for Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or “Helping Latinos Dream,” and the nonprofit will host a \u003ca href=\"https://www.alasdreams.com/events-1/alas-dia-de-los-muertos-catrinas-calabazas-y-cumbia-1\">Day of the Dead celebration\u003c/a> at its office on 507 Purissima Street. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>ALAS stands for Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or “Helping Latinos Dream,” and the nonprofit will host a \u003ca href=\"https://www.alasdreams.com/events-1/alas-dia-de-los-muertos-catrinas-calabazas-y-cumbia-1\">Day of the Dead celebration\u003c/a> at its office on 507 Purissima Street. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s theme is “Catrinas, Calabazas y Cumbia,” paying homage to Half Moon Bay’s nickname as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103119/half-moon-bay-pumpkin-festival-traffic-tips-2026\">World Pumpkin Capital\u003c/a>. There will also be Aztec dancers, face painting and sugar skull decorating.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year’s theme is “Catrinas, Calabazas y Cumbia,” paying homage to Half Moon Bay’s nickname as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103119/half-moon-bay-pumpkin-festival-traffic-tips-2026\">World Pumpkin Capital\u003c/a>. There will also be Aztec dancers, face painting and sugar skull decorating.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two people wear face paint and flowers in their hair and look at the camera.\" class=\"wp-image-11894972\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mariah Cativo (left) and Lucy Molina pause for a portrait as they walk along 24th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District during a Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two people wear face paint and flowers in their hair and look at the camera.\" class=\"wp-image-11894972\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mariah Cativo (left) and Lucy Molina pause for a portrait as they walk along 24th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District during a Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Healdsburg Día de los Muertos Celebration",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Healdsburg Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n",
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"text": "Sunday, Oct. 25"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Oct. 25\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City officials and local nonprofit Corazón Healdsburg will host a Día de los Muertos celebration in the city’s main plaza from noon to 6 p.m. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>City officials and local nonprofit Corazón Healdsburg will host a Día de los Muertos celebration in the city’s main plaza from noon to 6 p.m. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Families are welcome to bring photos of loved ones to add to the communal ofrenda. There will be live music, a car show, dance performances and craft activities for kids throughout the day.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Families are welcome to bring photos of loved ones to add to the communal ofrenda. There will be live music, a car show, dance performances and craft activities for kids throughout the day.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Día de los Muertos at Lawrence Hall of Science ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Oct. 25 and Oct. 31 \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley \u003ca href=\"https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/dia-de-los-muertos-community-celebration/\">will host two workshops\u003c/a> in English and Spanish to create a community ofrenda that will be displayed at the Fruitvale Día de los Muertos Festival in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley \u003ca href=\"https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/dia-de-los-muertos-community-celebration/\">will host two workshops\u003c/a> in English and Spanish to create a community ofrenda that will be displayed at the Fruitvale Día de los Muertos Festival in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The workshops will be led by Lidia Ruelo-Salazar, a healer and culture keeper, and her sibling, Erick Salazar, an artist. The first workshop, from 1-3 p.m. on Oct. 25, will focus on the tradition of cartonería (papier-mâché) and the art of making alebrijes, mythical animals. The second workshop, on Oct. 31, will teach participants how to make calaveras (skulls) using seeds, soil, and natural materials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The workshops will be led by Lidia Ruelo-Salazar, a healer and culture keeper, and her sibling, Erick Salazar, an artist. The first workshop, from 1-3 p.m. on Oct. 25, will focus on the tradition of cartonería (papier-mâché) and the art of making alebrijes, mythical animals. The second workshop, on Oct. 31, will teach participants how to make calaveras (skulls) using seeds, soil, and natural materials. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tickets are $27 for ages 3 and older. Children under age 2 are free.\u003c/p>\n",
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"attrs": {
"text": "Luna Mexicana at the Oakland Ballet",
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"attrs": {
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"text": "Performances on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Performances on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year sees the Oakland Ballet celebrating the 10th anniversary of its \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandballet.org/performances-events/luna-mexicana/\">Luna Mexicana\u003c/a> production, which brings different Mexican folklórico traditions onstage with contemporary dance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year sees the Oakland Ballet celebrating the 10th anniversary of its \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandballet.org/performances-events/luna-mexicana/\">Luna Mexicana\u003c/a> production, which brings different Mexican folklórico traditions onstage with contemporary dance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Performances are family-friendly and are advertised as “ideal for ages 7 and up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Performances are family-friendly and are advertised as “ideal for ages 7 and up.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tickets for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-ballet-luna-mexicana-oakland-california-10-30-2026/event/1C0064F9420695A3\">Oct. 30\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-ballet-luna-mexicana-oakland-california-11-01-2026/event/1C0064F94275961E\">Nov. 1\u003c/a> performances are already available on Ticketmaster and prices can range from $35 to $100.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tickets for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-ballet-luna-mexicana-oakland-california-10-30-2026/event/1C0064F9420695A3\">Oct. 30\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-ballet-luna-mexicana-oakland-california-11-01-2026/event/1C0064F94275961E\">Nov. 1\u003c/a> performances are already available on Ticketmaster and prices can range from $35 to $100.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xol Venegas wears handmade butterfly gloves to the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. Día de los Muertos is her favorite holiday. “It’s about that nobody gets forgotten in the end. That everybody feels a sense of community,” she said.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063629\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xol Venegas wears handmade butterfly gloves to the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. Día de los Muertos is her favorite holiday. “It’s about that nobody gets forgotten in the end. That everybody feels a sense of community,” she said.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Avenue of the Altars in San José’s Mexican Heritage Plaza",
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"attrs": {
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"text": "Saturday, Oct. 31"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Saturday, Oct. 31\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Located on the corner of Alum Rock Avenue and King Road, the Mexican Heritage Plaza is one of the most important gathering spots for East San José’s Latino community. This year, the venue celebrates the \u003ca href=\"https://mhplaza.org/allevents/avenida26\">10th annual Avenida de Altares\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Located on the corner of Alum Rock Avenue and King Road, the Mexican Heritage Plaza is one of the most important gathering spots for East San José’s Latino community. This year, the venue celebrates the \u003ca href=\"https://mhplaza.org/allevents/avenida26\">10th annual Avenida de Altares\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to event organizers, folks are welcome to “explore a community altar gallery, participate in hands-on art activities for all ages, browse an artisanal vendor market, and experience colorful face painting.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>According to event organizers, folks are welcome to “explore a community altar gallery, participate in hands-on art activities for all ages, browse an artisanal vendor market, and experience colorful face painting.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This event has free admission and starts at 5:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This event has free admission and starts at 5:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/h2>\n",
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"attrs": {
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"text": "Sunday, Nov. 1"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In terms of attendance — and sheer scale of production — this is by far the biggest celebration for Día de los Muertos in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In terms of attendance — and sheer scale of production — this is by far the biggest celebration for Día de los Muertos in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Sunday, Nov. 1, nine blocks along International Boulevard in the city’s Fruitvale neighborhood will fill up with giant ofrendas created by local artists, live music stages and dozens of booths from community groups and local artists.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On Sunday, Nov. 1, nine blocks along International Boulevard in the city’s Fruitvale neighborhood will fill up with giant ofrendas created by local artists, live music stages and dozens of booths from community groups and local artists.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danza Azteca performs a traditional Aztec ceremony at Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Oct. 29, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063628\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danza Azteca performs a traditional Aztec ceremony at Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Oct. 29, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Someone making their first-ever appearance at the celebration is the towering 34-foot sculpture of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102579/a-giant-la-catrina-sculpture-sends-a-defiant-message-from-oaklands-latinx-community\">La Catrina\u003c/a>, an elegant female skull figure that serves as a symbol for the dead coming into the world of the living. The piece was brought in by the nonprofit Unity Council, which leads organizing efforts for the Oakland event.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Someone making their first-ever appearance at the celebration is the towering 34-foot sculpture of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102579/a-giant-la-catrina-sculpture-sends-a-defiant-message-from-oaklands-latinx-community\">La Catrina\u003c/a>, an elegant female skull figure that serves as a symbol for the dead coming into the world of the living. The piece was brought in by the nonprofit Unity Council, which leads organizing efforts for the Oakland event.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is a high-energy event, so expect to hear live banda music for hours and lowriders bouncing through the streets. And for the first time, the Oakland Roots and Soul will be hosting street soccer games along 39th Avenue.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This is a high-energy event, so expect to hear live banda music for hours and lowriders bouncing through the streets. And for the first time, the Oakland Roots and Soul will be hosting street soccer games along 39th Avenue.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Día de Muertos Celebration at La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley",
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"text": "Sunday, Nov. 1"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>La Peña is one of the longest-running spaces dedicated to Latin American and Caribbean culture in the Bay Area, and this year’s \u003ca href=\"https://lapena.org/event/dia-de-muertos-celebracion-ceremony-ofrenda-son-jarocho-food/\">Day of the Dead celebration\u003c/a> will give families plenty of opportunities to be creative together.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>La Peña is one of the longest-running spaces dedicated to Latin American and Caribbean culture in the Bay Area, and this year’s \u003ca href=\"https://lapena.org/event/dia-de-muertos-celebracion-ceremony-ofrenda-son-jarocho-food/\">Day of the Dead celebration\u003c/a> will give families plenty of opportunities to be creative together.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Programming starts at 5:30 p.m. with a bilingual storytime, then moves outdoors for a \u003ca href=\"https://aktalakota.stjo.org/lakota-culture/native-american-four-directions/\">Four Directions ceremony\u003c/a> that will then lead to guests building an ofrenda together. Guests are accordingly encouraged to bring photos and mementos of loved ones. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Programming starts at 5:30 p.m. with a bilingual storytime, then moves outdoors for a \u003ca href=\"https://aktalakota.stjo.org/lakota-culture/native-american-four-directions/\">Four Directions ceremony\u003c/a> that will then lead to guests building an ofrenda together. Guests are accordingly encouraged to bring photos and mementos of loved ones. \u003c/p>\n"
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"id": 11784506,
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11784506\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Altar for Día de los Muertos.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Adriana Morga/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11784506\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Altar for Día de los Muertos.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Adriana Morga/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The night will end with a jam session open to the community and a son jarocho concert — music emblematic of the Mexican state of Veracruz.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The night will end with a jam session open to the community and a son jarocho concert — music emblematic of the Mexican state of Veracruz.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Admission is free, and there will be food and drinks available for purchase.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Admission is free, and there will be food and drinks available for purchase.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Tenderloin Street Fair’s Día de Muertos Celebration",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tenderloin Street Fair’s Día de Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n",
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s Tenderloin district is throwing a free family street fair from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Día de los Muertos, featuring a full lineup of live music from all over Latin America: rock with Soucano, salsa with Agua Pura, psychedelic Peruvian cumbia with Combo Tezeta and Mexican música regional with Banda La Tóxica.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s Tenderloin district is throwing a free family street fair from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Día de los Muertos, featuring a full lineup of live music from all over Latin America: rock with Soucano, salsa with Agua Pura, psychedelic Peruvian cumbia with Combo Tezeta and Mexican música regional with Banda La Tóxica.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’ll also be lucha libre matches, a kids zone and loteria. Tickets are free, but you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-street-fair-presents-dia-de-muertos-celebration-2026-tickets-2002305378287\">RSVP a spot now\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’ll also be lucha libre matches, a kids zone and loteria. Tickets are free, but you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-street-fair-presents-dia-de-muertos-celebration-2026-tickets-2002305378287\">RSVP a spot now\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Día de los Muertos at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San José",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Children’s Discovery Museum in downtown San José will host a family-friendly \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdm.org/event/dia-de-los-muertos/\">Día de los Muertos event\u003c/a> from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’ll be storytelling for children, sand painting, performances by Aztec dancers, and the Chicano theater group Teatro Familia Aztlán will lead a short procession that stops at different installations in the museum, including its 14,000-year-old mammoth skeleton.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tickets are $22 for both adults and children. Seniors pay $20 for entrance and infants get in for free.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Día de Muertos celebration in Concord",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Local officials will \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jpablobenavente/posts/pfbid0PPbXuAJw1fKaak2R8nY9KB1mF7HwuzvYQgMwpMQxMAj4HNbSnP4QCCGM1mevsRXUl\">host a gathering\u003c/a> at Concord’s Pacheco Square from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. that will feature live mariachi music and “free tacos for the community.” Residents are invited to bring photos of their loved ones for a community ofrenda.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Local officials will \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jpablobenavente/posts/pfbid0PPbXuAJw1fKaak2R8nY9KB1mF7HwuzvYQgMwpMQxMAj4HNbSnP4QCCGM1mevsRXUl\">host a gathering\u003c/a> at Concord’s Pacheco Square from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. that will feature live mariachi music and “free tacos for the community.” Residents are invited to bring photos of their loved ones for a community ofrenda.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Día de los Muertos in Santa Rosa",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This two-day celebration in Santa Rosa’s Old Courthouse Square brings together artists and performers from all over the North Bay, including the Tri County Pomo Dancers, traditional \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987673/carnaval-putleco-brings-a-oaxacan-festival-of-colors-to-the-bay-area\">Oaxacan tiliches\u003c/a> and giant dancing \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q8FfWIFdF4\">mojigangas\u003c/a>. Organizers have scheduled a tianguis — or street market — featuring dozens of local businesses for Sunday and have invited schools from across the region to set up field trips to visit the celebration on Monday. There’ll be live music and food for sale on both days.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "The Marigold Project’s Day of the Dead Festival of Altars in San Francisco",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Monday, Nov. 2\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For more than 30 years, families have gathered in San Francisco’s Potrero Del Sol Park to install intricately decorated large-scale ofrendas. While honoring loved ones, many of these have also tackled larger political and social questions — like the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> policy or Israel’s 2023 war on Gaza. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s theme is “Familia: Entre raices y el Cielo,” which translates to “Family: between roots and heaven.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year’s theme is “Familia: Entre raices y el Cielo,” which translates to “Family: between roots and heaven.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Event organizers ask visitors to reflect on family as “a living ecosystem” and point to the many families around the world that “continue to experience displacement, separation, and violence.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Altar building will begin at 10 a.m., and a sunset ceremony and land blessing is scheduled for 5 p.m. At 8.p.m. there’ll be a performance by the Mission District-based band La Gente SF, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13984468/best-concerts-2025-bay-area-live-music\">known for\u003c/a> blending cumbia, reggae, salsa and hip-hop.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Altar building will begin at 10 a.m., and a sunset ceremony and land blessing is scheduled for 5 p.m. At 8.p.m. there’ll be a performance by the Mission District-based band La Gente SF, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13984468/best-concerts-2025-bay-area-live-music\">known for\u003c/a> blending cumbia, reggae, salsa and hip-hop.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Organized by the Comité de Rescate Cultural (the Culture Rescue Committee), San Francisco’s 45th annual Día de los Muertos procession brings together hundreds of musicians, artists and culture keepers. And this year’s theme is “Nuestros muertos no se venden” — “Our dead are not for sale.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The procession will first gather at Bryant and 22nd Street at 7 p.m., then move over to 24th Street in the direction of Mission Street.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thousands of families gather on the sidewalk to watch the procession, with many— both kids and adults — in skull face paint. If you don’t know how to paint a skull, don’t worry — you can easily find a makeup artist walking around that can help you out, along with food vendors and musicians set up on each corner.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In previous years, the Mission District has hosted other public gatherings for Día de los Muertos, including an arts exhibition at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last January, however, this space \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071507/financial-crisis-forces-sfs-mission-cultural-center-for-latino-arts-to-close\">shut down\u003c/a> due to major financial pressures, taking away a historic venue for Day of the Dead celebrations in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Día de los Muertos at the San Francisco Symphony",
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"text": "Saturday, Nov. 7"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city’s premier symphony orchestra will perform music from across Latin America with José Luis Gómez, music director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, as conductor. The culture of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala will be in the spotlight this year, with performances from salterio players David Hernández Pozos and Claudio Israel Vázquez, along with traditional dancers from Redwood City’s \u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/\">Casa Círculo Cultural\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city’s premier symphony orchestra will perform music from across Latin America with José Luis Gómez, music director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, as conductor. The culture of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala will be in the spotlight this year, with performances from salterio players David Hernández Pozos and Claudio Israel Vázquez, along with traditional dancers from Redwood City’s \u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/\">Casa Círculo Cultural\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you get to the Symphony before the performance starts, you’ll have the chance to walk around the lobby to see interactive altars and plenty of catrinas.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And if you get to the Symphony before the performance starts, you’ll have the chance to walk around the lobby to see interactive altars and plenty of catrinas.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Dia-de-los-Muertos\">Seat prices\u003c/a> depend on location and can range between $35 and $180.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Dia-de-los-Muertos\">Seat prices\u003c/a> depend on location and can range between $35 and $180.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A person wears an elaborate headdress, face paint and purple, ribboned dress as they dance in the streets.\" class=\"wp-image-11894971\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Daniela Zurita walks during Día de los Muertos in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021, in memory of her mother who passed away in August due to COVID-19.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "Redwood City’s Día de los Muertos Celebration",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year, the biggest \u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/adult-initiative/dia-de-los-muertos/\">Día de los Muertos celebration in San Mateo County\u003c/a> will take place a week after most events in the region. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year, the biggest \u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/adult-initiative/dia-de-los-muertos/\">Día de los Muertos celebration in San Mateo County\u003c/a> will take place a week after most events in the region. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dance and music performances will fill Redwood City’s Courthouse Square from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Families will also have the chance to learn how to make sugar skulls, get catrina face painting and join the ritual procession.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Dance and music performances will fill Redwood City’s Courthouse Square from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Families will also have the chance to learn how to make sugar skulls, get catrina face painting and join the ritual procession.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s celebration will also feature a competition for the best ofrenda mounted on a car — “Recuerdos sobre ruedas or “memories on wheels.” According to organizers, entries should honor the memory of children who have passed away and “should reflect tenderness, innocence, and the love families hold for the little ones who left too soon.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year’s celebration will also feature a competition for the best ofrenda mounted on a car — “Recuerdos sobre ruedas or “memories on wheels.” According to organizers, entries should honor the memory of children who have passed away and “should reflect tenderness, innocence, and the love families hold for the little ones who left too soon.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "No matter where you live in the region, we’ve got details on events organized by the community to honor and celebrate the dead, including both lively celebrations with music and dancing, along with more solemn gatherings.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Día de los Muertos is almost here. And in the coming days, families across the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> will transform a corner of their home into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">an ofrenda\u003c/a> — colorful handmade altars honoring loved ones who have passed away. Photos and mementos are placed alongside candles, sugar skulls, cempasúchil (marigolds) and the departed’s favorite food and drinks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, Día de los Muertos is when the living pause from their daily routine and remember the dead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For centuries, families in Mexico and several other Latin American countries — where it’s also known \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/11/02/500105108/bread-babies-and-purple-drink-ecuador-s-spin-on-day-of-the-deceased\">as Día de los Difuntos\u003c/a> — have also used this time of year to reunite with relatives and friends. Celebrating the dead can be done in both the privacy of one’s home and in community \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11894929/to-also-celebrate-the-living-dia-de-los-muertos-returns-to-the-mission\">out in the streets\u003c/a>, with music, dance and art.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102437\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mariachi group performs at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to the Bay Area’s large Latino diaspora, there are multiple public Día de los Muertos events held across the region that are family-friendly and open to all — including those who are just starting to learn more about this tradition.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep in mind that some events are high-energy celebrations with spaces for dancing and socializing, while others are more solemn occasions that include traditional blessings and spoken word.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another thing to note: This year, because Nov. 1 and 2 fall on Sunday and Monday respectively, you’ll also find many organizers have scheduled their Día de los Muertos events a few days before (or after) the traditionally observed dates, with events running from this week through Nov. 8.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día De Los Muertos NightLife Celebration at the Academy of Sciences\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Thursday, Oct. 22\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each month, the California Academy of Sciences hosts 21+ nighttime gatherings where adults can enjoy the museum with live music, drinks and performances. This month’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.calacademy.org/nightlife/nightlife-d%C3%ADa-de-los-muertos\">NightLife event\u003c/a> is in collaboration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085109/carnaval-brings-colorful-costumes-and-latin-dancing-to-san-franciscos-mission-district\">with Carnaval San Francisco\u003c/a> and will showcase different Día de los Muertos traditions from the Mexican state of Michoacán.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This occasion will also honor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985440/claude-albino-alligator-memorial-golden-gate-park-san-francisco\">Claude, the albino alligator\u003c/a> that lived at the Academy of Sciences since 2008 and became a local icon before dying last December at the age of 30. Sacramento-based artist Carolina Argote will unveil a sculpture of Claude in the incredibly colorful and intricate style of \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/tour-of-giant-brightly-colored-creatures-celebrates-artistic-heritage-of-oaxaca\">alebrijes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11784189\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1832x1374.jpg 1832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1376x1032.jpg 1376w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-1044x783.jpg 1044w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-632x474.jpg 632w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS27797_Image-uploaded-from-iOS-9-qut-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A traditional Mexican altar for El Día de los Muertos celebration. (Tiffany Camhi/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you’re feeling like dancing, the Bay Area’s own \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/11835183/meet-the-latina-dj-crews-fighting-cultural-erasure-one-45-at-a-time\">Chulita Vinyl Club\u003c/a> — a collective of Latina DJs who work to preserve the region’s old-school cumbia scene — will be laying tracks in the Academy’s East Garden.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Full-priced tickets are $26 and EBT cardholders pay $5.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘In Their Name: Día de Los Muertos 2026’ exhibition at SOMArts Cultural Center\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Opening ceremony on Friday, Oct. 23; exhibition on display through Nov. 20\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curated by Bridgètt Rex and Mission District-raised Rio Yañez, this exhibit celebrates the Mexican traditions of Día de los Muertos “while welcoming cultures around the globe to honor the dead together in solidarity.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dozens of artists have \u003ca href=\"https://somarts.org/intheirname-press/\">been invited\u003c/a> to create their own altars dedicated to loved ones who have died. This year’s exhibit is dedicated to Oakland-based florist and educator \u003ca href=\"https://evergreenfuneralservice.com/obituaries/latosha-stimage\">Latosha “Tosha” Stimage\u003c/a>, who passed away earlier this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of photos with pink, green, and yellow paper flowers stands next a small mortar that carries burning sage. A few candles are nearby.\" class=\"wp-image-11894973\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An altar made by the Young Women’s Freedom Center for people lost to police brutality and gender violence as well as people who passed through the program, at a Día de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco’s Mission District on Nov. 2, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opening reception on Oct. 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. will feature an artists’ market and a musical performance by Las Hijas de la Madre.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A general admission ticket is $15, but those 16 years old and under get in free.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos in Half Moon Bay hosted by ALAS\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Saturday, Oct. 24\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ALAS stands for Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or “Helping Latinos Dream,” and the nonprofit will host a \u003ca href=\"https://www.alasdreams.com/events-1/alas-dia-de-los-muertos-catrinas-calabazas-y-cumbia-1\">Day of the Dead celebration\u003c/a> at its office on 507 Purissima Street. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year’s theme is “Catrinas, Calabazas y Cumbia,” paying homage to Half Moon Bay’s nickname as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103119/half-moon-bay-pumpkin-festival-traffic-tips-2026\">World Pumpkin Capital\u003c/a>. There will also be Aztec dancers, face painting and sugar skull decorating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two people wear face paint and flowers in their hair and look at the camera.\" class=\"wp-image-11894972\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mariah Cativo (left) and Lucy Molina pause for a portrait as they walk along 24th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District during a Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Healdsburg Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Oct. 25\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">City officials and local nonprofit Corazón Healdsburg will host a Día de los Muertos celebration in the city’s main plaza from noon to 6 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Families are welcome to bring photos of loved ones to add to the communal ofrenda. There will be live music, a car show, dance performances and craft activities for kids throughout the day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos at Lawrence Hall of Science \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Oct. 25 and Oct. 31 \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley \u003ca href=\"https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/dia-de-los-muertos-community-celebration/\">will host two workshops\u003c/a> in English and Spanish to create a community ofrenda that will be displayed at the Fruitvale Día de los Muertos Festival in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The workshops will be led by Lidia Ruelo-Salazar, a healer and culture keeper, and her sibling, Erick Salazar, an artist. The first workshop, from 1-3 p.m. on Oct. 25, will focus on the tradition of cartonería (papier-mâché) and the art of making alebrijes, mythical animals. The second workshop, on Oct. 31, will teach participants how to make calaveras (skulls) using seeds, soil, and natural materials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tickets are $27 for ages 3 and older. Children under age 2 are free.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luna Mexicana at the Oakland Ballet\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Performances on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year sees the Oakland Ballet celebrating the 10th anniversary of its \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandballet.org/performances-events/luna-mexicana/\">Luna Mexicana\u003c/a> production, which brings different Mexican folklórico traditions onstage with contemporary dance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Performances are family-friendly and are advertised as “ideal for ages 7 and up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tickets for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-ballet-luna-mexicana-oakland-california-10-30-2026/event/1C0064F9420695A3\">Oct. 30\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketmaster.com/oakland-ballet-luna-mexicana-oakland-california-11-01-2026/event/1C0064F94275961E\">Nov. 1\u003c/a> performances are already available on Ticketmaster and prices can range from $35 to $100.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-38-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xol Venegas wears handmade butterfly gloves to the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. Día de los Muertos is her favorite holiday. “It’s about that nobody gets forgotten in the end. That everybody feels a sense of community,” she said. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Avenue of the Altars in San José’s Mexican Heritage Plaza\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Saturday, Oct. 31\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Located on the corner of Alum Rock Avenue and King Road, the Mexican Heritage Plaza is one of the most important gathering spots for East San José’s Latino community. This year, the venue celebrates the \u003ca href=\"https://mhplaza.org/allevents/avenida26\">10th annual Avenida de Altares\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to event organizers, folks are welcome to “explore a community altar gallery, participate in hands-on art activities for all ages, browse an artisanal vendor market, and experience colorful face painting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission and starts at 5:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In terms of attendance — and sheer scale of production — this is by far the biggest celebration for Día de los Muertos in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Sunday, Nov. 1, nine blocks along International Boulevard in the city’s Fruitvale neighborhood will fill up with giant ofrendas created by local artists, live music stages and dozens of booths from community groups and local artists.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danza Azteca performs a traditional Aztec ceremony at Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Oct. 29, 2023. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Someone making their first-ever appearance at the celebration is the towering 34-foot sculpture of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102579/a-giant-la-catrina-sculpture-sends-a-defiant-message-from-oaklands-latinx-community\">La Catrina\u003c/a>, an elegant female skull figure that serves as a symbol for the dead coming into the world of the living. The piece was brought in by the nonprofit Unity Council, which leads organizing efforts for the Oakland event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a high-energy event, so expect to hear live banda music for hours and lowriders bouncing through the streets. And for the first time, the Oakland Roots and Soul will be hosting street soccer games along 39th Avenue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de Muertos Celebration at La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">La Peña is one of the longest-running spaces dedicated to Latin American and Caribbean culture in the Bay Area, and this year’s \u003ca href=\"https://lapena.org/event/dia-de-muertos-celebracion-ceremony-ofrenda-son-jarocho-food/\">Day of the Dead celebration\u003c/a> will give families plenty of opportunities to be creative together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Programming starts at 5:30 p.m. with a bilingual storytime, then moves outdoors for a \u003ca href=\"https://aktalakota.stjo.org/lakota-culture/native-american-four-directions/\">Four Directions ceremony\u003c/a> that will then lead to guests building an ofrenda together. Guests are accordingly encouraged to bring photos and mementos of loved ones. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11784506\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/11/RS40044_DayofDead_Morga_009-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Altar for Día de los Muertos. (Adriana Morga/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The night will end with a jam session open to the community and a son jarocho concert — music emblematic of the Mexican state of Veracruz.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Admission is free, and there will be food and drinks available for purchase.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tenderloin Street Fair’s Día de Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco’s Tenderloin district is throwing a free family street fair from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Día de los Muertos, featuring a full lineup of live music from all over Latin America: rock with Soucano, salsa with Agua Pura, psychedelic Peruvian cumbia with Combo Tezeta and Mexican música regional with Banda La Tóxica.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’ll also be lucha libre matches, a kids zone and loteria. Tickets are free, but you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-street-fair-presents-dia-de-muertos-celebration-2026-tickets-2002305378287\">RSVP a spot now\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105590\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba-160x200.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TL-DDLM-jpeg-8a5ac9ba-1638x2048.jpg 1638w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A poster for Tenderloin Street Fair’s Día de Muertos Celebration.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Tenderloin Street Fair)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San José\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Children’s Discovery Museum in downtown San José will host a family-friendly \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdm.org/event/dia-de-los-muertos/\">Día de los Muertos event\u003c/a> from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’ll be storytelling for children, sand painting, performances by Aztec dancers, and the Chicano theater group Teatro Familia Aztlán will lead a short procession that stops at different installations in the museum, including its 14,000-year-old mammoth skeleton.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tickets are $22 for both adults and children. Seniors pay $20 for entrance and infants get in for free.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de Muertos celebration in Concord\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Local officials will \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jpablobenavente/posts/pfbid0PPbXuAJw1fKaak2R8nY9KB1mF7HwuzvYQgMwpMQxMAj4HNbSnP4QCCGM1mevsRXUl\">host a gathering\u003c/a> at Concord’s Pacheco Square from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. that will feature live mariachi music and “free tacos for the community.” Residents are invited to bring photos of their loved ones for a community ofrenda.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Admission is free.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos in Santa Rosa\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 1 and Monday, Nov. 2\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This two-day celebration in Santa Rosa’s Old Courthouse Square brings together artists and performers from all over the North Bay, including the Tri County Pomo Dancers, traditional \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987673/carnaval-putleco-brings-a-oaxacan-festival-of-colors-to-the-bay-area\">Oaxacan tiliches\u003c/a> and giant dancing \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q8FfWIFdF4\">mojigangas\u003c/a>. Organizers have scheduled a tianguis — or street market — featuring dozens of local businesses for Sunday and have invited schools from across the region to set up field trips to visit the celebration on Monday. There’ll be live music and food for sale on both days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Marigold Project’s Day of the Dead Festival of Altars in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Monday, Nov. 2\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more than 30 years, families have gathered in San Francisco’s Potrero Del Sol Park to install intricately decorated large-scale ofrendas. While honoring loved ones, many of these have also tackled larger political and social questions — like the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> policy or Israel’s 2023 war on Gaza. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year’s theme is “Familia: Entre raices y el Cielo,” which translates to “Family: between roots and heaven.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Event organizers ask visitors to reflect on family as “a living ecosystem” and point to the many families around the world that “continue to experience displacement, separation, and violence.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Altar building will begin at 10 a.m., and a sunset ceremony and land blessing is scheduled for 5 p.m. At 8.p.m. there’ll be a performance by the Mission District-based band La Gente SF, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13984468/best-concerts-2025-bay-area-live-music\">known for\u003c/a> blending cumbia, reggae, salsa and hip-hop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day of the Dead Ritual Procession in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Monday, Nov. 2\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organized by the Comité de Rescate Cultural (the Culture Rescue Committee), San Francisco’s 45th annual Día de los Muertos procession brings together hundreds of musicians, artists and culture keepers. And this year’s theme is “Nuestros muertos no se venden” — “Our dead are not for sale.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The procession will first gather at Bryant and 22nd Street at 7 p.m., then move over to 24th Street in the direction of Mission Street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thousands of families gather on the sidewalk to watch the procession, with many— both kids and adults — in skull face paint. If you don’t know how to paint a skull, don’t worry — you can easily find a makeup artist walking around that can help you out, along with food vendors and musicians set up on each corner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In previous years, the Mission District has hosted other public gatherings for Día de los Muertos, including an arts exhibition at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last January, however, this space \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071507/financial-crisis-forces-sfs-mission-cultural-center-for-latino-arts-to-close\">shut down\u003c/a> due to major financial pressures, taking away a historic venue for Day of the Dead celebrations in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Día de los Muertos at the San Francisco Symphony\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Saturday, Nov. 7\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city’s premier symphony orchestra will perform music from across Latin America with José Luis Gómez, music director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, as conductor. The culture of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala will be in the spotlight this year, with performances from salterio players David Hernández Pozos and Claudio Israel Vázquez, along with traditional dancers from Redwood City’s \u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/\">Casa Círculo Cultural\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you get to the Symphony before the performance starts, you’ll have the chance to walk around the lobby to see interactive altars and plenty of catrinas.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Dia-de-los-Muertos\">Seat prices\u003c/a> depend on location and can range between $35 and $180.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A person wears an elaborate headdress, face paint and purple, ribboned dress as they dance in the streets.\" class=\"wp-image-11894971\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Daniela Zurita walks during Día de los Muertos in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021, in memory of her mother who passed away in August due to COVID-19. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Redwood City’s Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Sunday, Nov. 8\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, the biggest \u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/adult-initiative/dia-de-los-muertos/\">Día de los Muertos celebration in San Mateo County\u003c/a> will take place a week after most events in the region. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dance and music performances will fill Redwood City’s Courthouse Square from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Families will also have the chance to learn how to make sugar skulls, get catrina face painting and join the ritual procession.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year’s celebration will also feature a competition for the best ofrenda mounted on a car — “Recuerdos sobre ruedas or “memories on wheels.” According to organizers, entries should honor the memory of children who have passed away and “should reflect tenderness, innocence, and the love families hold for the little ones who left too soon.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event has free admission.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-giant-la-catrina-sculpture-sends-a-defiant-message-from-oaklands-latinx-community",
"title": "A Giant La Catrina Sculpture Sends a Defiant Message From Oakland’s Latinx Community",
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"headTitle": "A Giant La Catrina Sculpture Sends a Defiant Message From Oakland’s Latinx Community | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">\u003cem>Click here to subscribe.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the not-too-distant past, I might have argued that we had reached peak Catrina — the skeleton image linked with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">Día de los Muertos\u003c/a> was everywhere from keychains to restaurant murals — and was becoming cliché.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A giant La Catrina sculpture in Oakland has proven me wrong. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Thursday morning, a crowd of hundreds gathered in the Fruitvale Transit Center plaza to officially welcome the towering 34-foot sculpture, with fanfare usually reserved for a foreign dignitary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 34-foot-tall La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Decorations on the dress of La Catrina de Oakland include California poppies, pan dulce and the words, “aquí estamos y no nos vamos,” at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12102436\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102436\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-18-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ana Maria Dueñas (center) and others take photos of the La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elected officials, including Mayor Barbara Lee and the Consul General of Mexico, offered remarks. A ballet folklórico from Oakland’s Fremont High School, Turf Inc. dancers and a mariachi performed. Bystanders cheered and took selfies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All the while, La Catrina, with her arms stretched out, seemed to offer everyone an unexpected warm hug. The skeletal figure dons a marigold crown and a purple dress covered in Mexican iconography and phrases, including “Aquí estamos y no nos vamos,” which means, “We are here and we’re not leaving.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last year, Chris Iglesias, CEO of Oakland nonprofit the Unity Council, saw that artists had installed massive Catrina sculptures in other cities and decided that Oakland needed one, too. The Unity Council organizes the annual Día de los Muertos festival in Fruitvale. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Because of Día de los Muertos and how many people come out every year, and what happened last year with the theme, ‘Aquí estamos y no nos vamos,’ it’s like, let’s just build on that,” he said during the welcome ceremony. “We want to build on it in a very big way. We didn’t think he was going to be this big. She’s a big lady, right? But she’s a beautiful lady.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12102437\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102437\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mariachi group performs at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102432\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Chris Iglesias, CEO of the Unity Council, dance together as members of Fremont High School’s baile folklóriko group perform at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Unity Council connected with ArtSumex, a group of Mexican artists who specialize in larger-than-life Catrinas, to commission the piece, which was crafted in central Mexico and trucked to Oakland. Other groups, including Visit Oakland, the city of Oakland and the Latino Community Foundation, joined in to help cover the $65,000 cost. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thursday’s welcome ceremony was a celebration of an amazing work of art, but also of Oakland’s community and the way Mexican culture transcends borders.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She traveled over 2,000 miles from Mexico to Oakland,” said Caheri Gutierrez, the Unity Council’s director of fund development and communications. “A journey that mirrors the journeys of generations of families who have made their way here to El Norte, carrying their culture, traditions, dreams and hopes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And now she stands here in Fruitvale, the heart of Oakland’s Latino community, as the tallest Catrina in the United States.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The speakers on Thursdays talked about the importance of honoring and uplifting immigrant communities at a time when the federal government has adopted an anti-immigrant stance and launched a harsh deportation enforcement campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102430\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee speaks at The Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102433\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crowd welcomes La Catrina de Oakland by saying “Bienvenida, a Oakland, la Catrina,” at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>La Catrina, “really is a symbol of the friendship, of the connection, of the enduring legacy, of the contributions that Mexicans and Mexican Americans have made,” said Julián Castro, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation and former HUD secretary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“During this time when the community has been targeted, when it’s been scapegoated, when it has been otherized, when it is told in so many ways that it doesn’t belong, instead, we find in this image … a beautiful, beautiful statement about joy and celebration.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lee talked about her childhood in El Paso, Texas, a border community where two countries converged. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are a town that stays true to its values for speaking up for racial justice, to defending our immigrant neighbors when their rights are being threatened and to protect our immigrant neighborhoods,” she said. “I know that immigrants give our city of Oakland its strength, its culture and its resilience. And that’s why La Catrina means so much.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102429\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Onlookers watch the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland from the BART platform at Fruitvale Station in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>La Catrina refers to an image created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in 1912 as a satirical image making fun of Mexico’s upper classes. Skeleton imagery, however, dates back thousands of years to the indigenous people of Mexico. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In recent decades, Posada’s Catrina has become heavily associated with Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, a holiday in which people honor deceased loved ones and ancestors, and now represents an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911846/how-dia-de-los-muertos-continues-to-evolve\">evolution of an ancient tradition.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062734/how-californians-are-reclaiming-dia-de-los-muertos-as-an-act-of-cultural-resistance\">Day of the Dead\u003c/a> has slowly crept into mainstream U.S. culture thanks to movies like Disney’s \u003cem>Coco\u003c/em> — and of course the holiday industrial complex that turns any celebration into an excuse to buy decor and merchandise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102434\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public welcome La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I have been worried for years that oversaturation of skeleton imagery meant that it and Day of the Dead were losing significance. Catrinas depict the dead as living beings, which represents the way life and death are intertwined and the way death and the deceased are ever-present in our lives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There is something arresting, evocative and impressive about Catrinas because skeletons aren’t supposed to laugh or smile or exude life. It’s a fascinating dichotomy, which is perhaps why La Catrina is an appropriate symbol for our current times when immigrants are under siege and yet bring so much life to our communities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I found it endearing that the speakers at the welcome ceremony talked about La Catrina as a being who had traveled to Oakland, who would serve to welcome people stepping off BART and who would serve as an ambassador of Mexican culture. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I hope you go see her for yourself. You can visit La Catrina at the Fruitvale Transit Center plaza now through Nov. 1.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the not-too-distant past, I might have argued that we had reached peak Catrina — the skeleton image linked with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">Día de los Muertos\u003c/a> was everywhere from keychains to restaurant murals — and was becoming cliché.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the not-too-distant past, I might have argued that we had reached peak Catrina — the skeleton image linked with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">Día de los Muertos\u003c/a> was everywhere from keychains to restaurant murals — and was becoming cliché.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A giant La Catrina sculpture in Oakland has proven me wrong. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Thursday morning, a crowd of hundreds gathered in the Fruitvale Transit Center plaza to officially welcome the towering 34-foot sculpture, with fanfare usually reserved for a foreign dignitary.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Decorations on the dress of La Catrina de Oakland include California poppies, pan dulce and the words, “aquí estamos y no nos vamos,” at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All the while, La Catrina, with her arms stretched out, seemed to offer everyone an unexpected warm hug. The skeletal figure dons a marigold crown and a purple dress covered in Mexican iconography and phrases, including “Aquí estamos y no nos vamos,” which means, “We are here and we’re not leaving.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last year, Chris Iglesias, CEO of Oakland nonprofit the Unity Council, saw that artists had installed massive Catrina sculptures in other cities and decided that Oakland needed one, too. The Unity Council organizes the annual Día de los Muertos festival in Fruitvale. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Last year, Chris Iglesias, CEO of Oakland nonprofit the Unity Council, saw that artists had installed massive Catrina sculptures in other cities and decided that Oakland needed one, too. The Unity Council organizes the annual Día de los Muertos festival in Fruitvale. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Because of Día de los Muertos and how many people come out every year, and what happened last year with the theme, ‘Aquí estamos y no nos vamos,’ it’s like, let’s just build on that,” he said during the welcome ceremony. “We want to build on it in a very big way. We didn’t think he was going to be this big. She’s a big lady, right? But she’s a beautiful lady.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102432\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Chris Iglesias, CEO of the Unity Council, dance together as members of Fremont High School’s baile folklóriko group perform at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102432\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Chris Iglesias, CEO of the Unity Council, dance together as members of Fremont High School’s baile folklóriko group perform at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Unity Council connected with ArtSumex, a group of Mexican artists who specialize in larger-than-life Catrinas, to commission the piece, which was crafted in central Mexico and trucked to Oakland. Other groups, including Visit Oakland, the city of Oakland and the Latino Community Foundation, joined in to help cover the $65,000 cost. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Unity Council connected with ArtSumex, a group of Mexican artists who specialize in larger-than-life Catrinas, to commission the piece, which was crafted in central Mexico and trucked to Oakland. Other groups, including Visit Oakland, the city of Oakland and the Latino Community Foundation, joined in to help cover the $65,000 cost. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thursday’s welcome ceremony was a celebration of an amazing work of art, but also of Oakland’s community and the way Mexican culture transcends borders.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thursday’s welcome ceremony was a celebration of an amazing work of art, but also of Oakland’s community and the way Mexican culture transcends borders.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“She traveled over 2,000 miles from Mexico to Oakland,” said Caheri Gutierrez, the Unity Council’s director of fund development and communications. “A journey that mirrors the journeys of generations of families who have made their way here to El Norte, carrying their culture, traditions, dreams and hopes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“She traveled over 2,000 miles from Mexico to Oakland,” said Caheri Gutierrez, the Unity Council’s director of fund development and communications. “A journey that mirrors the journeys of generations of families who have made their way here to El Norte, carrying their culture, traditions, dreams and hopes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And now she stands here in Fruitvale, the heart of Oakland’s Latino community, as the tallest Catrina in the United States.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“And now she stands here in Fruitvale, the heart of Oakland’s Latino community, as the tallest Catrina in the United States.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The speakers on Thursdays talked about the importance of honoring and uplifting immigrant communities at a time when the federal government has adopted an anti-immigrant stance and launched a harsh deportation enforcement campaign. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The speakers on Thursdays talked about the importance of honoring and uplifting immigrant communities at a time when the federal government has adopted an anti-immigrant stance and launched a harsh deportation enforcement campaign. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102430\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee speaks at The Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102433\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crowd welcomes La Catrina de Oakland by saying “Bienvenida, a Oakland, la Catrina,” at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102433\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crowd welcomes La Catrina de Oakland by saying “Bienvenida, a Oakland, la Catrina,” at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>La Catrina, “really is a symbol of the friendship, of the connection, of the enduring legacy, of the contributions that Mexicans and Mexican Americans have made,” said Julián Castro, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation and former HUD secretary. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>La Catrina, “really is a symbol of the friendship, of the connection, of the enduring legacy, of the contributions that Mexicans and Mexican Americans have made,” said Julián Castro, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation and former HUD secretary. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“During this time when the community has been targeted, when it’s been scapegoated, when it has been otherized, when it is told in so many ways that it doesn’t belong, instead, we find in this image … a beautiful, beautiful statement about joy and celebration.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“During this time when the community has been targeted, when it’s been scapegoated, when it has been otherized, when it is told in so many ways that it doesn’t belong, instead, we find in this image … a beautiful, beautiful statement about joy and celebration.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lee talked about her childhood in El Paso, Texas, a border community where two countries converged. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lee talked about her childhood in El Paso, Texas, a border community where two countries converged. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are a town that stays true to its values for speaking up for racial justice, to defending our immigrant neighbors when their rights are being threatened and to protect our immigrant neighborhoods,” she said. “I know that immigrants give our city of Oakland its strength, its culture and its resilience. And that’s why La Catrina means so much.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We are a town that stays true to its values for speaking up for racial justice, to defending our immigrant neighbors when their rights are being threatened and to protect our immigrant neighborhoods,” she said. “I know that immigrants give our city of Oakland its strength, its culture and its resilience. And that’s why La Catrina means so much.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102429\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Onlookers watch the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland from the BART platform at Fruitvale Station in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102429\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Onlookers watch the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland from the BART platform at Fruitvale Station in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>La Catrina refers to an image created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in 1912 as a satirical image making fun of Mexico’s upper classes. Skeleton imagery, however, dates back thousands of years to the indigenous people of Mexico. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>La Catrina refers to an image created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in 1912 as a satirical image making fun of Mexico’s upper classes. Skeleton imagery, however, dates back thousands of years to the indigenous people of Mexico. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In recent decades, Posada’s Catrina has become heavily associated with Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, a holiday in which people honor deceased loved ones and ancestors, and now represents an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911846/how-dia-de-los-muertos-continues-to-evolve\">evolution of an ancient tradition.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In recent decades, Posada’s Catrina has become heavily associated with Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, a holiday in which people honor deceased loved ones and ancestors, and now represents an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911846/how-dia-de-los-muertos-continues-to-evolve\">evolution of an ancient tradition.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062734/how-californians-are-reclaiming-dia-de-los-muertos-as-an-act-of-cultural-resistance\">Day of the Dead\u003c/a> has slowly crept into mainstream U.S. culture thanks to movies like Disney’s \u003cem>Coco\u003c/em> — and of course the holiday industrial complex that turns any celebration into an excuse to buy decor and merchandise. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062734/how-californians-are-reclaiming-dia-de-los-muertos-as-an-act-of-cultural-resistance\">Day of the Dead\u003c/a> has slowly crept into mainstream U.S. culture thanks to movies like Disney’s \u003cem>Coco\u003c/em> — and of course the holiday industrial complex that turns any celebration into an excuse to buy decor and merchandise. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102434\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public welcome La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102434\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public welcome La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I have been worried for years that oversaturation of skeleton imagery meant that it and Day of the Dead were losing significance. Catrinas depict the dead as living beings, which represents the way life and death are intertwined and the way death and the deceased are ever-present in our lives. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I have been worried for years that oversaturation of skeleton imagery meant that it and Day of the Dead were losing significance. Catrinas depict the dead as living beings, which represents the way life and death are intertwined and the way death and the deceased are ever-present in our lives. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There is something arresting, evocative and impressive about Catrinas because skeletons aren’t supposed to laugh or smile or exude life. It’s a fascinating dichotomy, which is perhaps why La Catrina is an appropriate symbol for our current times when immigrants are under siege and yet bring so much life to our communities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There is something arresting, evocative and impressive about Catrinas because skeletons aren’t supposed to laugh or smile or exude life. It’s a fascinating dichotomy, which is perhaps why La Catrina is an appropriate symbol for our current times when immigrants are under siege and yet bring so much life to our communities.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I found it endearing that the speakers at the welcome ceremony talked about La Catrina as a being who had traveled to Oakland, who would serve to welcome people stepping off BART and who would serve as an ambassador of Mexican culture. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I found it endearing that the speakers at the welcome ceremony talked about La Catrina as a being who had traveled to Oakland, who would serve to welcome people stepping off BART and who would serve as an ambassador of Mexican culture. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I hope you go see her for yourself. You can visit La Catrina at the Fruitvale Transit Center plaza now through Nov. 1.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I hope you go see her for yourself. You can visit La Catrina at the Fruitvale Transit Center plaza now through Nov. 1.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "An East Bay ceremony welcoming the sculpture from Mexico celebrated culture bridging borders.",
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"title": "A Giant La Catrina Sculpture Sends a Defiant Message From Oakland’s Latinx Community | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">\u003cem>Click here to subscribe.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the not-too-distant past, I might have argued that we had reached peak Catrina — the skeleton image linked with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">Día de los Muertos\u003c/a> was everywhere from keychains to restaurant murals — and was becoming cliché.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A giant La Catrina sculpture in Oakland has proven me wrong. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Thursday morning, a crowd of hundreds gathered in the Fruitvale Transit Center plaza to officially welcome the towering 34-foot sculpture, with fanfare usually reserved for a foreign dignitary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 34-foot-tall La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-02-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Decorations on the dress of La Catrina de Oakland include California poppies, pan dulce and the words, “aquí estamos y no nos vamos,” at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12102436\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102436\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-18-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ana Maria Dueñas (center) and others take photos of the La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elected officials, including Mayor Barbara Lee and the Consul General of Mexico, offered remarks. A ballet folklórico from Oakland’s Fremont High School, Turf Inc. dancers and a mariachi performed. Bystanders cheered and took selfies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All the while, La Catrina, with her arms stretched out, seemed to offer everyone an unexpected warm hug. The skeletal figure dons a marigold crown and a purple dress covered in Mexican iconography and phrases, including “Aquí estamos y no nos vamos,” which means, “We are here and we’re not leaving.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last year, Chris Iglesias, CEO of Oakland nonprofit the Unity Council, saw that artists had installed massive Catrina sculptures in other cities and decided that Oakland needed one, too. The Unity Council organizes the annual Día de los Muertos festival in Fruitvale. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Because of Día de los Muertos and how many people come out every year, and what happened last year with the theme, ‘Aquí estamos y no nos vamos,’ it’s like, let’s just build on that,” he said during the welcome ceremony. “We want to build on it in a very big way. We didn’t think he was going to be this big. She’s a big lady, right? But she’s a beautiful lady.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12102437\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102437\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-19-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mariachi group performs at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102432\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-14-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Chris Iglesias, CEO of the Unity Council, dance together as members of Fremont High School’s baile folklóriko group perform at the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Unity Council connected with ArtSumex, a group of Mexican artists who specialize in larger-than-life Catrinas, to commission the piece, which was crafted in central Mexico and trucked to Oakland. Other groups, including Visit Oakland, the city of Oakland and the Latino Community Foundation, joined in to help cover the $65,000 cost. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thursday’s welcome ceremony was a celebration of an amazing work of art, but also of Oakland’s community and the way Mexican culture transcends borders.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She traveled over 2,000 miles from Mexico to Oakland,” said Caheri Gutierrez, the Unity Council’s director of fund development and communications. “A journey that mirrors the journeys of generations of families who have made their way here to El Norte, carrying their culture, traditions, dreams and hopes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And now she stands here in Fruitvale, the heart of Oakland’s Latino community, as the tallest Catrina in the United States.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The speakers on Thursdays talked about the importance of honoring and uplifting immigrant communities at a time when the federal government has adopted an anti-immigrant stance and launched a harsh deportation enforcement campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102430\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-10-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee speaks at The Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102433\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-16-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crowd welcomes La Catrina de Oakland by saying “Bienvenida, a Oakland, la Catrina,” at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>La Catrina, “really is a symbol of the friendship, of the connection, of the enduring legacy, of the contributions that Mexicans and Mexican Americans have made,” said Julián Castro, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation and former HUD secretary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“During this time when the community has been targeted, when it’s been scapegoated, when it has been otherized, when it is told in so many ways that it doesn’t belong, instead, we find in this image … a beautiful, beautiful statement about joy and celebration.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lee talked about her childhood in El Paso, Texas, a border community where two countries converged. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are a town that stays true to its values for speaking up for racial justice, to defending our immigrant neighbors when their rights are being threatened and to protect our immigrant neighborhoods,” she said. “I know that immigrants give our city of Oakland its strength, its culture and its resilience. And that’s why La Catrina means so much.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102429\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Onlookers watch the Welcome Ceremony for La Catrina de Oakland from the BART platform at Fruitvale Station in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>La Catrina refers to an image created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in 1912 as a satirical image making fun of Mexico’s upper classes. Skeleton imagery, however, dates back thousands of years to the indigenous people of Mexico. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In recent decades, Posada’s Catrina has become heavily associated with Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, a holiday in which people honor deceased loved ones and ancestors, and now represents an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911846/how-dia-de-los-muertos-continues-to-evolve\">evolution of an ancient tradition.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062734/how-californians-are-reclaiming-dia-de-los-muertos-as-an-act-of-cultural-resistance\">Day of the Dead\u003c/a> has slowly crept into mainstream U.S. culture thanks to movies like Disney’s \u003cem>Coco\u003c/em> — and of course the holiday industrial complex that turns any celebration into an excuse to buy decor and merchandise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102434\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-LA-CATRINA-OAKLAND-MD-17-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public welcome La Catrina de Oakland at Fruitvale Plaza in Oakland on Oct. 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I have been worried for years that oversaturation of skeleton imagery meant that it and Day of the Dead were losing significance. Catrinas depict the dead as living beings, which represents the way life and death are intertwined and the way death and the deceased are ever-present in our lives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There is something arresting, evocative and impressive about Catrinas because skeletons aren’t supposed to laugh or smile or exude life. It’s a fascinating dichotomy, which is perhaps why La Catrina is an appropriate symbol for our current times when immigrants are under siege and yet bring so much life to our communities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I found it endearing that the speakers at the welcome ceremony talked about La Catrina as a being who had traveled to Oakland, who would serve to welcome people stepping off BART and who would serve as an ambassador of Mexican culture. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I hope you go see her for yourself. You can visit La Catrina at the Fruitvale Transit Center plaza now through Nov. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "how-the-furry-fandom-says-goodbye-reload",
"title": "How the Furry Fandom Says Goodbye (Reload)",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003cem>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anthrocon, the largest gathering of furries in the world, just celebrated its 20th anniversary in July — so we’re re-airing one of our favorite episodes yet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Furries are a community often known for wearing full-body animal suits at conventions, but the characters they inhabit, called “fursonas,” are much more than costumes. They’re deeply personal expressions of identity and creativity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So when someone in the furry fandom dies, how does the community say goodbye? In some cases, they take to VR. Since 2020, a furry named Changa Husky has been running the \u003ca href=\"https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_8b9be9e0-f4f3-4f3e-b671-0a0714fa262a\">Furry Family Ofrenda\u003c/a>, a virtual memorial space inspired by the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos. It’s a place where furries gather to remember and celebrate the people — and fursonas — who have passed. In this episode, Morgan steps into that virtual world to explore what it means for a community to grieve both a person and the character they brought to life.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-megaphone wp-block-embed-megaphone\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC1428041683\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Guests: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/changa.gay\">Changa Husky\u003c/a>, furry Vtuber and video producer\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://dogpatch.press/author/patchofurr/\">Patch O’Furr\u003c/a>, founder and writer, \u003cem>Dogpatch Press\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Further Reading/Listening:\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://thespinoff.co.nz/internet/11-01-2022/who-runs-the-internet-furries\">Who runs the internet? Furries\u003c/a> — Dylan Reeve, \u003cem>The Spinoff \u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://dogpatch.press/2024/02/22/remembering-mark-merlino/\">Remembering Mark Merlino (1952-2024), a founder and soul of furry fandom \u003c/a>— Patch O’Furr, \u003cem>Dogpatch Press \u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv0QaTW3kEY\">The Fandom: A Furry Documentary\u003c/a> — Ash Coyote, \u003cem>YouTube\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqOFuRic3KU\">Never Ending Song – Doggo Edition \u003c/a>— Changa Husky, \u003cem>YouTube\u003c/em> \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_8b9be9e0-f4f3-4f3e-b671-0a0714fa262a\">Visit the Furry Family Ofrenda\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Want to give us feedback on the show? Shoot us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\">CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Follow us on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/closealltabspod/\">Instagram\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">TikTok\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cem>\u003cem>\u003cem>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung: \u003c/strong>Hello! Do you like these deep dives? Do you want more? Then please rate and review Close All Tabs on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show! And tell your friends! Post about it! Look, we don’t have a clipping army or bot farms to astroturf virality, so it would be a huge help to get the word out. All I’m saying is, we would not be opposed if you want to start a Close All Tabs stan account. Ok, let’s get to the show.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the US was ablaze with fireworks for our country’s 250th anniversary. But in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the weekend of the Fourth of July is a big deal every year. That’s when the furries take over. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Every July, crowds of anthropomorphic animals descend upon downtown Pittsburgh — a huge boost to the local economy. You might see a cluster of attendees at the local cafe, dressed in regular clothes — but holding their lattes between gloves that look like furry paws. You’ll probably catch a few milling about the city in fuzzy fox ears and clip on tails. But at the convention center itself, out of the blazing summer heat, is another world of fantastical, otherworldly beasts. That’s where you’ll find the crowds in full fursuits, covered head to toe so they don’t look human and all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is Anthrocon, the world’s largest get together for furries. This year, the convention drew over 20,000 attendees for workshops, artist markets, charity events, meet and greets, and of course, the big fursuit parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just over a year ago, just in time for Anthrocon, we aired a very special episode about furry funerals — what it means to grieve a version of someone that the rest of the world might not see. And how furries, being incredibly tech adept, have used virtual reality to memorialize their loved ones. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the Close All Tabs team, this is one of our favorite episodes of the show — and genuinely, maybe one of my favorite stories that I’ve ever worked on in my entire journalistic career. So in honor of Anthrocon’s big 20th anniversary this year, we’re re-airing this very special episode. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you’re like, wait, what the hell are furries? What does any of this have to do with your whole thing of “how the digital world shapes our real lives?” Well … stick around. This is \u003cem>How the Furry Fandom Says Goodbye. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I’m standing under a black sky with cobalt blue clouds. In front of me looms an Aztec pyramid. There are trees in the distance with puffs of fuchsia and chartreuse leaves. And there’s a massive tree growing in the center of the pyramid too. The steps leading to the top are lined with candles, as well as an array of offerings like food and sugar skulls. Strung throughout the space are vibrant paper flags featuring intricate designs of cartoon animals. A variety of creatures appear and then disappear around me. Foxes, dragons, and beings that look like more ethereal versions of Sonic the Hedgehog. And my guide to this mystical place?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I’m Changa Husky. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa is an anthropomorphic, animated husky dog. He has gray fur that’s lighter around his muzzle and a tuft of black hair on top of his head. His eyes are icy blue behind gold-rimmed glasses and his brown ears move as his facial expressions change. He and I are together in this virtual world, but I’m talking to him through the screen of my laptop. And yes, there is a real person under his virtual costume. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I am a furry of an older variety. I’ve been in the fandom for decades since at least the early to mid-90s, and I’m here to talk about, well, this world I built in virtual reality. We call this the Furry Family Ofrenda. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This VR world is inspired by the Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday dedicated to honoring the lives of those who have passed away. Families welcome back spirits of their loved ones with altars called “ofrendas,” adorned with photos, candles, flowers, and offerings of the departed’s favorite foods. This isn’t a holiday for mourning, but for celebrating. Changa shows me how this virtual world is dotted with altars, each one with a framed photo, candles and a plaque. They’re all dedicated to the fursonas of people who have passed away. Fursona is a portmanteau of fur and persona, essentially an alter ego. And just a note, in this episode, we’ll be referring to a few people, including Changa, by their “fursona” names. Furries are often the targets of harassment and bullying, so many of them are publicly known only by their pseudonyms to maintain their safety and privacy. Beyond that, fursonas are kind of like a drag persona. It’s how a lot of furries express themselves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> A lot of drag personas are just that person exploring their identity. To be able to put on a mask and amplify your personality. It ends up being a way of exploring your identity and yourself. And not in those cliches of, “oh, I identify as blah, blah, blah.” It’s like, no, I know I’m human. But there are ways you can explore who you are and how you interact with the world and friends, through the lens of um like an anthropomorphic creature. It’s very much a medium. It’s like a medium of expression. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa stops at one particular altar with a framed photo of an older man, a human person, to be clear. He’s got glasses and he’s smiling from under his gray mustache. And he’s wearing a baseball cap with two fluffy auburn ears sticking out of it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> His fursona was a mustelid, a pine martin, a kind of tree weasel, and he was, well, very much the weasel persona. They have to be a little fearless, you know, tiny little carnivore. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This pine martin was named Sy Sable, also known as Mark Merlino. He passed away a year ago, and he was Changa’s life partner. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> This project was his idea. So it was beautiful but painful that I had to add him in here. I was with him for close to 30 years before he passed. I mean, many marriages do not last that long. And here we are a polycule. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark Merlino and Mark’s other partner, Rodney O’Reilly, are known as the grandfathers of the furry fandom. Their house, where Changa also lives, has been a home base for the fandom for decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> Mark and Rodney, the founders of the first furry convention, were a bisexual couple, openly. And they started the convention in 1989, which was not the greatest time period to be very openly queer. Let’s be real, much less running a convention. And that became a safe space for a lot of people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Now outsiders might only know the subculture as a weird kink for dressing up as animals. And because of that stigma, a lot of furries aren’t open about being furries to people outside of the fandom. And that means grieving, for furries, might look a little different. Even if someone wasn’t open about being a furry to the rest of the world, the furry community remembers that person’s fursona as much as their real-life presence. And then there’s the fandom’s technical aptitude. There’s a long running joke online that if a plane full of furries goes down, then Silicon Valley will crumble because furries built the modern IT industry. The furry fandom evolved with the internet and since the 80s, furries have always been pioneers of emerging tech. They’ve incorporated it into their costuming and conventions and even memorials. So what does a furry funeral look like? What does it mean to memorialize an aspect of someone’s life that may not have been part of their bodily form, but was still a part of the identity? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is Close All Tabs. I’m Morgan Sung, tech journalist, and your chronically online friend, here to open as many browser tabs as it takes to help you understand how the digital world affects our real lives. Let’s get into it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> We’ll come back to Changa and the Furry Family Ofrenda. But first, we need to understand this fandom. You know how this goes: we open a new tab. What does it mean to be a furry? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Look, I may be chronically online, but I’m still an outsider when it comes to this fandom. So to explain furries, I reached out to someone who’s actually part of the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> I’m Patch. I go by Patch O’Furr online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Patch runs the furry news site, Dogpatch Press. The site covers furry conventions, the furry economy, and has even investigated furry crimes. But before all that, Patch was brand new to San Francisco and exploring the city’s nightlife. Back in 2012, he stumbled across a furry party at a gay bar within walking distance of his apartment. Out of curiosity, he stopped by. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> So I showed up and um you know I’m walking down a dark street and here’s this club in front of me with you know some muffled beats and some light coming in through the cracks and uh I walk up to the door and there’s like this beckoning werewolf paw pulling me in. And I walked into this just magical experience. It was being transported to another dimension. I went over towards the dance floor. This was a famous dive bar with like a little postage stamp of a dance floor and I was kind of lurking on the edge and then I saw this amazing sight. There was this six foot cartoon otter who came out from behind a curtain and it just gave me this urge to ask him to dance. And, you know, this is a cartoon character and it’s very loud. So we’re using kind of body language and he just pulls me in and we’re dancing. And I’m just sort of like, wow, this is a cartoon character, but I can actually hug him. And right there I decided I have to be one of these characters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The otter that Patch met was wearing a “fur suit.” Picture something like a mascot at a theme park. Some people build their own fur suits, which is pretty labor intensive and requires a lot of technical sewing skills. Others commission their fur suits from artists, but that can cost upwards of a couple thousand dollars. Patch ended up finding his fur suit on an auction site. There was one dog suit, a husky to be specific, that jumped out at him. He won the bid, and it arrived just in time for a local furry convention. Patch decided to debut the character that weekend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> And there at the hotel when I put it on, it was a very strange feeling for the first 30 minutes. You’re completely immersed. There’s no skin, your senses are sort of muffled, you have tunnel vision. But then, you start to feel this connection with the people who are around you. They’re seeing you as somebody who’s different and kind of magical, and it’s a very addictive feeling. You know, it’s getting out of yourself, but it’s also making a new version of yourself. You can kind of be reborn with this one life that you’re given. And it’s really special to be able to do that and be validated by everybody else who’s doing that. There’s a strong overlap between queer communities and furry communities. And it’s not necessarily that furry is an identity itself. The more accurate definition is um we’re talking about expressing identity. So furry is queer as, you know, so is musical theater or disco or other things that are attached to the queer community, you now, drag. Drag is not always practiced by queer people, but it’s very strongly allied. So the same is true with furries. So they are adopting a fursona so they can be themselves more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa, the husky we talked to earlier, pointed out that there are also a lot of neurodivergent people who gravitate toward the furry fandom. Putting on a fursona can be like masking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I mean, people like in this community can have a lot of social anxiety. Um, I mean we are a very neurodiverse, uh, community. We’re very queer, we’re very neurodiverse. And so this community, people will like put on these masks to like actually tell more truth about themselves. Cause I mean let’s be real, real, everybody out there in the real world is always wearing a mask. You’ve got your work persona. You have who you are at the grocery store or at church or what have you, um, you know even to family members and being able to put on say, I don’t know, a doggy persona and just explore that way and be seen that way is a way of interacting with friends and family, um or even just yourself in ways that are actually kind of therapeutic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So for a lot of furries, the fandom has provided a space to be queer and neurodivergent without judgment. Changa actually found the fandom after watching Lion King. Yes, that’s the 1994 Disney animated movie, Lion King. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> There’s always um like a piece of media that was the inflection point for a lot of furries. Classically, it was Disney’s Robin Hood, you know, something about those foxes. Let’s be real. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> But it was Lion King for you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> Lion King. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This was the early 90s at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. It was dangerous to be openly gay, especially in Kansas, where Changa lived at the time. He found solace online in animation role-playing discussion boards. And that’s where he met Mark, who was also obsessed with Disney animation. They hit it off and started talking on the phone. After visiting Mark in California once, Changa decided to move. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> And this is how I knew Mark was a keeper. He dropped everything, drove to Kansas and helped me move cross country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark and Rodney had an extra room, so Changa ended up moving in and, over time, joined this queer furry polycule. Their house, which is known as the Prancing Skilltaire, is a base for a lot of the fandom. Since the 80s, the Prancing Skilltaire has hosted monthly furry parties, furry convention staff meetings, and other furry get-togethers. They’ve also taken in young queer people who were kicked out of their homes, and once even hosted an impromptu wedding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>They’re over there doing their vows. And I just leaned over to Rodney going, “wait, wait. Are they trans? They’re trans.” And it’s like, “yeah, yeah.” It’s, like, “did we just have a trans wedding in our backyard?” He’s like, “yeah.” Like, huh, okay, cool. Um and that was like, oh God, that was more than a decade ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The Prancing Skilltaire is just one hub for the furry community. The fandom has evolved into a widespread, thriving subculture, and as furries have passed on over the decades, the community has come up with unique ways to honor them. Some choose to pass their costume on to a loved one after they die, and let the character they embodied live a second life. Patch said that this also celebrates the artist who made the fursuit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> Another way people can be remembered is they can just have their costume displayed. I know that there are people who have their costumes placed on like a dummy and it’s kept in a certain place in their house. So you can go and say hi to the person again and just have that experience of them having a presence, a physical presence still. There’s also ways that people set up having their costume worn by friends at special occasions, maybe once a year, just so they’re present again. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That idea of coming back to visit the living really stuck with Mark Merlino, too. He had seen a lot of his peers in the fandom age and pass away, and wanted to honor their memory somehow. Changa said that Mark was obsessed with the Disney Pixar movie Coco, which is about spirits returning home on the day of the dead. In 2018, Mark built an ofrenda display at PAWCon, a furry convention that happened to take place during the holiday. It was just a small room at the event with a single decorated table, but people loved it. They left notes and offerings and photos. So the next year, Mark built another one. He wanted to make it an annual tradition. But then in 2020, the pandemic shut down conventions. It shut down everything else too. Life moved to the internet and so did grieving. That’s a new tab, but first a quick break. Okay, we’re back. Time to open a new tab. And for this one, we’re jumping back into VR. The Furry Family Ofrenda. You made it in one piece? We’re back in VR chat, in this world that Changa and Mark built with the Aztec pyramid, candles, and altars. Right now, Changa is showing me how users can leave offerings. He’s placing a virtual meatball sub on Mark’s ofronda. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Did he like meatball subs? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>Uh, yeah, actually he did. Um, we only have so much limited space. Um, I mean, all of this has to be downloaded and rendered on people’s, um, video cards. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I know Mark had built that small a friend at this real life in person convention. But can you tell me about this move to VR? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>At the time, of course, we’re all locked in in 2020. And this platform, VRChat, had existed already. And then I saw on Twitter at the time people posting pictures from this virtual convention, Furality. And when I went in there it was like, “this is the vibe of a real convention.” This was the real community that I knew. And there was something amazing about slipping on an avatar like this and actually seeing yourself the way you would internally think about yourself. Well, it’s like fursuiting only, well, I won’t say cheaper, good lord, the amount of computer upgrades and technology just keep up in here. But it’s, like, wearing a fursuit without suffocating. Hell, I had my midlife crisis and went canine. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s when Mark had an idea. Instead of building a single physical ofrenda, why not build a VR world where each furry could have their own? He didn’t have the technical skills to make it happen, but Changa did. So, Changa started digging through a site called WikiFur, which is like Wikipedia for furries. He started adding ofrendas for each furry listed as deceased on WikiFur. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>And it just kind of blew up from there. Now it’s just more of a matter of trying to keep up as people pass. Which is, oh god, well I would really hope people would kind of stop doing that. That would be, that would be great. It’s not as bad as it was in 2020. 2020 was traumatic. You’re really changing when you’re sitting there counting the dead within your own community. And this actually gave a lot of people a space to kind of mourn, given that we weren’t able to really, like, be together in person. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The original Furry Family Ofrenda was pretty basic. Changa had to work with pre-made assets and none of them were made for the Day of the Dead. It definitely wasn’t culturally accurate. In 2021, the Furry Family Ofrenda got a makeover with the help of a Mexican furry convention called Confuror. The event is based in Guadalajara, Mexico, but during the pandemic lockdown, it was entirely on VRChat, and they wanted to host part of it in the Furry Family Ofrenda. The event organizers hired Mexican artists to design new 3D assets for the space so that it could look more like a real Day of the Dead festival. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I’m not from the culture that this celebration came comes from, but they helped immensely. I’m glad it’s the kind of culture that that was shareable, you know, it’s because it’s a beautiful way of dealing with mourning. Because I mean a lot of mourning is like sitting around crying and I know Mark preferred the idea of like joyfully talking about people that passed and remembering them, you know bring out the food celebrate, talk, and all that. And it was really wonderful to be able to bring a piece of that into a virtual space. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> In the five years since Changa built it, the Furry Family Ofrenda has memorialized countless furries. Some of the altars feature photos of people’s real faces, but many of them honor their fursona too, which may not be acknowledged in any real-life memorials. You don’t need a whole VR setup. You can access it from any computer or mobile app. That’s why it’s become an important gathering spot for the community. That connection to the larger community became really important to the Prancing Skilltaire household during the pandemic lockdowns. And then again, when Mark got sick. Let’s talk about that in a new tab. Remembering Sy Sable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>When he went sick, I mean, both me and Rodney were like breaking. Let’s be real. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark had a stroke in December 2023, but was stable enough to come home in time for Christmas. Then he got sicker during that holiday week. After seven hospitals, an ICU stay, and a stint in a rehab center, Mark was diagnosed with stage four terminal liver cancer. That news shook the furry community. Once word got out, furries put together a GoFundMe to cover his medical bills. People who had attended Prancing Skilltaire parties or crashed on their sofa when they were kicked out for being gay, showed up to help with Mark’s hospice care. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>So there was a lot of outpouring of love. And I mean, when you have, you know, young, like early 20-year-old kid showing up at your door with a covered dish while, you know, your partner’s hospicing, it says a lot. That is community. That is, you know, the found family. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And those who couldn’t help out in person kept him company in VR. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We were bringing in, you know, had a tablet for Mark, where he could talk over Discord with various friends that he’d gotten to know on VR. And so he was able, from his deathbed, to, you now, have conversations with various friends that we were scheduling. He could, essentially on a tablet, get to talk with people who are still presenting themselves with avatars and the way they saw themselves and the way he saw them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark passed away in his home at the Prancing Skilltaire last February. Changa and Rodney knew that Mark didn’t want a traditional somber funeral. Remember that bit about furries building the tech industry as we know it? Changa and Rodney incorporated that into Mark’s funeral too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We were both kind of agreement that it should be a big blow-out party. We would celebrate him and so we rented out a hall and given the virtual reality community that both he and I were involved in and close to the staff, the convention Furality decided to help us with some resources and they built a VR portal so that people could show up and give their respects virtually. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Furality is the virtual reality convention that initially got Mark and Changa into using VRChat. A VR portal is a massive screen that acts as a window between the real world and VR for people who can’t make it to events in person. Usually conventions, but in this case, a funeral. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>They rented out the equipment and we had to scout out how good the internet was because our requirements, just a little off the beaten path of normally. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So the physical funeral was beamed into a virtual room that Furality had built for the event. Meanwhile, that virtual room was beamed into the funeral. People took turns speaking about Mark. They either spoke from the real life podium or from a huge screen that displayed the VR portal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We did have also several hundred people actually at the event, and there was that level of chaos that um, technical chaos that just keeps me focused. Like, “okay, we need to string cable.” Really what it came down to is it really felt like every other community social convention sort of situation that we’d been trained for, that like we essentially took all the stuff we would have done setting up at a hotel for a convention, just really concentrated in a hurry, in a hall. We had drawing pads where people were sketching, little tribute sort of things. I brought in a little portable TV from the 80s, and it was playing media that was related to Sy, some of his stuff he’d shot. So there’s like all this mix of kind of like technology, retro technology, art, and of course junk food. We actually had fursuiters. People got into fursuit too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, it doesn’t sound like any funeral I’ve ever seen or been to. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>Oh, that’s probably the case. Yeah, it was like a mini party convention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, aside from huge technical feat, which is very cool, it also sounds like it was a real community event. What was it like to add him to the ofrenda? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>That was painful, that was by myself. I did not grieve at the memorial, I was just too busy, I kept myself distracted. But adding him to the ofrenda was just, oh, oh, that’s was a painful upload. I never prepared for that, but it was kind of fitting that he would end up getting put into the thing that he, well he spurned on. It was like the project that he put on to me, and now I have to keep that torch going for him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa actually hasn’t visited Mark’s altar much since uploading it. He says he’s been avoiding it. This interview, where he showed me around, was one of the first times he’s back. Like his funeral itself, many of the memorials and tributes honoring Mark are really for the greater furry community to pay their respects. Changa said he struggles to grieve at these community spaces. Like last year, Furality wanted to honor Mark during the convention’s closing ceremony. So they asked Changa for a photo of Mark’s VR avatar. Since there weren’t any good ones available, Changa had to put on Mark’s fursona in VR. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I had to get into his avatar with a photographer and kind of do a shoot. And that was painful. You know, it’s like, I really wanted to get that over with. Yeah, well, yeah, get slipping into your dead partner’s body, essentially. But it was a beautiful tribute when they actually did it. It was lovely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Instead of these public tributes, Changa has his own way of honoring Mark’s memory. And of course, it involves virtual reality. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I’m a good video editor and I was doing a whole bunch of very nostalgic stuff with modern music, you know, where I’m like putting people in original like movie footage — doing that scene from Risky Business, you now where they slide in, except it’s a werewolf. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa and his friends record the footage using tracking rigs. They dance and lip sync to the music, and then Changa composites their fursonas over movie scenes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>And the first one I worked on was from The Birdcage. It’s that iconic scene on the park bench with the boat going by the harbor. And that was the moment where Robin Williams and Nathan Lane’s characters are sitting down and it’s kind of the, you know, “I’m 50 whatever and you’re my family. You’re the only person I wanna spend the rest of my life with.” It is iconic queer media. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Robin Williams: \u003c/strong>What does it matter? Take it all. I’m 50 years old. There’s only one place in the world I call home, and it’s because you’re there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The birdcage scene in Changa’s music video is just a few seconds long. It has Changa as big, gray, husky fursona sitting on the bench, dressed in red pinstripe pants and rose-tinted glasses. It’s just like the outfit Nathan Lane wore in the movie. Changa lip syncs a line from the song, and then the music video shifts to another movie. But before the scene flashes by, you might catch a glimpse of Mark’s fursana, the mustelid called Sy Sable perched on the bench next to Changa. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I just hope he could see it wherever he is. I don’t think they have YouTube. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung: \u003c/strong>Like we said at the top, this episode first aired a year ago. We recently caught up with Changa over email. He said he’s actually planning a rebuild of the Furry Family Ofrenda, with the help of a larger development team (of fellow furries, of course) and better technology. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>His hope is that it’ll be easier to find individual altars in this revamped world, and implement a better system for submitting information for each memorial. Basically, streamlining the whole process so this world is easier to manage, and is more accessible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Although he spends a lot of time maintaining the Furry Family Ofrenda, Changa hadn’t been to Mark’s altar much since his passing — except for our interview last year. But a few months later, on Dia de los Muertos, Changa finally sat down at Mark’s memorial, and took in the world they built together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over email, he said: “Dealing with loss can really be such a slow burn.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We’ll be back next week with another deep dive. For now, let’s close all these tabs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Close All Tabs is a production of KQED Studios, and is reported and hosted by me, Morgan Sung. This episode was produced by Chris Egusa and edited by Jen Chien, who is our Director of Podcasts. The Close All Tabs team also includes producer Maya Cueva, editor Chris Hambrick, and audio engineer Brendan Willard. Our intern is Lauren Yoon. Additional music by APM.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad. Ethan Toven-Lindsey is our Editor in Chief. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Keyboard sounds were recorded on my purple and pink Dustsilver K-84 wired mechanical keyboard with Gateron Red switches. If you like these deep dives and want to support public media, become a member at donate dot KQED dot org slash podcasts! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thanks for listening! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So when someone in the furry fandom dies, how does the community say goodbye? In some cases, they take to VR. Since 2020, a furry named Changa Husky has been running the \u003ca href=\"https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_8b9be9e0-f4f3-4f3e-b671-0a0714fa262a\">Furry Family Ofrenda\u003c/a>, a virtual memorial space inspired by the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos. It’s a place where furries gather to remember and celebrate the people — and fursonas — who have passed. In this episode, Morgan steps into that virtual world to explore what it means for a community to grieve both a person and the character they brought to life.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Want to give us feedback on the show? Shoot us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\">CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Want to give us feedback on the show? Shoot us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\">CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung: \u003c/strong>Hello! Do you like these deep dives? Do you want more? Then please rate and review Close All Tabs on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show! And tell your friends! Post about it! Look, we don’t have a clipping army or bot farms to astroturf virality, so it would be a huge help to get the word out. All I’m saying is, we would not be opposed if you want to start a Close All Tabs stan account. Ok, let’s get to the show.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung: \u003c/strong>Hello! Do you like these deep dives? Do you want more? Then please rate and review Close All Tabs on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show! And tell your friends! Post about it! Look, we don’t have a clipping army or bot farms to astroturf virality, so it would be a huge help to get the word out. All I’m saying is, we would not be opposed if you want to start a Close All Tabs stan account. Ok, let’s get to the show.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the US was ablaze with fireworks for our country’s 250th anniversary. But in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the weekend of the Fourth of July is a big deal every year. That’s when the furries take over. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the US was ablaze with fireworks for our country’s 250th anniversary. But in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the weekend of the Fourth of July is a big deal every year. That’s when the furries take over. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Every July, crowds of anthropomorphic animals descend upon downtown Pittsburgh — a huge boost to the local economy. You might see a cluster of attendees at the local cafe, dressed in regular clothes — but holding their lattes between gloves that look like furry paws. You’ll probably catch a few milling about the city in fuzzy fox ears and clip on tails. But at the convention center itself, out of the blazing summer heat, is another world of fantastical, otherworldly beasts. That’s where you’ll find the crowds in full fursuits, covered head to toe so they don’t look human and all. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Every July, crowds of anthropomorphic animals descend upon downtown Pittsburgh — a huge boost to the local economy. You might see a cluster of attendees at the local cafe, dressed in regular clothes — but holding their lattes between gloves that look like furry paws. You’ll probably catch a few milling about the city in fuzzy fox ears and clip on tails. But at the convention center itself, out of the blazing summer heat, is another world of fantastical, otherworldly beasts. That’s where you’ll find the crowds in full fursuits, covered head to toe so they don’t look human and all. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is Anthrocon, the world’s largest get together for furries. This year, the convention drew over 20,000 attendees for workshops, artist markets, charity events, meet and greets, and of course, the big fursuit parade. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This is Anthrocon, the world’s largest get together for furries. This year, the convention drew over 20,000 attendees for workshops, artist markets, charity events, meet and greets, and of course, the big fursuit parade. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just over a year ago, just in time for Anthrocon, we aired a very special episode about furry funerals — what it means to grieve a version of someone that the rest of the world might not see. And how furries, being incredibly tech adept, have used virtual reality to memorialize their loved ones. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just over a year ago, just in time for Anthrocon, we aired a very special episode about furry funerals — what it means to grieve a version of someone that the rest of the world might not see. And how furries, being incredibly tech adept, have used virtual reality to memorialize their loved ones. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Among the Close All Tabs team, this is one of our favorite episodes of the show — and genuinely, maybe one of my favorite stories that I’ve ever worked on in my entire journalistic career. So in honor of Anthrocon’s big 20th anniversary this year, we’re re-airing this very special episode. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Among the Close All Tabs team, this is one of our favorite episodes of the show — and genuinely, maybe one of my favorite stories that I’ve ever worked on in my entire journalistic career. So in honor of Anthrocon’s big 20th anniversary this year, we’re re-airing this very special episode. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you’re like, wait, what the hell are furries? What does any of this have to do with your whole thing of “how the digital world shapes our real lives?” Well … stick around. This is \u003cem>How the Furry Fandom Says Goodbye. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And if you’re like, wait, what the hell are furries? What does any of this have to do with your whole thing of “how the digital world shapes our real lives?” Well … stick around. This is \u003cem>How the Furry Fandom Says Goodbye. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I’m standing under a black sky with cobalt blue clouds. In front of me looms an Aztec pyramid. There are trees in the distance with puffs of fuchsia and chartreuse leaves. And there’s a massive tree growing in the center of the pyramid too. The steps leading to the top are lined with candles, as well as an array of offerings like food and sugar skulls. Strung throughout the space are vibrant paper flags featuring intricate designs of cartoon animals. A variety of creatures appear and then disappear around me. Foxes, dragons, and beings that look like more ethereal versions of Sonic the Hedgehog. And my guide to this mystical place?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I’m standing under a black sky with cobalt blue clouds. In front of me looms an Aztec pyramid. There are trees in the distance with puffs of fuchsia and chartreuse leaves. And there’s a massive tree growing in the center of the pyramid too. The steps leading to the top are lined with candles, as well as an array of offerings like food and sugar skulls. Strung throughout the space are vibrant paper flags featuring intricate designs of cartoon animals. A variety of creatures appear and then disappear around me. Foxes, dragons, and beings that look like more ethereal versions of Sonic the Hedgehog. And my guide to this mystical place?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I’m Changa Husky. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I’m Changa Husky. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa is an anthropomorphic, animated husky dog. He has gray fur that’s lighter around his muzzle and a tuft of black hair on top of his head. His eyes are icy blue behind gold-rimmed glasses and his brown ears move as his facial expressions change. He and I are together in this virtual world, but I’m talking to him through the screen of my laptop. And yes, there is a real person under his virtual costume. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa is an anthropomorphic, animated husky dog. He has gray fur that’s lighter around his muzzle and a tuft of black hair on top of his head. His eyes are icy blue behind gold-rimmed glasses and his brown ears move as his facial expressions change. He and I are together in this virtual world, but I’m talking to him through the screen of my laptop. And yes, there is a real person under his virtual costume. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I am a furry of an older variety. I’ve been in the fandom for decades since at least the early to mid-90s, and I’m here to talk about, well, this world I built in virtual reality. We call this the Furry Family Ofrenda. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I am a furry of an older variety. I’ve been in the fandom for decades since at least the early to mid-90s, and I’m here to talk about, well, this world I built in virtual reality. We call this the Furry Family Ofrenda. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This VR world is inspired by the Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday dedicated to honoring the lives of those who have passed away. Families welcome back spirits of their loved ones with altars called “ofrendas,” adorned with photos, candles, flowers, and offerings of the departed’s favorite foods. This isn’t a holiday for mourning, but for celebrating. Changa shows me how this virtual world is dotted with altars, each one with a framed photo, candles and a plaque. They’re all dedicated to the fursonas of people who have passed away. Fursona is a portmanteau of fur and persona, essentially an alter ego. And just a note, in this episode, we’ll be referring to a few people, including Changa, by their “fursona” names. Furries are often the targets of harassment and bullying, so many of them are publicly known only by their pseudonyms to maintain their safety and privacy. Beyond that, fursonas are kind of like a drag persona. It’s how a lot of furries express themselves. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This VR world is inspired by the Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday dedicated to honoring the lives of those who have passed away. Families welcome back spirits of their loved ones with altars called “ofrendas,” adorned with photos, candles, flowers, and offerings of the departed’s favorite foods. This isn’t a holiday for mourning, but for celebrating. Changa shows me how this virtual world is dotted with altars, each one with a framed photo, candles and a plaque. They’re all dedicated to the fursonas of people who have passed away. Fursona is a portmanteau of fur and persona, essentially an alter ego. And just a note, in this episode, we’ll be referring to a few people, including Changa, by their “fursona” names. Furries are often the targets of harassment and bullying, so many of them are publicly known only by their pseudonyms to maintain their safety and privacy. Beyond that, fursonas are kind of like a drag persona. It’s how a lot of furries express themselves. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> A lot of drag personas are just that person exploring their identity. To be able to put on a mask and amplify your personality. It ends up being a way of exploring your identity and yourself. And not in those cliches of, “oh, I identify as blah, blah, blah.” It’s like, no, I know I’m human. But there are ways you can explore who you are and how you interact with the world and friends, through the lens of um like an anthropomorphic creature. It’s very much a medium. It’s like a medium of expression. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> A lot of drag personas are just that person exploring their identity. To be able to put on a mask and amplify your personality. It ends up being a way of exploring your identity and yourself. And not in those cliches of, “oh, I identify as blah, blah, blah.” It’s like, no, I know I’m human. But there are ways you can explore who you are and how you interact with the world and friends, through the lens of um like an anthropomorphic creature. It’s very much a medium. It’s like a medium of expression. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa stops at one particular altar with a framed photo of an older man, a human person, to be clear. He’s got glasses and he’s smiling from under his gray mustache. And he’s wearing a baseball cap with two fluffy auburn ears sticking out of it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa stops at one particular altar with a framed photo of an older man, a human person, to be clear. He’s got glasses and he’s smiling from under his gray mustache. And he’s wearing a baseball cap with two fluffy auburn ears sticking out of it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> His fursona was a mustelid, a pine martin, a kind of tree weasel, and he was, well, very much the weasel persona. They have to be a little fearless, you know, tiny little carnivore. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> His fursona was a mustelid, a pine martin, a kind of tree weasel, and he was, well, very much the weasel persona. They have to be a little fearless, you know, tiny little carnivore. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This pine martin was named Sy Sable, also known as Mark Merlino. He passed away a year ago, and he was Changa’s life partner. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This pine martin was named Sy Sable, also known as Mark Merlino. He passed away a year ago, and he was Changa’s life partner. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> This project was his idea. So it was beautiful but painful that I had to add him in here. I was with him for close to 30 years before he passed. I mean, many marriages do not last that long. And here we are a polycule. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> This project was his idea. So it was beautiful but painful that I had to add him in here. I was with him for close to 30 years before he passed. I mean, many marriages do not last that long. And here we are a polycule. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark Merlino and Mark’s other partner, Rodney O’Reilly, are known as the grandfathers of the furry fandom. Their house, where Changa also lives, has been a home base for the fandom for decades. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark Merlino and Mark’s other partner, Rodney O’Reilly, are known as the grandfathers of the furry fandom. Their house, where Changa also lives, has been a home base for the fandom for decades. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> Mark and Rodney, the founders of the first furry convention, were a bisexual couple, openly. And they started the convention in 1989, which was not the greatest time period to be very openly queer. Let’s be real, much less running a convention. And that became a safe space for a lot of people. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> Mark and Rodney, the founders of the first furry convention, were a bisexual couple, openly. And they started the convention in 1989, which was not the greatest time period to be very openly queer. Let’s be real, much less running a convention. And that became a safe space for a lot of people. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Now outsiders might only know the subculture as a weird kink for dressing up as animals. And because of that stigma, a lot of furries aren’t open about being furries to people outside of the fandom. And that means grieving, for furries, might look a little different. Even if someone wasn’t open about being a furry to the rest of the world, the furry community remembers that person’s fursona as much as their real-life presence. And then there’s the fandom’s technical aptitude. There’s a long running joke online that if a plane full of furries goes down, then Silicon Valley will crumble because furries built the modern IT industry. The furry fandom evolved with the internet and since the 80s, furries have always been pioneers of emerging tech. They’ve incorporated it into their costuming and conventions and even memorials. So what does a furry funeral look like? What does it mean to memorialize an aspect of someone’s life that may not have been part of their bodily form, but was still a part of the identity? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Now outsiders might only know the subculture as a weird kink for dressing up as animals. And because of that stigma, a lot of furries aren’t open about being furries to people outside of the fandom. And that means grieving, for furries, might look a little different. Even if someone wasn’t open about being a furry to the rest of the world, the furry community remembers that person’s fursona as much as their real-life presence. And then there’s the fandom’s technical aptitude. There’s a long running joke online that if a plane full of furries goes down, then Silicon Valley will crumble because furries built the modern IT industry. The furry fandom evolved with the internet and since the 80s, furries have always been pioneers of emerging tech. They’ve incorporated it into their costuming and conventions and even memorials. So what does a furry funeral look like? What does it mean to memorialize an aspect of someone’s life that may not have been part of their bodily form, but was still a part of the identity? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is Close All Tabs. I’m Morgan Sung, tech journalist, and your chronically online friend, here to open as many browser tabs as it takes to help you understand how the digital world affects our real lives. Let’s get into it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is Close All Tabs. I’m Morgan Sung, tech journalist, and your chronically online friend, here to open as many browser tabs as it takes to help you understand how the digital world affects our real lives. Let’s get into it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> We’ll come back to Changa and the Furry Family Ofrenda. But first, we need to understand this fandom. You know how this goes: we open a new tab. What does it mean to be a furry? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> We’ll come back to Changa and the Furry Family Ofrenda. But first, we need to understand this fandom. You know how this goes: we open a new tab. What does it mean to be a furry? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Look, I may be chronically online, but I’m still an outsider when it comes to this fandom. So to explain furries, I reached out to someone who’s actually part of the community. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Look, I may be chronically online, but I’m still an outsider when it comes to this fandom. So to explain furries, I reached out to someone who’s actually part of the community. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> I’m Patch. I go by Patch O’Furr online. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> I’m Patch. I go by Patch O’Furr online. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Patch runs the furry news site, Dogpatch Press. The site covers furry conventions, the furry economy, and has even investigated furry crimes. But before all that, Patch was brand new to San Francisco and exploring the city’s nightlife. Back in 2012, he stumbled across a furry party at a gay bar within walking distance of his apartment. Out of curiosity, he stopped by. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Patch runs the furry news site, Dogpatch Press. The site covers furry conventions, the furry economy, and has even investigated furry crimes. But before all that, Patch was brand new to San Francisco and exploring the city’s nightlife. Back in 2012, he stumbled across a furry party at a gay bar within walking distance of his apartment. Out of curiosity, he stopped by. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> So I showed up and um you know I’m walking down a dark street and here’s this club in front of me with you know some muffled beats and some light coming in through the cracks and uh I walk up to the door and there’s like this beckoning werewolf paw pulling me in. And I walked into this just magical experience. It was being transported to another dimension. I went over towards the dance floor. This was a famous dive bar with like a little postage stamp of a dance floor and I was kind of lurking on the edge and then I saw this amazing sight. There was this six foot cartoon otter who came out from behind a curtain and it just gave me this urge to ask him to dance. And, you know, this is a cartoon character and it’s very loud. So we’re using kind of body language and he just pulls me in and we’re dancing. And I’m just sort of like, wow, this is a cartoon character, but I can actually hug him. And right there I decided I have to be one of these characters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> So I showed up and um you know I’m walking down a dark street and here’s this club in front of me with you know some muffled beats and some light coming in through the cracks and uh I walk up to the door and there’s like this beckoning werewolf paw pulling me in. And I walked into this just magical experience. It was being transported to another dimension. I went over towards the dance floor. This was a famous dive bar with like a little postage stamp of a dance floor and I was kind of lurking on the edge and then I saw this amazing sight. There was this six foot cartoon otter who came out from behind a curtain and it just gave me this urge to ask him to dance. And, you know, this is a cartoon character and it’s very loud. So we’re using kind of body language and he just pulls me in and we’re dancing. And I’m just sort of like, wow, this is a cartoon character, but I can actually hug him. And right there I decided I have to be one of these characters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The otter that Patch met was wearing a “fur suit.” Picture something like a mascot at a theme park. Some people build their own fur suits, which is pretty labor intensive and requires a lot of technical sewing skills. Others commission their fur suits from artists, but that can cost upwards of a couple thousand dollars. Patch ended up finding his fur suit on an auction site. There was one dog suit, a husky to be specific, that jumped out at him. He won the bid, and it arrived just in time for a local furry convention. Patch decided to debut the character that weekend. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The otter that Patch met was wearing a “fur suit.” Picture something like a mascot at a theme park. Some people build their own fur suits, which is pretty labor intensive and requires a lot of technical sewing skills. Others commission their fur suits from artists, but that can cost upwards of a couple thousand dollars. Patch ended up finding his fur suit on an auction site. There was one dog suit, a husky to be specific, that jumped out at him. He won the bid, and it arrived just in time for a local furry convention. Patch decided to debut the character that weekend. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> And there at the hotel when I put it on, it was a very strange feeling for the first 30 minutes. You’re completely immersed. There’s no skin, your senses are sort of muffled, you have tunnel vision. But then, you start to feel this connection with the people who are around you. They’re seeing you as somebody who’s different and kind of magical, and it’s a very addictive feeling. You know, it’s getting out of yourself, but it’s also making a new version of yourself. You can kind of be reborn with this one life that you’re given. And it’s really special to be able to do that and be validated by everybody else who’s doing that. There’s a strong overlap between queer communities and furry communities. And it’s not necessarily that furry is an identity itself. The more accurate definition is um we’re talking about expressing identity. So furry is queer as, you know, so is musical theater or disco or other things that are attached to the queer community, you now, drag. Drag is not always practiced by queer people, but it’s very strongly allied. So the same is true with furries. So they are adopting a fursona so they can be themselves more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> And there at the hotel when I put it on, it was a very strange feeling for the first 30 minutes. You’re completely immersed. There’s no skin, your senses are sort of muffled, you have tunnel vision. But then, you start to feel this connection with the people who are around you. They’re seeing you as somebody who’s different and kind of magical, and it’s a very addictive feeling. You know, it’s getting out of yourself, but it’s also making a new version of yourself. You can kind of be reborn with this one life that you’re given. And it’s really special to be able to do that and be validated by everybody else who’s doing that. There’s a strong overlap between queer communities and furry communities. And it’s not necessarily that furry is an identity itself. The more accurate definition is um we’re talking about expressing identity. So furry is queer as, you know, so is musical theater or disco or other things that are attached to the queer community, you now, drag. Drag is not always practiced by queer people, but it’s very strongly allied. So the same is true with furries. So they are adopting a fursona so they can be themselves more. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa, the husky we talked to earlier, pointed out that there are also a lot of neurodivergent people who gravitate toward the furry fandom. Putting on a fursona can be like masking. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa, the husky we talked to earlier, pointed out that there are also a lot of neurodivergent people who gravitate toward the furry fandom. Putting on a fursona can be like masking. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I mean, people like in this community can have a lot of social anxiety. Um, I mean we are a very neurodiverse, uh, community. We’re very queer, we’re very neurodiverse. And so this community, people will like put on these masks to like actually tell more truth about themselves. Cause I mean let’s be real, real, everybody out there in the real world is always wearing a mask. You’ve got your work persona. You have who you are at the grocery store or at church or what have you, um, you know even to family members and being able to put on say, I don’t know, a doggy persona and just explore that way and be seen that way is a way of interacting with friends and family, um or even just yourself in ways that are actually kind of therapeutic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I mean, people like in this community can have a lot of social anxiety. Um, I mean we are a very neurodiverse, uh, community. We’re very queer, we’re very neurodiverse. And so this community, people will like put on these masks to like actually tell more truth about themselves. Cause I mean let’s be real, real, everybody out there in the real world is always wearing a mask. You’ve got your work persona. You have who you are at the grocery store or at church or what have you, um, you know even to family members and being able to put on say, I don’t know, a doggy persona and just explore that way and be seen that way is a way of interacting with friends and family, um or even just yourself in ways that are actually kind of therapeutic. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So for a lot of furries, the fandom has provided a space to be queer and neurodivergent without judgment. Changa actually found the fandom after watching Lion King. Yes, that’s the 1994 Disney animated movie, Lion King. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> There’s always um like a piece of media that was the inflection point for a lot of furries. Classically, it was Disney’s Robin Hood, you know, something about those foxes. Let’s be real. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> There’s always um like a piece of media that was the inflection point for a lot of furries. Classically, it was Disney’s Robin Hood, you know, something about those foxes. Let’s be real. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> But it was Lion King for you. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> But it was Lion King for you. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> Lion King. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> Lion King. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This was the early 90s at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. It was dangerous to be openly gay, especially in Kansas, where Changa lived at the time. He found solace online in animation role-playing discussion boards. And that’s where he met Mark, who was also obsessed with Disney animation. They hit it off and started talking on the phone. After visiting Mark in California once, Changa decided to move. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This was the early 90s at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. It was dangerous to be openly gay, especially in Kansas, where Changa lived at the time. He found solace online in animation role-playing discussion boards. And that’s where he met Mark, who was also obsessed with Disney animation. They hit it off and started talking on the phone. After visiting Mark in California once, Changa decided to move. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> And this is how I knew Mark was a keeper. He dropped everything, drove to Kansas and helped me move cross country. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> And this is how I knew Mark was a keeper. He dropped everything, drove to Kansas and helped me move cross country. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark and Rodney had an extra room, so Changa ended up moving in and, over time, joined this queer furry polycule. Their house, which is known as the Prancing Skilltaire, is a base for a lot of the fandom. Since the 80s, the Prancing Skilltaire has hosted monthly furry parties, furry convention staff meetings, and other furry get-togethers. They’ve also taken in young queer people who were kicked out of their homes, and once even hosted an impromptu wedding. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark and Rodney had an extra room, so Changa ended up moving in and, over time, joined this queer furry polycule. Their house, which is known as the Prancing Skilltaire, is a base for a lot of the fandom. Since the 80s, the Prancing Skilltaire has hosted monthly furry parties, furry convention staff meetings, and other furry get-togethers. They’ve also taken in young queer people who were kicked out of their homes, and once even hosted an impromptu wedding. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>They’re over there doing their vows. And I just leaned over to Rodney going, “wait, wait. Are they trans? They’re trans.” And it’s like, “yeah, yeah.” It’s, like, “did we just have a trans wedding in our backyard?” He’s like, “yeah.” Like, huh, okay, cool. Um and that was like, oh God, that was more than a decade ago. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>They’re over there doing their vows. And I just leaned over to Rodney going, “wait, wait. Are they trans? They’re trans.” And it’s like, “yeah, yeah.” It’s, like, “did we just have a trans wedding in our backyard?” He’s like, “yeah.” Like, huh, okay, cool. Um and that was like, oh God, that was more than a decade ago. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The Prancing Skilltaire is just one hub for the furry community. The fandom has evolved into a widespread, thriving subculture, and as furries have passed on over the decades, the community has come up with unique ways to honor them. Some choose to pass their costume on to a loved one after they die, and let the character they embodied live a second life. Patch said that this also celebrates the artist who made the fursuit. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The Prancing Skilltaire is just one hub for the furry community. The fandom has evolved into a widespread, thriving subculture, and as furries have passed on over the decades, the community has come up with unique ways to honor them. Some choose to pass their costume on to a loved one after they die, and let the character they embodied live a second life. Patch said that this also celebrates the artist who made the fursuit. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> Another way people can be remembered is they can just have their costume displayed. I know that there are people who have their costumes placed on like a dummy and it’s kept in a certain place in their house. So you can go and say hi to the person again and just have that experience of them having a presence, a physical presence still. There’s also ways that people set up having their costume worn by friends at special occasions, maybe once a year, just so they’re present again. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> Another way people can be remembered is they can just have their costume displayed. I know that there are people who have their costumes placed on like a dummy and it’s kept in a certain place in their house. So you can go and say hi to the person again and just have that experience of them having a presence, a physical presence still. There’s also ways that people set up having their costume worn by friends at special occasions, maybe once a year, just so they’re present again. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That idea of coming back to visit the living really stuck with Mark Merlino, too. He had seen a lot of his peers in the fandom age and pass away, and wanted to honor their memory somehow. Changa said that Mark was obsessed with the Disney Pixar movie Coco, which is about spirits returning home on the day of the dead. In 2018, Mark built an ofrenda display at PAWCon, a furry convention that happened to take place during the holiday. It was just a small room at the event with a single decorated table, but people loved it. They left notes and offerings and photos. So the next year, Mark built another one. He wanted to make it an annual tradition. But then in 2020, the pandemic shut down conventions. It shut down everything else too. Life moved to the internet and so did grieving. That’s a new tab, but first a quick break. Okay, we’re back. Time to open a new tab. And for this one, we’re jumping back into VR. The Furry Family Ofrenda. You made it in one piece? We’re back in VR chat, in this world that Changa and Mark built with the Aztec pyramid, candles, and altars. Right now, Changa is showing me how users can leave offerings. He’s placing a virtual meatball sub on Mark’s ofronda. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That idea of coming back to visit the living really stuck with Mark Merlino, too. He had seen a lot of his peers in the fandom age and pass away, and wanted to honor their memory somehow. Changa said that Mark was obsessed with the Disney Pixar movie Coco, which is about spirits returning home on the day of the dead. In 2018, Mark built an ofrenda display at PAWCon, a furry convention that happened to take place during the holiday. It was just a small room at the event with a single decorated table, but people loved it. They left notes and offerings and photos. So the next year, Mark built another one. He wanted to make it an annual tradition. But then in 2020, the pandemic shut down conventions. It shut down everything else too. Life moved to the internet and so did grieving. That’s a new tab, but first a quick break. Okay, we’re back. Time to open a new tab. And for this one, we’re jumping back into VR. The Furry Family Ofrenda. You made it in one piece? We’re back in VR chat, in this world that Changa and Mark built with the Aztec pyramid, candles, and altars. Right now, Changa is showing me how users can leave offerings. He’s placing a virtual meatball sub on Mark’s ofronda. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Did he like meatball subs? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Did he like meatball subs? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>Uh, yeah, actually he did. Um, we only have so much limited space. Um, I mean, all of this has to be downloaded and rendered on people’s, um, video cards. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>Uh, yeah, actually he did. Um, we only have so much limited space. Um, I mean, all of this has to be downloaded and rendered on people’s, um, video cards. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I know Mark had built that small a friend at this real life in person convention. But can you tell me about this move to VR? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I know Mark had built that small a friend at this real life in person convention. But can you tell me about this move to VR? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>At the time, of course, we’re all locked in in 2020. And this platform, VRChat, had existed already. And then I saw on Twitter at the time people posting pictures from this virtual convention, Furality. And when I went in there it was like, “this is the vibe of a real convention.” This was the real community that I knew. And there was something amazing about slipping on an avatar like this and actually seeing yourself the way you would internally think about yourself. Well, it’s like fursuiting only, well, I won’t say cheaper, good lord, the amount of computer upgrades and technology just keep up in here. But it’s, like, wearing a fursuit without suffocating. Hell, I had my midlife crisis and went canine. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>At the time, of course, we’re all locked in in 2020. And this platform, VRChat, had existed already. And then I saw on Twitter at the time people posting pictures from this virtual convention, Furality. And when I went in there it was like, “this is the vibe of a real convention.” This was the real community that I knew. And there was something amazing about slipping on an avatar like this and actually seeing yourself the way you would internally think about yourself. Well, it’s like fursuiting only, well, I won’t say cheaper, good lord, the amount of computer upgrades and technology just keep up in here. But it’s, like, wearing a fursuit without suffocating. Hell, I had my midlife crisis and went canine. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s when Mark had an idea. Instead of building a single physical ofrenda, why not build a VR world where each furry could have their own? He didn’t have the technical skills to make it happen, but Changa did. So, Changa started digging through a site called WikiFur, which is like Wikipedia for furries. He started adding ofrendas for each furry listed as deceased on WikiFur. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s when Mark had an idea. Instead of building a single physical ofrenda, why not build a VR world where each furry could have their own? He didn’t have the technical skills to make it happen, but Changa did. So, Changa started digging through a site called WikiFur, which is like Wikipedia for furries. He started adding ofrendas for each furry listed as deceased on WikiFur. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>And it just kind of blew up from there. Now it’s just more of a matter of trying to keep up as people pass. Which is, oh god, well I would really hope people would kind of stop doing that. That would be, that would be great. It’s not as bad as it was in 2020. 2020 was traumatic. You’re really changing when you’re sitting there counting the dead within your own community. And this actually gave a lot of people a space to kind of mourn, given that we weren’t able to really, like, be together in person. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>And it just kind of blew up from there. Now it’s just more of a matter of trying to keep up as people pass. Which is, oh god, well I would really hope people would kind of stop doing that. That would be, that would be great. It’s not as bad as it was in 2020. 2020 was traumatic. You’re really changing when you’re sitting there counting the dead within your own community. And this actually gave a lot of people a space to kind of mourn, given that we weren’t able to really, like, be together in person. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The original Furry Family Ofrenda was pretty basic. Changa had to work with pre-made assets and none of them were made for the Day of the Dead. It definitely wasn’t culturally accurate. In 2021, the Furry Family Ofrenda got a makeover with the help of a Mexican furry convention called Confuror. The event is based in Guadalajara, Mexico, but during the pandemic lockdown, it was entirely on VRChat, and they wanted to host part of it in the Furry Family Ofrenda. The event organizers hired Mexican artists to design new 3D assets for the space so that it could look more like a real Day of the Dead festival. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The original Furry Family Ofrenda was pretty basic. Changa had to work with pre-made assets and none of them were made for the Day of the Dead. It definitely wasn’t culturally accurate. In 2021, the Furry Family Ofrenda got a makeover with the help of a Mexican furry convention called Confuror. The event is based in Guadalajara, Mexico, but during the pandemic lockdown, it was entirely on VRChat, and they wanted to host part of it in the Furry Family Ofrenda. The event organizers hired Mexican artists to design new 3D assets for the space so that it could look more like a real Day of the Dead festival. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I’m not from the culture that this celebration came comes from, but they helped immensely. I’m glad it’s the kind of culture that that was shareable, you know, it’s because it’s a beautiful way of dealing with mourning. Because I mean a lot of mourning is like sitting around crying and I know Mark preferred the idea of like joyfully talking about people that passed and remembering them, you know bring out the food celebrate, talk, and all that. And it was really wonderful to be able to bring a piece of that into a virtual space. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I’m not from the culture that this celebration came comes from, but they helped immensely. I’m glad it’s the kind of culture that that was shareable, you know, it’s because it’s a beautiful way of dealing with mourning. Because I mean a lot of mourning is like sitting around crying and I know Mark preferred the idea of like joyfully talking about people that passed and remembering them, you know bring out the food celebrate, talk, and all that. And it was really wonderful to be able to bring a piece of that into a virtual space. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> In the five years since Changa built it, the Furry Family Ofrenda has memorialized countless furries. Some of the altars feature photos of people’s real faces, but many of them honor their fursona too, which may not be acknowledged in any real-life memorials. You don’t need a whole VR setup. You can access it from any computer or mobile app. That’s why it’s become an important gathering spot for the community. That connection to the larger community became really important to the Prancing Skilltaire household during the pandemic lockdowns. And then again, when Mark got sick. Let’s talk about that in a new tab. Remembering Sy Sable. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> In the five years since Changa built it, the Furry Family Ofrenda has memorialized countless furries. Some of the altars feature photos of people’s real faces, but many of them honor their fursona too, which may not be acknowledged in any real-life memorials. You don’t need a whole VR setup. You can access it from any computer or mobile app. That’s why it’s become an important gathering spot for the community. That connection to the larger community became really important to the Prancing Skilltaire household during the pandemic lockdowns. And then again, when Mark got sick. Let’s talk about that in a new tab. Remembering Sy Sable. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>When he went sick, I mean, both me and Rodney were like breaking. Let’s be real. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>When he went sick, I mean, both me and Rodney were like breaking. Let’s be real. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark had a stroke in December 2023, but was stable enough to come home in time for Christmas. Then he got sicker during that holiday week. After seven hospitals, an ICU stay, and a stint in a rehab center, Mark was diagnosed with stage four terminal liver cancer. That news shook the furry community. Once word got out, furries put together a GoFundMe to cover his medical bills. People who had attended Prancing Skilltaire parties or crashed on their sofa when they were kicked out for being gay, showed up to help with Mark’s hospice care. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark had a stroke in December 2023, but was stable enough to come home in time for Christmas. Then he got sicker during that holiday week. After seven hospitals, an ICU stay, and a stint in a rehab center, Mark was diagnosed with stage four terminal liver cancer. That news shook the furry community. Once word got out, furries put together a GoFundMe to cover his medical bills. People who had attended Prancing Skilltaire parties or crashed on their sofa when they were kicked out for being gay, showed up to help with Mark’s hospice care. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>So there was a lot of outpouring of love. And I mean, when you have, you know, young, like early 20-year-old kid showing up at your door with a covered dish while, you know, your partner’s hospicing, it says a lot. That is community. That is, you know, the found family. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>So there was a lot of outpouring of love. And I mean, when you have, you know, young, like early 20-year-old kid showing up at your door with a covered dish while, you know, your partner’s hospicing, it says a lot. That is community. That is, you know, the found family. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And those who couldn’t help out in person kept him company in VR. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And those who couldn’t help out in person kept him company in VR. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We were bringing in, you know, had a tablet for Mark, where he could talk over Discord with various friends that he’d gotten to know on VR. And so he was able, from his deathbed, to, you now, have conversations with various friends that we were scheduling. He could, essentially on a tablet, get to talk with people who are still presenting themselves with avatars and the way they saw themselves and the way he saw them. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We were bringing in, you know, had a tablet for Mark, where he could talk over Discord with various friends that he’d gotten to know on VR. And so he was able, from his deathbed, to, you now, have conversations with various friends that we were scheduling. He could, essentially on a tablet, get to talk with people who are still presenting themselves with avatars and the way they saw themselves and the way he saw them. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark passed away in his home at the Prancing Skilltaire last February. Changa and Rodney knew that Mark didn’t want a traditional somber funeral. Remember that bit about furries building the tech industry as we know it? Changa and Rodney incorporated that into Mark’s funeral too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark passed away in his home at the Prancing Skilltaire last February. Changa and Rodney knew that Mark didn’t want a traditional somber funeral. Remember that bit about furries building the tech industry as we know it? Changa and Rodney incorporated that into Mark’s funeral too. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We were both kind of agreement that it should be a big blow-out party. We would celebrate him and so we rented out a hall and given the virtual reality community that both he and I were involved in and close to the staff, the convention Furality decided to help us with some resources and they built a VR portal so that people could show up and give their respects virtually. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We were both kind of agreement that it should be a big blow-out party. We would celebrate him and so we rented out a hall and given the virtual reality community that both he and I were involved in and close to the staff, the convention Furality decided to help us with some resources and they built a VR portal so that people could show up and give their respects virtually. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Furality is the virtual reality convention that initially got Mark and Changa into using VRChat. A VR portal is a massive screen that acts as a window between the real world and VR for people who can’t make it to events in person. Usually conventions, but in this case, a funeral. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Furality is the virtual reality convention that initially got Mark and Changa into using VRChat. A VR portal is a massive screen that acts as a window between the real world and VR for people who can’t make it to events in person. Usually conventions, but in this case, a funeral. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>They rented out the equipment and we had to scout out how good the internet was because our requirements, just a little off the beaten path of normally. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So the physical funeral was beamed into a virtual room that Furality had built for the event. Meanwhile, that virtual room was beamed into the funeral. People took turns speaking about Mark. They either spoke from the real life podium or from a huge screen that displayed the VR portal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We did have also several hundred people actually at the event, and there was that level of chaos that um, technical chaos that just keeps me focused. Like, “okay, we need to string cable.” Really what it came down to is it really felt like every other community social convention sort of situation that we’d been trained for, that like we essentially took all the stuff we would have done setting up at a hotel for a convention, just really concentrated in a hurry, in a hall. We had drawing pads where people were sketching, little tribute sort of things. I brought in a little portable TV from the 80s, and it was playing media that was related to Sy, some of his stuff he’d shot. So there’s like all this mix of kind of like technology, retro technology, art, and of course junk food. We actually had fursuiters. People got into fursuit too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We did have also several hundred people actually at the event, and there was that level of chaos that um, technical chaos that just keeps me focused. Like, “okay, we need to string cable.” Really what it came down to is it really felt like every other community social convention sort of situation that we’d been trained for, that like we essentially took all the stuff we would have done setting up at a hotel for a convention, just really concentrated in a hurry, in a hall. We had drawing pads where people were sketching, little tribute sort of things. I brought in a little portable TV from the 80s, and it was playing media that was related to Sy, some of his stuff he’d shot. So there’s like all this mix of kind of like technology, retro technology, art, and of course junk food. We actually had fursuiters. People got into fursuit too. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>Oh, that’s probably the case. Yeah, it was like a mini party convention. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, aside from huge technical feat, which is very cool, it also sounds like it was a real community event. What was it like to add him to the ofrenda? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>That was painful, that was by myself. I did not grieve at the memorial, I was just too busy, I kept myself distracted. But adding him to the ofrenda was just, oh, oh, that’s was a painful upload. I never prepared for that, but it was kind of fitting that he would end up getting put into the thing that he, well he spurned on. It was like the project that he put on to me, and now I have to keep that torch going for him. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa actually hasn’t visited Mark’s altar much since uploading it. He says he’s been avoiding it. This interview, where he showed me around, was one of the first times he’s back. Like his funeral itself, many of the memorials and tributes honoring Mark are really for the greater furry community to pay their respects. Changa said he struggles to grieve at these community spaces. Like last year, Furality wanted to honor Mark during the convention’s closing ceremony. So they asked Changa for a photo of Mark’s VR avatar. Since there weren’t any good ones available, Changa had to put on Mark’s fursona in VR. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa actually hasn’t visited Mark’s altar much since uploading it. He says he’s been avoiding it. This interview, where he showed me around, was one of the first times he’s back. Like his funeral itself, many of the memorials and tributes honoring Mark are really for the greater furry community to pay their respects. Changa said he struggles to grieve at these community spaces. Like last year, Furality wanted to honor Mark during the convention’s closing ceremony. So they asked Changa for a photo of Mark’s VR avatar. Since there weren’t any good ones available, Changa had to put on Mark’s fursona in VR. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I had to get into his avatar with a photographer and kind of do a shoot. And that was painful. You know, it’s like, I really wanted to get that over with. Yeah, well, yeah, get slipping into your dead partner’s body, essentially. But it was a beautiful tribute when they actually did it. It was lovely. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I had to get into his avatar with a photographer and kind of do a shoot. And that was painful. You know, it’s like, I really wanted to get that over with. Yeah, well, yeah, get slipping into your dead partner’s body, essentially. But it was a beautiful tribute when they actually did it. It was lovely. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Instead of these public tributes, Changa has his own way of honoring Mark’s memory. And of course, it involves virtual reality. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Instead of these public tributes, Changa has his own way of honoring Mark’s memory. And of course, it involves virtual reality. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I’m a good video editor and I was doing a whole bunch of very nostalgic stuff with modern music, you know, where I’m like putting people in original like movie footage — doing that scene from Risky Business, you now where they slide in, except it’s a werewolf. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I’m a good video editor and I was doing a whole bunch of very nostalgic stuff with modern music, you know, where I’m like putting people in original like movie footage — doing that scene from Risky Business, you now where they slide in, except it’s a werewolf. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa and his friends record the footage using tracking rigs. They dance and lip sync to the music, and then Changa composites their fursonas over movie scenes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa and his friends record the footage using tracking rigs. They dance and lip sync to the music, and then Changa composites their fursonas over movie scenes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>And the first one I worked on was from The Birdcage. It’s that iconic scene on the park bench with the boat going by the harbor. And that was the moment where Robin Williams and Nathan Lane’s characters are sitting down and it’s kind of the, you know, “I’m 50 whatever and you’re my family. You’re the only person I wanna spend the rest of my life with.” It is iconic queer media. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>And the first one I worked on was from The Birdcage. It’s that iconic scene on the park bench with the boat going by the harbor. And that was the moment where Robin Williams and Nathan Lane’s characters are sitting down and it’s kind of the, you know, “I’m 50 whatever and you’re my family. You’re the only person I wanna spend the rest of my life with.” It is iconic queer media. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Robin Williams: \u003c/strong>What does it matter? Take it all. I’m 50 years old. There’s only one place in the world I call home, and it’s because you’re there. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Robin Williams: \u003c/strong>What does it matter? Take it all. I’m 50 years old. There’s only one place in the world I call home, and it’s because you’re there. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The birdcage scene in Changa’s music video is just a few seconds long. It has Changa as big, gray, husky fursona sitting on the bench, dressed in red pinstripe pants and rose-tinted glasses. It’s just like the outfit Nathan Lane wore in the movie. Changa lip syncs a line from the song, and then the music video shifts to another movie. But before the scene flashes by, you might catch a glimpse of Mark’s fursana, the mustelid called Sy Sable perched on the bench next to Changa. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The birdcage scene in Changa’s music video is just a few seconds long. It has Changa as big, gray, husky fursona sitting on the bench, dressed in red pinstripe pants and rose-tinted glasses. It’s just like the outfit Nathan Lane wore in the movie. Changa lip syncs a line from the song, and then the music video shifts to another movie. But before the scene flashes by, you might catch a glimpse of Mark’s fursana, the mustelid called Sy Sable perched on the bench next to Changa. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I just hope he could see it wherever he is. I don’t think they have YouTube. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I just hope he could see it wherever he is. I don’t think they have YouTube. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung: \u003c/strong>Like we said at the top, this episode first aired a year ago. We recently caught up with Changa over email. He said he’s actually planning a rebuild of the Furry Family Ofrenda, with the help of a larger development team (of fellow furries, of course) and better technology. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung: \u003c/strong>Like we said at the top, this episode first aired a year ago. We recently caught up with Changa over email. He said he’s actually planning a rebuild of the Furry Family Ofrenda, with the help of a larger development team (of fellow furries, of course) and better technology. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>His hope is that it’ll be easier to find individual altars in this revamped world, and implement a better system for submitting information for each memorial. Basically, streamlining the whole process so this world is easier to manage, and is more accessible.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>His hope is that it’ll be easier to find individual altars in this revamped world, and implement a better system for submitting information for each memorial. Basically, streamlining the whole process so this world is easier to manage, and is more accessible.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Although he spends a lot of time maintaining the Furry Family Ofrenda, Changa hadn’t been to Mark’s altar much since his passing — except for our interview last year. But a few months later, on Dia de los Muertos, Changa finally sat down at Mark’s memorial, and took in the world they built together.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Although he spends a lot of time maintaining the Furry Family Ofrenda, Changa hadn’t been to Mark’s altar much since his passing — except for our interview last year. But a few months later, on Dia de los Muertos, Changa finally sat down at Mark’s memorial, and took in the world they built together.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over email, he said: “Dealing with loss can really be such a slow burn.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We’ll be back next week with another deep dive. For now, let’s close all these tabs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Close All Tabs is a production of KQED Studios, and is reported and hosted by me, Morgan Sung. This episode was produced by Chris Egusa and edited by Jen Chien, who is our Director of Podcasts. The Close All Tabs team also includes producer Maya Cueva, editor Chris Hambrick, and audio engineer Brendan Willard. Our intern is Lauren Yoon. Additional music by APM.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Keyboard sounds were recorded on my purple and pink Dustsilver K-84 wired mechanical keyboard with Gateron Red switches. If you like these deep dives and want to support public media, become a member at donate dot KQED dot org slash podcasts! \u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003cem>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anthrocon, the largest gathering of furries in the world, just celebrated its 20th anniversary in July — so we’re re-airing one of our favorite episodes yet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Furries are a community often known for wearing full-body animal suits at conventions, but the characters they inhabit, called “fursonas,” are much more than costumes. They’re deeply personal expressions of identity and creativity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So when someone in the furry fandom dies, how does the community say goodbye? In some cases, they take to VR. Since 2020, a furry named Changa Husky has been running the \u003ca href=\"https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_8b9be9e0-f4f3-4f3e-b671-0a0714fa262a\">Furry Family Ofrenda\u003c/a>, a virtual memorial space inspired by the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos. It’s a place where furries gather to remember and celebrate the people — and fursonas — who have passed. In this episode, Morgan steps into that virtual world to explore what it means for a community to grieve both a person and the character they brought to life.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-megaphone wp-block-embed-megaphone\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC1428041683\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Guests: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/changa.gay\">Changa Husky\u003c/a>, furry Vtuber and video producer\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://dogpatch.press/author/patchofurr/\">Patch O’Furr\u003c/a>, founder and writer, \u003cem>Dogpatch Press\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Further Reading/Listening:\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://thespinoff.co.nz/internet/11-01-2022/who-runs-the-internet-furries\">Who runs the internet? Furries\u003c/a> — Dylan Reeve, \u003cem>The Spinoff \u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://dogpatch.press/2024/02/22/remembering-mark-merlino/\">Remembering Mark Merlino (1952-2024), a founder and soul of furry fandom \u003c/a>— Patch O’Furr, \u003cem>Dogpatch Press \u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv0QaTW3kEY\">The Fandom: A Furry Documentary\u003c/a> — Ash Coyote, \u003cem>YouTube\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqOFuRic3KU\">Never Ending Song – Doggo Edition \u003c/a>— Changa Husky, \u003cem>YouTube\u003c/em> \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_8b9be9e0-f4f3-4f3e-b671-0a0714fa262a\">Visit the Furry Family Ofrenda\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Want to give us feedback on the show? Shoot us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\">CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Follow us on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/closealltabspod/\">Instagram\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">TikTok\u003c/a>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cem>\u003cem>\u003cem>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung: \u003c/strong>Hello! Do you like these deep dives? Do you want more? Then please rate and review Close All Tabs on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show! And tell your friends! Post about it! Look, we don’t have a clipping army or bot farms to astroturf virality, so it would be a huge help to get the word out. All I’m saying is, we would not be opposed if you want to start a Close All Tabs stan account. Ok, let’s get to the show.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the US was ablaze with fireworks for our country’s 250th anniversary. But in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the weekend of the Fourth of July is a big deal every year. That’s when the furries take over. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Every July, crowds of anthropomorphic animals descend upon downtown Pittsburgh — a huge boost to the local economy. You might see a cluster of attendees at the local cafe, dressed in regular clothes — but holding their lattes between gloves that look like furry paws. You’ll probably catch a few milling about the city in fuzzy fox ears and clip on tails. But at the convention center itself, out of the blazing summer heat, is another world of fantastical, otherworldly beasts. That’s where you’ll find the crowds in full fursuits, covered head to toe so they don’t look human and all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is Anthrocon, the world’s largest get together for furries. This year, the convention drew over 20,000 attendees for workshops, artist markets, charity events, meet and greets, and of course, the big fursuit parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just over a year ago, just in time for Anthrocon, we aired a very special episode about furry funerals — what it means to grieve a version of someone that the rest of the world might not see. And how furries, being incredibly tech adept, have used virtual reality to memorialize their loved ones. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the Close All Tabs team, this is one of our favorite episodes of the show — and genuinely, maybe one of my favorite stories that I’ve ever worked on in my entire journalistic career. So in honor of Anthrocon’s big 20th anniversary this year, we’re re-airing this very special episode. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you’re like, wait, what the hell are furries? What does any of this have to do with your whole thing of “how the digital world shapes our real lives?” Well … stick around. This is \u003cem>How the Furry Fandom Says Goodbye. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I’m standing under a black sky with cobalt blue clouds. In front of me looms an Aztec pyramid. There are trees in the distance with puffs of fuchsia and chartreuse leaves. And there’s a massive tree growing in the center of the pyramid too. The steps leading to the top are lined with candles, as well as an array of offerings like food and sugar skulls. Strung throughout the space are vibrant paper flags featuring intricate designs of cartoon animals. A variety of creatures appear and then disappear around me. Foxes, dragons, and beings that look like more ethereal versions of Sonic the Hedgehog. And my guide to this mystical place?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I’m Changa Husky. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa is an anthropomorphic, animated husky dog. He has gray fur that’s lighter around his muzzle and a tuft of black hair on top of his head. His eyes are icy blue behind gold-rimmed glasses and his brown ears move as his facial expressions change. He and I are together in this virtual world, but I’m talking to him through the screen of my laptop. And yes, there is a real person under his virtual costume. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I am a furry of an older variety. I’ve been in the fandom for decades since at least the early to mid-90s, and I’m here to talk about, well, this world I built in virtual reality. We call this the Furry Family Ofrenda. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This VR world is inspired by the Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday dedicated to honoring the lives of those who have passed away. Families welcome back spirits of their loved ones with altars called “ofrendas,” adorned with photos, candles, flowers, and offerings of the departed’s favorite foods. This isn’t a holiday for mourning, but for celebrating. Changa shows me how this virtual world is dotted with altars, each one with a framed photo, candles and a plaque. They’re all dedicated to the fursonas of people who have passed away. Fursona is a portmanteau of fur and persona, essentially an alter ego. And just a note, in this episode, we’ll be referring to a few people, including Changa, by their “fursona” names. Furries are often the targets of harassment and bullying, so many of them are publicly known only by their pseudonyms to maintain their safety and privacy. Beyond that, fursonas are kind of like a drag persona. It’s how a lot of furries express themselves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> A lot of drag personas are just that person exploring their identity. To be able to put on a mask and amplify your personality. It ends up being a way of exploring your identity and yourself. And not in those cliches of, “oh, I identify as blah, blah, blah.” It’s like, no, I know I’m human. But there are ways you can explore who you are and how you interact with the world and friends, through the lens of um like an anthropomorphic creature. It’s very much a medium. It’s like a medium of expression. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa stops at one particular altar with a framed photo of an older man, a human person, to be clear. He’s got glasses and he’s smiling from under his gray mustache. And he’s wearing a baseball cap with two fluffy auburn ears sticking out of it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> His fursona was a mustelid, a pine martin, a kind of tree weasel, and he was, well, very much the weasel persona. They have to be a little fearless, you know, tiny little carnivore. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This pine martin was named Sy Sable, also known as Mark Merlino. He passed away a year ago, and he was Changa’s life partner. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> This project was his idea. So it was beautiful but painful that I had to add him in here. I was with him for close to 30 years before he passed. I mean, many marriages do not last that long. And here we are a polycule. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark Merlino and Mark’s other partner, Rodney O’Reilly, are known as the grandfathers of the furry fandom. Their house, where Changa also lives, has been a home base for the fandom for decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> Mark and Rodney, the founders of the first furry convention, were a bisexual couple, openly. And they started the convention in 1989, which was not the greatest time period to be very openly queer. Let’s be real, much less running a convention. And that became a safe space for a lot of people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Now outsiders might only know the subculture as a weird kink for dressing up as animals. And because of that stigma, a lot of furries aren’t open about being furries to people outside of the fandom. And that means grieving, for furries, might look a little different. Even if someone wasn’t open about being a furry to the rest of the world, the furry community remembers that person’s fursona as much as their real-life presence. And then there’s the fandom’s technical aptitude. There’s a long running joke online that if a plane full of furries goes down, then Silicon Valley will crumble because furries built the modern IT industry. The furry fandom evolved with the internet and since the 80s, furries have always been pioneers of emerging tech. They’ve incorporated it into their costuming and conventions and even memorials. So what does a furry funeral look like? What does it mean to memorialize an aspect of someone’s life that may not have been part of their bodily form, but was still a part of the identity? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is Close All Tabs. I’m Morgan Sung, tech journalist, and your chronically online friend, here to open as many browser tabs as it takes to help you understand how the digital world affects our real lives. Let’s get into it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> We’ll come back to Changa and the Furry Family Ofrenda. But first, we need to understand this fandom. You know how this goes: we open a new tab. What does it mean to be a furry? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Look, I may be chronically online, but I’m still an outsider when it comes to this fandom. So to explain furries, I reached out to someone who’s actually part of the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> I’m Patch. I go by Patch O’Furr online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Patch runs the furry news site, Dogpatch Press. The site covers furry conventions, the furry economy, and has even investigated furry crimes. But before all that, Patch was brand new to San Francisco and exploring the city’s nightlife. Back in 2012, he stumbled across a furry party at a gay bar within walking distance of his apartment. Out of curiosity, he stopped by. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> So I showed up and um you know I’m walking down a dark street and here’s this club in front of me with you know some muffled beats and some light coming in through the cracks and uh I walk up to the door and there’s like this beckoning werewolf paw pulling me in. And I walked into this just magical experience. It was being transported to another dimension. I went over towards the dance floor. This was a famous dive bar with like a little postage stamp of a dance floor and I was kind of lurking on the edge and then I saw this amazing sight. There was this six foot cartoon otter who came out from behind a curtain and it just gave me this urge to ask him to dance. And, you know, this is a cartoon character and it’s very loud. So we’re using kind of body language and he just pulls me in and we’re dancing. And I’m just sort of like, wow, this is a cartoon character, but I can actually hug him. And right there I decided I have to be one of these characters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The otter that Patch met was wearing a “fur suit.” Picture something like a mascot at a theme park. Some people build their own fur suits, which is pretty labor intensive and requires a lot of technical sewing skills. Others commission their fur suits from artists, but that can cost upwards of a couple thousand dollars. Patch ended up finding his fur suit on an auction site. There was one dog suit, a husky to be specific, that jumped out at him. He won the bid, and it arrived just in time for a local furry convention. Patch decided to debut the character that weekend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> And there at the hotel when I put it on, it was a very strange feeling for the first 30 minutes. You’re completely immersed. There’s no skin, your senses are sort of muffled, you have tunnel vision. But then, you start to feel this connection with the people who are around you. They’re seeing you as somebody who’s different and kind of magical, and it’s a very addictive feeling. You know, it’s getting out of yourself, but it’s also making a new version of yourself. You can kind of be reborn with this one life that you’re given. And it’s really special to be able to do that and be validated by everybody else who’s doing that. There’s a strong overlap between queer communities and furry communities. And it’s not necessarily that furry is an identity itself. The more accurate definition is um we’re talking about expressing identity. So furry is queer as, you know, so is musical theater or disco or other things that are attached to the queer community, you now, drag. Drag is not always practiced by queer people, but it’s very strongly allied. So the same is true with furries. So they are adopting a fursona so they can be themselves more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa, the husky we talked to earlier, pointed out that there are also a lot of neurodivergent people who gravitate toward the furry fandom. Putting on a fursona can be like masking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> I mean, people like in this community can have a lot of social anxiety. Um, I mean we are a very neurodiverse, uh, community. We’re very queer, we’re very neurodiverse. And so this community, people will like put on these masks to like actually tell more truth about themselves. Cause I mean let’s be real, real, everybody out there in the real world is always wearing a mask. You’ve got your work persona. You have who you are at the grocery store or at church or what have you, um, you know even to family members and being able to put on say, I don’t know, a doggy persona and just explore that way and be seen that way is a way of interacting with friends and family, um or even just yourself in ways that are actually kind of therapeutic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So for a lot of furries, the fandom has provided a space to be queer and neurodivergent without judgment. Changa actually found the fandom after watching Lion King. Yes, that’s the 1994 Disney animated movie, Lion King. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> There’s always um like a piece of media that was the inflection point for a lot of furries. Classically, it was Disney’s Robin Hood, you know, something about those foxes. Let’s be real. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> But it was Lion King for you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> Lion King. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This was the early 90s at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. It was dangerous to be openly gay, especially in Kansas, where Changa lived at the time. He found solace online in animation role-playing discussion boards. And that’s where he met Mark, who was also obsessed with Disney animation. They hit it off and started talking on the phone. After visiting Mark in California once, Changa decided to move. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky:\u003c/strong> And this is how I knew Mark was a keeper. He dropped everything, drove to Kansas and helped me move cross country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark and Rodney had an extra room, so Changa ended up moving in and, over time, joined this queer furry polycule. Their house, which is known as the Prancing Skilltaire, is a base for a lot of the fandom. Since the 80s, the Prancing Skilltaire has hosted monthly furry parties, furry convention staff meetings, and other furry get-togethers. They’ve also taken in young queer people who were kicked out of their homes, and once even hosted an impromptu wedding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>They’re over there doing their vows. And I just leaned over to Rodney going, “wait, wait. Are they trans? They’re trans.” And it’s like, “yeah, yeah.” It’s, like, “did we just have a trans wedding in our backyard?” He’s like, “yeah.” Like, huh, okay, cool. Um and that was like, oh God, that was more than a decade ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The Prancing Skilltaire is just one hub for the furry community. The fandom has evolved into a widespread, thriving subculture, and as furries have passed on over the decades, the community has come up with unique ways to honor them. Some choose to pass their costume on to a loved one after they die, and let the character they embodied live a second life. Patch said that this also celebrates the artist who made the fursuit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patch O’Furr:\u003c/strong> Another way people can be remembered is they can just have their costume displayed. I know that there are people who have their costumes placed on like a dummy and it’s kept in a certain place in their house. So you can go and say hi to the person again and just have that experience of them having a presence, a physical presence still. There’s also ways that people set up having their costume worn by friends at special occasions, maybe once a year, just so they’re present again. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That idea of coming back to visit the living really stuck with Mark Merlino, too. He had seen a lot of his peers in the fandom age and pass away, and wanted to honor their memory somehow. Changa said that Mark was obsessed with the Disney Pixar movie Coco, which is about spirits returning home on the day of the dead. In 2018, Mark built an ofrenda display at PAWCon, a furry convention that happened to take place during the holiday. It was just a small room at the event with a single decorated table, but people loved it. They left notes and offerings and photos. So the next year, Mark built another one. He wanted to make it an annual tradition. But then in 2020, the pandemic shut down conventions. It shut down everything else too. Life moved to the internet and so did grieving. That’s a new tab, but first a quick break. Okay, we’re back. Time to open a new tab. And for this one, we’re jumping back into VR. The Furry Family Ofrenda. You made it in one piece? We’re back in VR chat, in this world that Changa and Mark built with the Aztec pyramid, candles, and altars. Right now, Changa is showing me how users can leave offerings. He’s placing a virtual meatball sub on Mark’s ofronda. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Did he like meatball subs? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>Uh, yeah, actually he did. Um, we only have so much limited space. Um, I mean, all of this has to be downloaded and rendered on people’s, um, video cards. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I know Mark had built that small a friend at this real life in person convention. But can you tell me about this move to VR? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>At the time, of course, we’re all locked in in 2020. And this platform, VRChat, had existed already. And then I saw on Twitter at the time people posting pictures from this virtual convention, Furality. And when I went in there it was like, “this is the vibe of a real convention.” This was the real community that I knew. And there was something amazing about slipping on an avatar like this and actually seeing yourself the way you would internally think about yourself. Well, it’s like fursuiting only, well, I won’t say cheaper, good lord, the amount of computer upgrades and technology just keep up in here. But it’s, like, wearing a fursuit without suffocating. Hell, I had my midlife crisis and went canine. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s when Mark had an idea. Instead of building a single physical ofrenda, why not build a VR world where each furry could have their own? He didn’t have the technical skills to make it happen, but Changa did. So, Changa started digging through a site called WikiFur, which is like Wikipedia for furries. He started adding ofrendas for each furry listed as deceased on WikiFur. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>And it just kind of blew up from there. Now it’s just more of a matter of trying to keep up as people pass. Which is, oh god, well I would really hope people would kind of stop doing that. That would be, that would be great. It’s not as bad as it was in 2020. 2020 was traumatic. You’re really changing when you’re sitting there counting the dead within your own community. And this actually gave a lot of people a space to kind of mourn, given that we weren’t able to really, like, be together in person. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The original Furry Family Ofrenda was pretty basic. Changa had to work with pre-made assets and none of them were made for the Day of the Dead. It definitely wasn’t culturally accurate. In 2021, the Furry Family Ofrenda got a makeover with the help of a Mexican furry convention called Confuror. The event is based in Guadalajara, Mexico, but during the pandemic lockdown, it was entirely on VRChat, and they wanted to host part of it in the Furry Family Ofrenda. The event organizers hired Mexican artists to design new 3D assets for the space so that it could look more like a real Day of the Dead festival. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I’m not from the culture that this celebration came comes from, but they helped immensely. I’m glad it’s the kind of culture that that was shareable, you know, it’s because it’s a beautiful way of dealing with mourning. Because I mean a lot of mourning is like sitting around crying and I know Mark preferred the idea of like joyfully talking about people that passed and remembering them, you know bring out the food celebrate, talk, and all that. And it was really wonderful to be able to bring a piece of that into a virtual space. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> In the five years since Changa built it, the Furry Family Ofrenda has memorialized countless furries. Some of the altars feature photos of people’s real faces, but many of them honor their fursona too, which may not be acknowledged in any real-life memorials. You don’t need a whole VR setup. You can access it from any computer or mobile app. That’s why it’s become an important gathering spot for the community. That connection to the larger community became really important to the Prancing Skilltaire household during the pandemic lockdowns. And then again, when Mark got sick. Let’s talk about that in a new tab. Remembering Sy Sable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>When he went sick, I mean, both me and Rodney were like breaking. Let’s be real. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark had a stroke in December 2023, but was stable enough to come home in time for Christmas. Then he got sicker during that holiday week. After seven hospitals, an ICU stay, and a stint in a rehab center, Mark was diagnosed with stage four terminal liver cancer. That news shook the furry community. Once word got out, furries put together a GoFundMe to cover his medical bills. People who had attended Prancing Skilltaire parties or crashed on their sofa when they were kicked out for being gay, showed up to help with Mark’s hospice care. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>So there was a lot of outpouring of love. And I mean, when you have, you know, young, like early 20-year-old kid showing up at your door with a covered dish while, you know, your partner’s hospicing, it says a lot. That is community. That is, you know, the found family. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And those who couldn’t help out in person kept him company in VR. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We were bringing in, you know, had a tablet for Mark, where he could talk over Discord with various friends that he’d gotten to know on VR. And so he was able, from his deathbed, to, you now, have conversations with various friends that we were scheduling. He could, essentially on a tablet, get to talk with people who are still presenting themselves with avatars and the way they saw themselves and the way he saw them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Mark passed away in his home at the Prancing Skilltaire last February. Changa and Rodney knew that Mark didn’t want a traditional somber funeral. Remember that bit about furries building the tech industry as we know it? Changa and Rodney incorporated that into Mark’s funeral too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We were both kind of agreement that it should be a big blow-out party. We would celebrate him and so we rented out a hall and given the virtual reality community that both he and I were involved in and close to the staff, the convention Furality decided to help us with some resources and they built a VR portal so that people could show up and give their respects virtually. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Furality is the virtual reality convention that initially got Mark and Changa into using VRChat. A VR portal is a massive screen that acts as a window between the real world and VR for people who can’t make it to events in person. Usually conventions, but in this case, a funeral. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>They rented out the equipment and we had to scout out how good the internet was because our requirements, just a little off the beaten path of normally. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So the physical funeral was beamed into a virtual room that Furality had built for the event. Meanwhile, that virtual room was beamed into the funeral. People took turns speaking about Mark. They either spoke from the real life podium or from a huge screen that displayed the VR portal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>We did have also several hundred people actually at the event, and there was that level of chaos that um, technical chaos that just keeps me focused. Like, “okay, we need to string cable.” Really what it came down to is it really felt like every other community social convention sort of situation that we’d been trained for, that like we essentially took all the stuff we would have done setting up at a hotel for a convention, just really concentrated in a hurry, in a hall. We had drawing pads where people were sketching, little tribute sort of things. I brought in a little portable TV from the 80s, and it was playing media that was related to Sy, some of his stuff he’d shot. So there’s like all this mix of kind of like technology, retro technology, art, and of course junk food. We actually had fursuiters. People got into fursuit too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, it doesn’t sound like any funeral I’ve ever seen or been to. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>Oh, that’s probably the case. Yeah, it was like a mini party convention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, aside from huge technical feat, which is very cool, it also sounds like it was a real community event. What was it like to add him to the ofrenda? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>That was painful, that was by myself. I did not grieve at the memorial, I was just too busy, I kept myself distracted. But adding him to the ofrenda was just, oh, oh, that’s was a painful upload. I never prepared for that, but it was kind of fitting that he would end up getting put into the thing that he, well he spurned on. It was like the project that he put on to me, and now I have to keep that torch going for him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa actually hasn’t visited Mark’s altar much since uploading it. He says he’s been avoiding it. This interview, where he showed me around, was one of the first times he’s back. Like his funeral itself, many of the memorials and tributes honoring Mark are really for the greater furry community to pay their respects. Changa said he struggles to grieve at these community spaces. Like last year, Furality wanted to honor Mark during the convention’s closing ceremony. So they asked Changa for a photo of Mark’s VR avatar. Since there weren’t any good ones available, Changa had to put on Mark’s fursona in VR. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I had to get into his avatar with a photographer and kind of do a shoot. And that was painful. You know, it’s like, I really wanted to get that over with. Yeah, well, yeah, get slipping into your dead partner’s body, essentially. But it was a beautiful tribute when they actually did it. It was lovely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Instead of these public tributes, Changa has his own way of honoring Mark’s memory. And of course, it involves virtual reality. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I’m a good video editor and I was doing a whole bunch of very nostalgic stuff with modern music, you know, where I’m like putting people in original like movie footage — doing that scene from Risky Business, you now where they slide in, except it’s a werewolf. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Changa and his friends record the footage using tracking rigs. They dance and lip sync to the music, and then Changa composites their fursonas over movie scenes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>And the first one I worked on was from The Birdcage. It’s that iconic scene on the park bench with the boat going by the harbor. And that was the moment where Robin Williams and Nathan Lane’s characters are sitting down and it’s kind of the, you know, “I’m 50 whatever and you’re my family. You’re the only person I wanna spend the rest of my life with.” It is iconic queer media. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Robin Williams: \u003c/strong>What does it matter? Take it all. I’m 50 years old. There’s only one place in the world I call home, and it’s because you’re there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The birdcage scene in Changa’s music video is just a few seconds long. It has Changa as big, gray, husky fursona sitting on the bench, dressed in red pinstripe pants and rose-tinted glasses. It’s just like the outfit Nathan Lane wore in the movie. Changa lip syncs a line from the song, and then the music video shifts to another movie. But before the scene flashes by, you might catch a glimpse of Mark’s fursana, the mustelid called Sy Sable perched on the bench next to Changa. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Changa Husky: \u003c/strong>I just hope he could see it wherever he is. I don’t think they have YouTube. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung: \u003c/strong>Like we said at the top, this episode first aired a year ago. We recently caught up with Changa over email. He said he’s actually planning a rebuild of the Furry Family Ofrenda, with the help of a larger development team (of fellow furries, of course) and better technology. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>His hope is that it’ll be easier to find individual altars in this revamped world, and implement a better system for submitting information for each memorial. Basically, streamlining the whole process so this world is easier to manage, and is more accessible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Although he spends a lot of time maintaining the Furry Family Ofrenda, Changa hadn’t been to Mark’s altar much since his passing — except for our interview last year. But a few months later, on Dia de los Muertos, Changa finally sat down at Mark’s memorial, and took in the world they built together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over email, he said: “Dealing with loss can really be such a slow burn.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We’ll be back next week with another deep dive. For now, let’s close all these tabs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Close All Tabs is a production of KQED Studios, and is reported and hosted by me, Morgan Sung. This episode was produced by Chris Egusa and edited by Jen Chien, who is our Director of Podcasts. The Close All Tabs team also includes producer Maya Cueva, editor Chris Hambrick, and audio engineer Brendan Willard. Our intern is Lauren Yoon. Additional music by APM.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad. Ethan Toven-Lindsey is our Editor in Chief. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Keyboard sounds were recorded on my purple and pink Dustsilver K-84 wired mechanical keyboard with Gateron Red switches. If you like these deep dives and want to support public media, become a member at donate dot KQED dot org slash podcasts! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thanks for listening! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>"
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"slug": "how-californians-are-reclaiming-dia-de-los-muertos-as-an-act-of-cultural-resistance",
"title": "How Californians Are Reclaiming Día De Los Muertos as an Act of Cultural Resistance",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">Click here to subscribe\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had planned to spend Nov. 1, a Saturday, cleaning and organizing my house. Then my friend Susie Sanchez-Young, owner of The Designing Chica, texted me to suggest I come to a Día de los Muertos event in Lafayette, a mere 15 minutes from my home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That afternoon, my kids and I drove up a windy hill to find parking in Oakmont Cemetery, which sits on a serene and picturesque hill offering amazing views of the north Interstate 680 corridor. We were there not to visit a particular departed loved one, but all of them — the dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The event featured some elements I’ve come to expect from a Mexican-themed lineup: performances by a mariachi, a folkloric dance company and traditional Aztec dancers.\u003cbr>\nIt was lively without feeling overly cheery, which I appreciated because it provided a sense of community among everyone who wanted to soak in culture, tradition and sacred rituals of mourning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I did not grow up observing Día de los Muertos as anything more than the Mexican version of All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation for Catholics. I don’t build an elaborate altar. But this year, I found myself leaning into Día de los Muertos as an act of honoring loved ones as well as resisting assimilation, embracing artistic expression and reclaiming my Indigenous heritage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The practice of honoring the deceased stretches back thousands of years to the Indigenous peoples of Mexico. Yet the rituals and iconography associated with this observation have modern roots in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco artist and curator \u003ca href=\"https://rioyanez.com/\">Rio Yañez\u003c/a> grew up immersed in Día de los Muertos. His father, the late Rene Yañez, co-founded the altar exhibits and procession in San Francisco’s Mission District in the 1970s and ‘80s that are credited with starting the Día de los Muertos celebrations on the West Coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063630\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063630\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yobani Nava Chavez made an altar for her son, Eduardo Yobani Nava Chavez, a former teacher, at the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale in 2023. The altar is decorated with masks that his former students made by hand. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The holiday became a touchstone for the Chicano movement as a way to assert cultural identity and resistance. Still, Rio Yañez said his father, who was born in Mexico, was called out for not being Chicano enough and for reimagining traditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I grew up with my dad being constantly reminded that he was failing a purity test for Day of the Dead,” he said during \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911846/how-dia-de-los-muertos-continues-to-evolve\">a show I produced for KQED’s Forum\u003c/a>. “As a Chicano, as a Mexican American, adaptation, reinvention, reinterpretation — that is always what (Día de los Muertos) has been about.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yañez co-curated an exhibit at SOMArts called Día de Los Muertos 2025: We Love You that featured female and nonbinary artists presenting different interpretations of an altar. He noted that altars for public view often include political statements, call attention to issues and challenge the status quo.[aside postID=news_12059504 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20250930_HISPANICSERVINGINSTITUTIONS_GC-7-KQED.jpg']I’m now used to seeing jack-o’-lanterns next to Catrinas in many American homes, signaling the holiday’s place in mainstream America. The irony is that while many non-Latinos now embrace Día de los Muertos, they often focus more on the aesthetics and festive aspects instead of seeing it as a channel for grief, remembrance and connection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can stop Mattel from making Catrina Barbies,” Yañez told me. “Where we can make a difference and have some control is in what we can do as a community and for each other and how we engage with each other.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Día de los Muertos has turned into a cultural phenomenon because it’s a rare opportunity to talk about the dead outside of a funeral context, said Luisa Navarro, a Texas native who runs a blog and gift shop in Brooklyn called \u003ca href=\"https://mexicoinmypocket.com/\">Mexico in My Pocket\u003c/a> and recently released a book titled Mexico’s Day of the Dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are a very inviting culture. We have room at the table for everyone, but it’s important to educate yourself and understand the holiday,” she told me. “I try to avoid shaming people and policing people who don’t understand. Instead, I tell stories and educate people about the meaning and origin.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The essence of the holiday remains remembering deceased loved ones, but observing this practice has also served as an act of resistance and resilience since the time Spanish colonizers failed to stamp it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m on this mission to share our stories, to spread awareness because there’s so many misconceptions and stereotypes about our culture,” Navarro said. “It is so, so, so beautiful how the Chicano movement and how our community has continued to amplify our stories, to keep our traditions alive and to keep our duality alive. And I’m so so proud of that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063326\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063326\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-VIGIL_GH-15-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-VIGIL_GH-15-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-VIGIL_GH-15-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-VIGIL_GH-15-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A demonstrator holds a sign reading “Santuario: Manteniendo Familias Unidas” (“Sanctuary: Keeping Families United”) during the Faith in Action “Walking Our Faith” vigil outside the San Francisco Immigration Court on Nov. 6, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year has been a psychologically difficult year for immigrant communities that are under attack by the Trump administration, which has used brutal tactics to detain immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I reflected on this, I thought of how Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, founder and CEO of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, a nonprofit that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12021877/california-nonprofit-empowers-half-moon-bay-farmworkers-healing-resources\">serves the immigrant community\u003c/a> in Half Moon Bay, uses culture as a cure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s been especially important during the last couple of years of COVID, where there was a lot of loss. And with our recent, two years ago, the mass shooting of our seven farm workers, the Día de los Muertos and the altar gave us a place to come together as a community to grieve and to remember and to not forget,” she said during the Forum show. “It’s a portal for mental health. It’s also a portal for well-being and resistance and community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at Oakmont Cemetery, I stood in a long line with my 6-year-old daughter, who waited patiently for close to an hour to have her face painted in the Catrina style.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We watched the Aztec dancers light copal, a tree resin that has been used for rituals for thousands of years, and perform a ceremonial dance. I explained that the Indigenous people have populated Mexico for centuries and started the very practice we took part in that day. I then explained that after the Spanish arrived, the cultures mixed, and continue evolving into the version we have today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that evening, we lit a candle in front of a display of photographs of deceased loved ones and talked about who they were. Among the collection are \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2021/12/15/how-vicente-fernandez-earned-appreciation-for-rancheros-like-my-dad/\">photos of my dad\u003c/a>, the only grandparent my children have not met because he passed away before they were born.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They asked me about his favorite foods and what he was like. It was a simple observation of Día de los Muertos, and one small way to keep his memory alive for the next generation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">Click here to subscribe\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had planned to spend Nov. 1, a Saturday, cleaning and organizing my house. Then my friend Susie Sanchez-Young, owner of The Designing Chica, texted me to suggest I come to a Día de los Muertos event in Lafayette, a mere 15 minutes from my home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That afternoon, my kids and I drove up a windy hill to find parking in Oakmont Cemetery, which sits on a serene and picturesque hill offering amazing views of the north Interstate 680 corridor. We were there not to visit a particular departed loved one, but all of them — the dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The event featured some elements I’ve come to expect from a Mexican-themed lineup: performances by a mariachi, a folkloric dance company and traditional Aztec dancers.\u003cbr>\nIt was lively without feeling overly cheery, which I appreciated because it provided a sense of community among everyone who wanted to soak in culture, tradition and sacred rituals of mourning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I did not grow up observing Día de los Muertos as anything more than the Mexican version of All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation for Catholics. I don’t build an elaborate altar. But this year, I found myself leaning into Día de los Muertos as an act of honoring loved ones as well as resisting assimilation, embracing artistic expression and reclaiming my Indigenous heritage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The practice of honoring the deceased stretches back thousands of years to the Indigenous peoples of Mexico. Yet the rituals and iconography associated with this observation have modern roots in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco artist and curator \u003ca href=\"https://rioyanez.com/\">Rio Yañez\u003c/a> grew up immersed in Día de los Muertos. His father, the late Rene Yañez, co-founded the altar exhibits and procession in San Francisco’s Mission District in the 1970s and ‘80s that are credited with starting the Día de los Muertos celebrations on the West Coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063630\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063630\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/231029_OAKDiadelosMuertosFestival_EG-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yobani Nava Chavez made an altar for her son, Eduardo Yobani Nava Chavez, a former teacher, at the Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale in 2023. The altar is decorated with masks that his former students made by hand. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The holiday became a touchstone for the Chicano movement as a way to assert cultural identity and resistance. Still, Rio Yañez said his father, who was born in Mexico, was called out for not being Chicano enough and for reimagining traditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I grew up with my dad being constantly reminded that he was failing a purity test for Day of the Dead,” he said during \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911846/how-dia-de-los-muertos-continues-to-evolve\">a show I produced for KQED’s Forum\u003c/a>. “As a Chicano, as a Mexican American, adaptation, reinvention, reinterpretation — that is always what (Día de los Muertos) has been about.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yañez co-curated an exhibit at SOMArts called Día de Los Muertos 2025: We Love You that featured female and nonbinary artists presenting different interpretations of an altar. He noted that altars for public view often include political statements, call attention to issues and challenge the status quo.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>I’m now used to seeing jack-o’-lanterns next to Catrinas in many American homes, signaling the holiday’s place in mainstream America. The irony is that while many non-Latinos now embrace Día de los Muertos, they often focus more on the aesthetics and festive aspects instead of seeing it as a channel for grief, remembrance and connection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can stop Mattel from making Catrina Barbies,” Yañez told me. “Where we can make a difference and have some control is in what we can do as a community and for each other and how we engage with each other.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Día de los Muertos has turned into a cultural phenomenon because it’s a rare opportunity to talk about the dead outside of a funeral context, said Luisa Navarro, a Texas native who runs a blog and gift shop in Brooklyn called \u003ca href=\"https://mexicoinmypocket.com/\">Mexico in My Pocket\u003c/a> and recently released a book titled Mexico’s Day of the Dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are a very inviting culture. We have room at the table for everyone, but it’s important to educate yourself and understand the holiday,” she told me. “I try to avoid shaming people and policing people who don’t understand. Instead, I tell stories and educate people about the meaning and origin.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The essence of the holiday remains remembering deceased loved ones, but observing this practice has also served as an act of resistance and resilience since the time Spanish colonizers failed to stamp it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m on this mission to share our stories, to spread awareness because there’s so many misconceptions and stereotypes about our culture,” Navarro said. “It is so, so, so beautiful how the Chicano movement and how our community has continued to amplify our stories, to keep our traditions alive and to keep our duality alive. And I’m so so proud of that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063326\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063326\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-VIGIL_GH-15-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-VIGIL_GH-15-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-VIGIL_GH-15-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-VIGIL_GH-15-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A demonstrator holds a sign reading “Santuario: Manteniendo Familias Unidas” (“Sanctuary: Keeping Families United”) during the Faith in Action “Walking Our Faith” vigil outside the San Francisco Immigration Court on Nov. 6, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year has been a psychologically difficult year for immigrant communities that are under attack by the Trump administration, which has used brutal tactics to detain immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I reflected on this, I thought of how Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, founder and CEO of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, a nonprofit that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12021877/california-nonprofit-empowers-half-moon-bay-farmworkers-healing-resources\">serves the immigrant community\u003c/a> in Half Moon Bay, uses culture as a cure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s been especially important during the last couple of years of COVID, where there was a lot of loss. And with our recent, two years ago, the mass shooting of our seven farm workers, the Día de los Muertos and the altar gave us a place to come together as a community to grieve and to remember and to not forget,” she said during the Forum show. “It’s a portal for mental health. It’s also a portal for well-being and resistance and community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at Oakmont Cemetery, I stood in a long line with my 6-year-old daughter, who waited patiently for close to an hour to have her face painted in the Catrina style.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We watched the Aztec dancers light copal, a tree resin that has been used for rituals for thousands of years, and perform a ceremonial dance. I explained that the Indigenous people have populated Mexico for centuries and started the very practice we took part in that day. I then explained that after the Spanish arrived, the cultures mixed, and continue evolving into the version we have today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that evening, we lit a candle in front of a display of photographs of deceased loved ones and talked about who they were. Among the collection are \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2021/12/15/how-vicente-fernandez-earned-appreciation-for-rancheros-like-my-dad/\">photos of my dad\u003c/a>, the only grandparent my children have not met because he passed away before they were born.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They asked me about his favorite foods and what he was like. It was a simple observation of Día de los Muertos, and one small way to keep his memory alive for the next generation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "2025-dia-de-los-muertos-events-around-the-bay-area",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061160/celebraciones-del-dia-de-muertos-2025-en-el-area-de-la-bahia\">Leer en español\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bright petals of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/10/30/1050726374/why-marigolds-or-cempasuchil-are-the-iconic-flower-of-dia-de-los-muertos\">cempasúchil\u003c/a>. The candles that illuminate photographs of loved ones who have passed on. And the warmth that comes with eating delicious tamales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At home and in community spaces, the Bay Area is preparing for Día de los Muertos, traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2 — which this year falls on a weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For centuries, families in Mexico and several other Latin American countries have gathered at this time to honor the dead, from generations past to those recently lost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Photos are placed on ofrendas: colorful handmade altars that hold the favorite food or drink of a late loved one, alongside carefully detailed sugar skulls and plenty of marigolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to details of major events:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#OaklandDiadelosMuertosFestival\">Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#DayoftheDeadFestivalofAltarsinSanFrancisco\">Day of the Dead Festival of Altars in San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#DayoftheDeadRitualProcessioninSanFrancisco\">Day of the Dead Ritual Procession in San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Thanks to the Bay Area’s large Latino diaspora, there are multiple community celebrations for Día de los Muertos held across the region that are family-friendly and open to all — including those who are just starting to learn more about this tradition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind that some events are high-energy celebrations with spaces for dancing and socializing, while others are more solemn occasions that include traditional blessings and spoken word.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"OaklandDiadelosMuertosFestival\">\u003c/a>Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Nov. 2\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of attendance — and sheer scale of production — this is by far the biggest celebration for Día de los Muertos in the Bay Area. On Sunday, Nov. 2, nine blocks along International Boulevard in the city’s Fruitvale neighborhood will fill up with giant ofrendas created by local artists, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001199/the-provocative-and-flamboyant-origins-of-lowriding\">lowriders\u003c/a>, live music stages and dozens of booths from community groups as well as local government agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, \u003ca href=\"https://diaoakland.com/\">Oakland’s Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/a> is known to be a place to dance to live banda for hours and reunite with friends you haven’t seen in years — as well as being an event that firmly defends public spaces for immigrant families. This year’s theme is “Aquí Estamos y No Nos Vamos”: “We are here and we are not leaving.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060282\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1995px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060282\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Dia_photo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1995\" height=\"998\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Dia_photo.jpg 1995w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Dia_photo-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Dia_photo-1536x768.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1995px) 100vw, 1995px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A map of Oakland’s Día de los Muertos Festival on International Blvd.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"DayoftheDeadFestivalofAltarsinSanFrancisco\">\u003c/a>Day of the Dead Festival of Altars in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Nov. 2\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more than 20 years, families have gathered in San Francisco’s Potrero Del Sol Park to install intricately decorated large-scale ofrendas. While honoring loved ones, many of these also address larger political and social questions — like the federal government’s immigration policy or Israel’s invasion of Gaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11894973\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of photos with pink, green, and yellow paper flowers stands next a small mortar that carries burning sage. A few candles are nearby.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An altar made by the Young Women’s Freedom Center for people lost to police brutality and gender violence, as well as people who passed through the program, at a Dia de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco’s Mission District on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Installations will take place from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 2. You can enter the park through any entrance and walk through the space to observe the ofrendas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At noon, there will be a ceremony, and at 5 p.m., musical performances and poetry readings will begin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dayofthedeadsf.org/festival-of-altars/#honorsection\">You can also sign up to make your own ofrenda.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"DayoftheDeadRitualProcessioninSanFrancisco\">\u003c/a>Day of the Dead Ritual Procession in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Nov. 2 \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a block away from the ofrendas in Potrero Del Sol Park, musicians, artists and culture keepers will march down 24th Street, with thousands of families gathering on the sidewalk to watch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Organized by the community group El Collectivo del Rescate Cultural de La Mission — or Collective to Rescue the Mission’s Culture —ofrendas, cempasúchil and vendors selling handmade crafts fill up almost every block at this event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894972\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11894972\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two people wear face paint and flowers in their hair and look at the camera.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mariah Cativo (left) and Lucy Molina pause for a portrait as they walk along 24th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And while some parts of the procession are quieter and solemn, there will be live bands, dance groups and lowriders moving through too, with performances all over the Mission District through the night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The procession begins at 7 p.m. on Nov. 2 on the corner of 22nd and Bryant Street, then moves to 24th Street, where marchers will stay until they reach Mission Street. At each main intersection, Aztec dancers leading the procession will pause to perform a ritual dance.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"DiadelosMuertosattheChildrensDiscoveryMuseumofSanJose\">\u003c/a>Día de los Muertos at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San José\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Saturday, Nov. 1\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Nov. 1, the Children’s Discovery Museum in downtown San José will host a family-friendly Día de los Muertos event from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There will be storytelling for children, sand painting, performances by giant skeleton puppets and a procession that interacts with museum installations, including its mammoth skeleton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://14945.blackbaudhosting.com/14945/page.aspx?pid=196&tab=2&txobjid=196b56dd-e8aa-4160-bb0e-66cae3f3ed91\">Tickets are $18 for both adults and children.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Tenderloin Street Fair’s Dia de Muertos Celebration, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Saturday, Nov. 1\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s Tenderloin district is throwing \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-street-fair-presents-dia-de-muertos-celebration-2025-tickets-1712459505479?aff=oddtdtcreator\">a free family street fair on Nov. 1 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Día de los Muertos\u003c/a>, which will offer ofrendas, face painting, Aztec dance, live music and local vendors,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’ll also be a “kids zone” with lucha libre matches, bounce houses and a petting zoo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tickets are free, but you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-street-fair-presents-dia-de-muertos-celebration-2025-tickets-1712459505479?aff=oddtdtcreator\">RSVP to receive a free screenprint from Evolved SF\u003c/a> when you arrive (while supplies last.)\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Baile de los Muertos at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Friday, Oct. 31\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known for its annual exhibition of ofrendas that runs for most of November, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DP3z59YgdAD/\">MCCLA is also throwing a dance party\u003c/a> in San Francisco’s Mission District, a block away from 24th Mission BART station, on Oct. 31 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This “perreo fest” will also include plenty of different contests, including competitions for best costume and catrina. Entrance is $5 for ages 16 and up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63cb3cd8c3f4173105d0917a/t/68f179aa46ba0625b4da642f/1760655789718/DOTD+-+All+Events+-+IG.jpg\">MCCLA will be hosting other Día de los Muertos programming\u003c/a> throughout October and November.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Redwood City’s Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Nov. 2\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/adult-initiative/dia-de-los-muertos/\">The biggest Día de los Muertos celebration in San Mateo County\u003c/a> takes place this year in Redwood City’s Courthouse Square on Nov. 2 from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dance and musical performances will fill the square, with a special emphasis placed this year on the traditions from the Mexican state of Puebla. Volunteers at the face-painting booth will be painting traditional skull designs on guests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Mateo County History Museum will also be open at this time and families can step inside to decorate sugar skulls and make their own papel picado decorations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Healdsburg’s Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Oct. 26\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Community group Corazón Healdsburg will host \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/974029314866436\">a Día de los Muertos celebration\u003c/a> in the city’s main plaza on Oct. 26 from noon to 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Families are welcome to bring photos of loved ones to add to the communal ofrenda. There will be plenty of live music, dance performances and face painting throughout the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Where to honor Día de los Muertos on Nov. 1 and 2 this year in San Francisco, Oakland and San José.",
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"title": "2025 Día de los Muertos Events Around the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061160/celebraciones-del-dia-de-muertos-2025-en-el-area-de-la-bahia\">Leer en español\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bright petals of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/10/30/1050726374/why-marigolds-or-cempasuchil-are-the-iconic-flower-of-dia-de-los-muertos\">cempasúchil\u003c/a>. The candles that illuminate photographs of loved ones who have passed on. And the warmth that comes with eating delicious tamales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At home and in community spaces, the Bay Area is preparing for Día de los Muertos, traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2 — which this year falls on a weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For centuries, families in Mexico and several other Latin American countries have gathered at this time to honor the dead, from generations past to those recently lost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Photos are placed on ofrendas: colorful handmade altars that hold the favorite food or drink of a late loved one, alongside carefully detailed sugar skulls and plenty of marigolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to details of major events:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#OaklandDiadelosMuertosFestival\">Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#DayoftheDeadFestivalofAltarsinSanFrancisco\">Day of the Dead Festival of Altars in San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#DayoftheDeadRitualProcessioninSanFrancisco\">Day of the Dead Ritual Procession in San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Thanks to the Bay Area’s large Latino diaspora, there are multiple community celebrations for Día de los Muertos held across the region that are family-friendly and open to all — including those who are just starting to learn more about this tradition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind that some events are high-energy celebrations with spaces for dancing and socializing, while others are more solemn occasions that include traditional blessings and spoken word.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"OaklandDiadelosMuertosFestival\">\u003c/a>Oakland Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Nov. 2\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of attendance — and sheer scale of production — this is by far the biggest celebration for Día de los Muertos in the Bay Area. On Sunday, Nov. 2, nine blocks along International Boulevard in the city’s Fruitvale neighborhood will fill up with giant ofrendas created by local artists, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001199/the-provocative-and-flamboyant-origins-of-lowriding\">lowriders\u003c/a>, live music stages and dozens of booths from community groups as well as local government agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, \u003ca href=\"https://diaoakland.com/\">Oakland’s Día de los Muertos Festival\u003c/a> is known to be a place to dance to live banda for hours and reunite with friends you haven’t seen in years — as well as being an event that firmly defends public spaces for immigrant families. This year’s theme is “Aquí Estamos y No Nos Vamos”: “We are here and we are not leaving.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060282\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1995px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060282\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Dia_photo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1995\" height=\"998\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Dia_photo.jpg 1995w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Dia_photo-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Dia_photo-1536x768.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1995px) 100vw, 1995px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A map of Oakland’s Día de los Muertos Festival on International Blvd.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"DayoftheDeadFestivalofAltarsinSanFrancisco\">\u003c/a>Day of the Dead Festival of Altars in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Nov. 2\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more than 20 years, families have gathered in San Francisco’s Potrero Del Sol Park to install intricately decorated large-scale ofrendas. While honoring loved ones, many of these also address larger political and social questions — like the federal government’s immigration policy or Israel’s invasion of Gaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11894973\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of photos with pink, green, and yellow paper flowers stands next a small mortar that carries burning sage. A few candles are nearby.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An altar made by the Young Women’s Freedom Center for people lost to police brutality and gender violence, as well as people who passed through the program, at a Dia de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco’s Mission District on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Installations will take place from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 2. You can enter the park through any entrance and walk through the space to observe the ofrendas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At noon, there will be a ceremony, and at 5 p.m., musical performances and poetry readings will begin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dayofthedeadsf.org/festival-of-altars/#honorsection\">You can also sign up to make your own ofrenda.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"DayoftheDeadRitualProcessioninSanFrancisco\">\u003c/a>Day of the Dead Ritual Procession in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Nov. 2 \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a block away from the ofrendas in Potrero Del Sol Park, musicians, artists and culture keepers will march down 24th Street, with thousands of families gathering on the sidewalk to watch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Organized by the community group El Collectivo del Rescate Cultural de La Mission — or Collective to Rescue the Mission’s Culture —ofrendas, cempasúchil and vendors selling handmade crafts fill up almost every block at this event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894972\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11894972\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two people wear face paint and flowers in their hair and look at the camera.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mariah Cativo (left) and Lucy Molina pause for a portrait as they walk along 24th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And while some parts of the procession are quieter and solemn, there will be live bands, dance groups and lowriders moving through too, with performances all over the Mission District through the night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The procession begins at 7 p.m. on Nov. 2 on the corner of 22nd and Bryant Street, then moves to 24th Street, where marchers will stay until they reach Mission Street. At each main intersection, Aztec dancers leading the procession will pause to perform a ritual dance.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"DiadelosMuertosattheChildrensDiscoveryMuseumofSanJose\">\u003c/a>Día de los Muertos at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San José\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Saturday, Nov. 1\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Nov. 1, the Children’s Discovery Museum in downtown San José will host a family-friendly Día de los Muertos event from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There will be storytelling for children, sand painting, performances by giant skeleton puppets and a procession that interacts with museum installations, including its mammoth skeleton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://14945.blackbaudhosting.com/14945/page.aspx?pid=196&tab=2&txobjid=196b56dd-e8aa-4160-bb0e-66cae3f3ed91\">Tickets are $18 for both adults and children.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Tenderloin Street Fair’s Dia de Muertos Celebration, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Saturday, Nov. 1\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s Tenderloin district is throwing \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-street-fair-presents-dia-de-muertos-celebration-2025-tickets-1712459505479?aff=oddtdtcreator\">a free family street fair on Nov. 1 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Día de los Muertos\u003c/a>, which will offer ofrendas, face painting, Aztec dance, live music and local vendors,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’ll also be a “kids zone” with lucha libre matches, bounce houses and a petting zoo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tickets are free, but you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-street-fair-presents-dia-de-muertos-celebration-2025-tickets-1712459505479?aff=oddtdtcreator\">RSVP to receive a free screenprint from Evolved SF\u003c/a> when you arrive (while supplies last.)\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Baile de los Muertos at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Friday, Oct. 31\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known for its annual exhibition of ofrendas that runs for most of November, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DP3z59YgdAD/\">MCCLA is also throwing a dance party\u003c/a> in San Francisco’s Mission District, a block away from 24th Mission BART station, on Oct. 31 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This “perreo fest” will also include plenty of different contests, including competitions for best costume and catrina. Entrance is $5 for ages 16 and up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63cb3cd8c3f4173105d0917a/t/68f179aa46ba0625b4da642f/1760655789718/DOTD+-+All+Events+-+IG.jpg\">MCCLA will be hosting other Día de los Muertos programming\u003c/a> throughout October and November.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Redwood City’s Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Nov. 2\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://casacirculocultural.org/adult-initiative/dia-de-los-muertos/\">The biggest Día de los Muertos celebration in San Mateo County\u003c/a> takes place this year in Redwood City’s Courthouse Square on Nov. 2 from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dance and musical performances will fill the square, with a special emphasis placed this year on the traditions from the Mexican state of Puebla. Volunteers at the face-painting booth will be painting traditional skull designs on guests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Mateo County History Museum will also be open at this time and families can step inside to decorate sugar skulls and make their own papel picado decorations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Healdsburg’s Día de los Muertos Celebration\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sunday, Oct. 26\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Community group Corazón Healdsburg will host \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/974029314866436\">a Día de los Muertos celebration\u003c/a> in the city’s main plaza on Oct. 26 from noon to 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Families are welcome to bring photos of loved ones to add to the communal ofrenda. There will be plenty of live music, dance performances and face painting throughout the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Finding Joy in Grieving Together at a Día de los Muertos Celebration in Oakland",
"headTitle": "Finding Joy in Grieving Together at a Día de los Muertos Celebration in Oakland | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>As a kid growing up in Mexico, Luz Islas’s grandparents taught her to make altars for Día de los Muertos, a holiday typically celebrated Nov. 1-2. They explained the significance of the offerings used to adorn the homages to departed loved ones — the food, incense and flowers meant to bridge the distance between our world and the realm beyond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965657\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965657\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful altar of candles, photos, flowers and other decorations.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A colorful altar with traditional ‘ofrendas’ or offerings like corn husks, marigolds and fruits welcomes visitors to the 29th annual Día de Los Muertos celebration at the Oakland Museum on Oct. 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s like feeling them around us,” Islas said, while attending a Día de los Muertos celebration at the Oakland Museum of California in late October, where people viewed the collection of elaborate altars over the melody of mariachi music and the fervent drum beats accompanying a group of Aztec dancers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every year, Islas, 39, also builds an altar in her home, which she dedicates to her grandparents. She and many other Latinos living in the Bay Area consider the annual custom of making altars and attending community events as key to ensuring this and other cultural holidays are maintained across generations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965651\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965651\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with flowers in their hair smiles in a photograph.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luz Islas stands in front of an altar during the Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. ‘I grew up celebrating Dia de los Muertos at my grandparent’s house. We would all go to the flower market and get the flowers,’ she said. ‘We would put up the Altar together. So I’m celebrating them today.’ \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Feeling their love and support is like bringing them back to life and having that connection,” Islas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Celebrating the holiday has become particularly poignant following the intense isolation and loss many experienced during the height of the pandemic, during which communities of color were often \u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/covid-19-cases-deaths-and-vaccinations-by-race-ethnicity-as-of-winter-2022/\">disproportionately impacted\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966168\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966168\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two mothers stand over their children who work on art projects at a table.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ali Trejo (center) decorates sugar skulls with her son, Gunnar, 5, during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. Trejo recently moved to the Bay Area from Southern California and said she was impressed by the diversity of participants at the event. ‘Something that’s really important for us is teaching our children identity. I think this will form a strong foundation for him as he grows up: knowing where he comes from, who he is, and who he’s going to be.’ \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Being in the community is kinda like finding your tribe,” Islas said. “This means something to me, and it’s important to me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Martina Ayala, executive director of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts in San Francisco, which hosts several community altars, said they are like works of art – expressions of people’s love for their culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965655\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965655\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a bright green dress dances in front of a large audience.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd of attendees gather to watch Ballet Folklórico Raices Mexicanas dancers at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023, during a Día de Los Muertos celebration. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The importance of passing it down to our children, it’s huge. And if you don’t have children, just educating yourself about it, you’re nourishing your cultural self,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are some of the images from the Oakland Museum’s recent Día de los Muertos celebration that capture the collective joy of those who came to remember and grieve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965652\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965652\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"An adult and a child work closely decorating small circular objects.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ana Ruiz decorates sugar skulls with her daughter Emma, 3, during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965649\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965649\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with flowers in their hair sings in front of a group of people.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gabriela Sepúlveda performs with Mariachi Mexicanísimo de Raymundo Coronado during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965654\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965654\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person crushes corn kernels on a stone surface.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wearing a traditional tunic known as a ‘huipil,’ Tatiana Frates demonstrates how to make tortillas during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966169\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966169\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A mother and her daughter look at a work of art.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimberly Castillo looks at an altar with her daughter Marina, 8, during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at Oakland Museum of California in Oakland on Oct. 22, 2023. ‘We came to celebrate Dia de los Muertos and see all the beautiful altars and remember all of our loved ones that have passed away,’ she said. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As a kid growing up in Mexico, Luz Islas’s grandparents taught her to make altars for Día de los Muertos, a holiday typically celebrated Nov. 1-2. They explained the significance of the offerings used to adorn the homages to departed loved ones — the food, incense and flowers meant to bridge the distance between our world and the realm beyond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965657\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965657\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful altar of candles, photos, flowers and other decorations.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-051-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A colorful altar with traditional ‘ofrendas’ or offerings like corn husks, marigolds and fruits welcomes visitors to the 29th annual Día de Los Muertos celebration at the Oakland Museum on Oct. 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s like feeling them around us,” Islas said, while attending a Día de los Muertos celebration at the Oakland Museum of California in late October, where people viewed the collection of elaborate altars over the melody of mariachi music and the fervent drum beats accompanying a group of Aztec dancers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every year, Islas, 39, also builds an altar in her home, which she dedicates to her grandparents. She and many other Latinos living in the Bay Area consider the annual custom of making altars and attending community events as key to ensuring this and other cultural holidays are maintained across generations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965651\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965651\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with flowers in their hair smiles in a photograph.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-010-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luz Islas stands in front of an altar during the Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. ‘I grew up celebrating Dia de los Muertos at my grandparent’s house. We would all go to the flower market and get the flowers,’ she said. ‘We would put up the Altar together. So I’m celebrating them today.’ \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Feeling their love and support is like bringing them back to life and having that connection,” Islas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Celebrating the holiday has become particularly poignant following the intense isolation and loss many experienced during the height of the pandemic, during which communities of color were often \u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/covid-19-cases-deaths-and-vaccinations-by-race-ethnicity-as-of-winter-2022/\">disproportionately impacted\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966168\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966168\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two mothers stand over their children who work on art projects at a table.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-016-BL-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ali Trejo (center) decorates sugar skulls with her son, Gunnar, 5, during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. Trejo recently moved to the Bay Area from Southern California and said she was impressed by the diversity of participants at the event. ‘Something that’s really important for us is teaching our children identity. I think this will form a strong foundation for him as he grows up: knowing where he comes from, who he is, and who he’s going to be.’ \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Being in the community is kinda like finding your tribe,” Islas said. “This means something to me, and it’s important to me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Martina Ayala, executive director of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts in San Francisco, which hosts several community altars, said they are like works of art – expressions of people’s love for their culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965655\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965655\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a bright green dress dances in front of a large audience.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-040-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd of attendees gather to watch Ballet Folklórico Raices Mexicanas dancers at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023, during a Día de Los Muertos celebration. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The importance of passing it down to our children, it’s huge. And if you don’t have children, just educating yourself about it, you’re nourishing your cultural self,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are some of the images from the Oakland Museum’s recent Día de los Muertos celebration that capture the collective joy of those who came to remember and grieve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965652\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965652\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"An adult and a child work closely decorating small circular objects.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-015-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ana Ruiz decorates sugar skulls with her daughter Emma, 3, during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965649\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965649\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with flowers in their hair sings in front of a group of people.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-002-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gabriela Sepúlveda performs with Mariachi Mexicanísimo de Raymundo Coronado during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965654\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965654\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person crushes corn kernels on a stone surface.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-029-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wearing a traditional tunic known as a ‘huipil,’ Tatiana Frates demonstrates how to make tortillas during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at the Oakland Museum of California on Oct. 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966169\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966169\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A mother and her daughter look at a work of art.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231022-DayoftheDeadOMCA-021-BL-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimberly Castillo looks at an altar with her daughter Marina, 8, during a Día de los Muertos community celebration at Oakland Museum of California in Oakland on Oct. 22, 2023. ‘We came to celebrate Dia de los Muertos and see all the beautiful altars and remember all of our loved ones that have passed away,’ she said. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "bay-area-flower-farms-burst-with-marigolds-for-dia-de-los-muertos",
"title": "Bay Area Flower Farms Burst with Marigolds for Día de los Muertos",
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"headTitle": "Bay Area Flower Farms Burst with Marigolds for Día de los Muertos | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Like many California flower farmers, Lupe Rico has been in a frenzy over the last few days — cutting most of the 30,000 marigolds he grew on his Colma farm in time to sell for Día de los Muertos celebrations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This year, we grow a lot because we always come up short,” says Rico, a second-generation farmer. “We put some more this year, and we’re going to see what happens.” [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Lupe Rico, second-generation farmer in Colma\"]‘You’re going to see orange everywhere.’[/pullquote]It’s impossible to imagine \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">Día de los Muertos\u003c/a>, which begins Wednesday, without marigolds. These many-petaled flowers adorn the altars made for the holiday. The flowers’ bright orange color and sweet, earthy smell are believed to help lure the souls of the dead from their graves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rico sells his flowers at the San Francisco Flower Market, a wholesale market housed in a row of cavernous warehouses in the city’s SOMA neighborhood. The market has over 4,000 registered buyers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the days before the holiday, Rico says, the warehouse will fill up with marigolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re going to see orange everywhere,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many regional flower wholesalers say marigold sales have gone up in the past few years. One likely reason is the 2017 Disney film \u003cem>Coco\u003c/em> about Día de los Muertos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is kind of funny, but I will say after \u003cem>Coco\u003c/em>, [there’s been an] increase of people interested in the traditional Mexican Day of the Dead. It’s been so popular,” says Raul Dueñas, the account manager for Rafa’s Wholesale Flowers, which also sells at the SF Flower Market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dueñas, also a floral designer, says a spate of restaurants, schools and hotels have been asking him to install marigold displays this year, and his business expects to sell 2,000 more bunches than they did last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965704\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965704\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Bunches of marigolds in plastic wrapping.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marigolds sit on display at Rafa’s Wholesale at the San Francisco Flower Market in San Francisco on Oct. 26, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lisa Filice, the owner of Regional Farms, a flower wholesaler based in Gilroy, says she’s noticed a notable uptick in marigold sales, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If Walmart has Día de los Muertos decorations, it must be big, right?” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the Bay Area’s rapidly growing Indian population, marigolds are also often used in wedding garlands and for the holiday Diwali, which falls on Nov. 12 this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Whether it’s driven by supply or driven by demand, it’s clear that we’re selling more and more marigolds,” says Alexander Peter Bottemanne, a flower industry consultant. [aside postID=news_11930492 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg']According to Bottemanne, in recent years, Ecuador has emerged as a major exporter of marigolds and other flowers that used to be grown in California. He says higher land prices in California have caused many flower farmers to sell their land or switch to more profitable crops than flowers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the uptick, marigolds aren’t driving huge profits for most local florists, like Mauricio Vivas, owner of Tony Rossi and Sons Flower Shop in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our sales probably go up maybe about 10%,” he says. “It’s not that much of an increase in our sales just because of the price of the flower. It’s not a very expensive flower.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One bunch of marigolds sells for about $10 to $15, as compared to a bunch of roses, which sells for more than twice that amount.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Vivas contends it’s still worth having the festive orange flowers on hand. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Mauricio Vivas, owner, Tony Rossi and Sons Flower Shop in Oakland\"]‘It’s like if I would have been there when my actual ancestors were doing the same rituals that we are doing now. I feel like I was there too.’[/pullquote]“It brings people, and then they buy something else that we have at the store,” he says, pointing to papel picado, candles and other items typically used to decorate community altars and private ones in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vivas, who is from Michoacán, Mexico, also has a personal connection to marigolds. When he picks up a bunch of them, he says, the hairs on the back of his arm stand up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s like if I would have been there when my actual ancestors were doing the same rituals that we are doing now,” he says. “I feel like I was there too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vivas added that he just loves marigolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965705\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965705\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person reaches for something beween bouquets of marigolds in a large indoor setting.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lupe Rico helps customers with marigolds at Lupe Farms at the San Francisco Flower Market in San Francisco on Oct. 26, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“If you see this flower from far away, it will just brighten up your eyes. It’ll just kind of make you happy,” he says. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Lupe Rico, second-generation farmer in Colma\"]‘So when I’m cutting flowers right now, I say, ‘Dad, I’m cutting the flower that you used to cut. I feel in peace.’[/pullquote]Lupe Rico, the farmer from Colma, says he’s made an altar to remember his father, who died this year and whom he worked alongside at their farm for over 40 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So when I’m cutting flowers right now, I say, ‘Dad, I’m cutting the flower that you used to cut,’” he says, holding back tears. “I feel in peace.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "One California flower farmer said he recently cut most of the 30,000 marigolds he grew on his land in Colma just in time to sell for Día de los Muertos celebrations.",
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"title": "Bay Area Flower Farms Burst with Marigolds for Día de los Muertos | KQED",
"description": "One California flower farmer said he recently cut most of the 30,000 marigolds he grew on his land in Colma just in time to sell for Día de los Muertos celebrations.",
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"headline": "Bay Area Flower Farms Burst with Marigolds for Día de los Muertos",
"datePublished": "2023-11-01T10:26:42-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Like many California flower farmers, Lupe Rico has been in a frenzy over the last few days — cutting most of the 30,000 marigolds he grew on his Colma farm in time to sell for Día de los Muertos celebrations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This year, we grow a lot because we always come up short,” says Rico, a second-generation farmer. “We put some more this year, and we’re going to see what happens.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>It’s impossible to imagine \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/dia-de-los-muertos\">Día de los Muertos\u003c/a>, which begins Wednesday, without marigolds. These many-petaled flowers adorn the altars made for the holiday. The flowers’ bright orange color and sweet, earthy smell are believed to help lure the souls of the dead from their graves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rico sells his flowers at the San Francisco Flower Market, a wholesale market housed in a row of cavernous warehouses in the city’s SOMA neighborhood. The market has over 4,000 registered buyers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the days before the holiday, Rico says, the warehouse will fill up with marigolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re going to see orange everywhere,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many regional flower wholesalers say marigold sales have gone up in the past few years. One likely reason is the 2017 Disney film \u003cem>Coco\u003c/em> about Día de los Muertos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is kind of funny, but I will say after \u003cem>Coco\u003c/em>, [there’s been an] increase of people interested in the traditional Mexican Day of the Dead. It’s been so popular,” says Raul Dueñas, the account manager for Rafa’s Wholesale Flowers, which also sells at the SF Flower Market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dueñas, also a floral designer, says a spate of restaurants, schools and hotels have been asking him to install marigold displays this year, and his business expects to sell 2,000 more bunches than they did last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965704\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965704\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Bunches of marigolds in plastic wrapping.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-04-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marigolds sit on display at Rafa’s Wholesale at the San Francisco Flower Market in San Francisco on Oct. 26, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lisa Filice, the owner of Regional Farms, a flower wholesaler based in Gilroy, says she’s noticed a notable uptick in marigold sales, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If Walmart has Día de los Muertos decorations, it must be big, right?” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the Bay Area’s rapidly growing Indian population, marigolds are also often used in wedding garlands and for the holiday Diwali, which falls on Nov. 12 this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Whether it’s driven by supply or driven by demand, it’s clear that we’re selling more and more marigolds,” says Alexander Peter Bottemanne, a flower industry consultant. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>According to Bottemanne, in recent years, Ecuador has emerged as a major exporter of marigolds and other flowers that used to be grown in California. He says higher land prices in California have caused many flower farmers to sell their land or switch to more profitable crops than flowers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the uptick, marigolds aren’t driving huge profits for most local florists, like Mauricio Vivas, owner of Tony Rossi and Sons Flower Shop in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our sales probably go up maybe about 10%,” he says. “It’s not that much of an increase in our sales just because of the price of the flower. It’s not a very expensive flower.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One bunch of marigolds sells for about $10 to $15, as compared to a bunch of roses, which sells for more than twice that amount.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Vivas contends it’s still worth having the festive orange flowers on hand. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘It’s like if I would have been there when my actual ancestors were doing the same rituals that we are doing now. I feel like I was there too.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It brings people, and then they buy something else that we have at the store,” he says, pointing to papel picado, candles and other items typically used to decorate community altars and private ones in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vivas, who is from Michoacán, Mexico, also has a personal connection to marigolds. When he picks up a bunch of them, he says, the hairs on the back of his arm stand up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s like if I would have been there when my actual ancestors were doing the same rituals that we are doing now,” he says. “I feel like I was there too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vivas added that he just loves marigolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11965705\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11965705\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person reaches for something beween bouquets of marigolds in a large indoor setting.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231026-DayoftheDeadMarigolds-07-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lupe Rico helps customers with marigolds at Lupe Farms at the San Francisco Flower Market in San Francisco on Oct. 26, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“If you see this flower from far away, it will just brighten up your eyes. It’ll just kind of make you happy,” he says. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘So when I’m cutting flowers right now, I say, ‘Dad, I’m cutting the flower that you used to cut. I feel in peace.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Lupe Rico, the farmer from Colma, says he’s made an altar to remember his father, who died this year and whom he worked alongside at their farm for over 40 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So when I’m cutting flowers right now, I say, ‘Dad, I’m cutting the flower that you used to cut,’” he says, holding back tears. “I feel in peace.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "how-a-childhood-prank-accidentally-helped-my-newly-widowed-grandmother-face-her-grief",
"title": "How a Childhood Prank Accidentally Helped My Newly Widowed Grandmother Face Her Grief",
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"headTitle": "How a Childhood Prank Accidentally Helped My Newly Widowed Grandmother Face Her Grief | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>JP Frary is a storyteller and woodworker who creates art in a studio on the old Naval air base in Alameda. Frary has won six Moth StorySlams, StorySlam Oakland and Westside Stories and has been a featured storyteller on BackPocket Productions, Beyond Borders Storytelling and Six Feet Apart Productions.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>In honor of Day of the Dead and Halloween, he brings us this tale from his childhood in Mendocino County — about spirits, and a couple of mischievous kids.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had to give up my bedroom to our Super-Sad Grandma when she came to live with us a year after Grandpa died. Us kids never called her that to her face, but always behind her back. Even my parents started calling her Super-Sad Grandma whenever she would stay locked up in my bedroom, which was most days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My mom would say something like, ”Go tell Super-Sad Grandma that dinner’s ready. I mean, go get your grandmother for dinner.” Grandma was still wearing black dresses every day and she went to church a lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I got moved into the attic with the slanted ceilings where you could only stand up straight if you were in the middle of the room. It had these exposed, splintery rafters that I kept bumping my head on, and the furnace was up there and it looked like some sort of giant mechanical octopus with all the pipes heading off in different directions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I protested the move at first, because it was creepy up there, but my sisters already shared a room and there was no way Super-Sad Grandma could climb the ladder up to the attic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was 12 then. And I wasn’t getting along with my sisters. They were some kind of unified front that always voted against me whenever my folks let us choose anything. If I wanted to play Monopoly, they voted for Mystery Date. If I wanted fish sticks for dinner, they said macaroni and cheese. I wanted a dog … they made us get a cat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I felt isolated and outnumbered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the greatest day of my life was when my cousin Dennis’ parents got divorced. I don’t mean that like it sounds. I’m sure it was terribly sad for them and for him, too, but his parents were so flat broke and each of them was trying to figure out their own lives, that neither his mom or his dad could take him with them yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I begged my parents to let Dennis live with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was my age and he was the closest thing I had in the world to a brother. The day he climbed that creaky ladder into the attic, it was like winning the lottery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930944\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11930944\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps-800x781.jpeg\" alt=\"A vintage photo of two boys. The boy on the left has his arm around the boy on the right.\" width=\"800\" height=\"781\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps-800x781.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps-160x156.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps.jpeg 985w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cousins Dennis Goebel (left) and JP Frary wearing the ‘Paddy caps’ their grandparents brought back from Ireland, circa 1977. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of JP Frary)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We went everywhere together, riding bikes through the orchard to talk with neighbor girls who smoked cigarettes and catching a bunch of crawdads in the Russian River and letting them all go in the same deep pool to see if they’d fight. Sometimes we’d even outvote my sisters and get to watch a Western or professional wrestling on the TV. It was the answer to my prayers — to have an instant brother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every night, we’d lie in our beds up in the attic and talk and talk and talk until one of us fell asleep. There was a furnace pipe that ran right next to Dennis’ bed, and one night, long after we’d been yelled at to go to sleep for the fifth time, he cocked his head and said, “I can hear Johnny Carson.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My parents were in the living room watching TV, and the furnace pipe next to Dennis’ bed led directly to a vent over the couch they were sitting on. The two of us put our ears against the metal furnace pipe and we could make out every word Johnny was saying. His guest that night was Robin Williams. We stayed glued at the hip with our heads on the furnace pipe until the closing music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, we went from pipe to pipe to pipe putting our ears up against them. We could hear into every room in the entire house. We listened to my sister talk on the phone in the kitchen. We listened to my mom and dad argue about whether or not to buy a second car. And we listened to Super-Sad Grandma whispering words we could not make out at all, until we realized just by the rhythm that she was saying the Rosary prayer over and over: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee … ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first, we just listened, to listen. But being 12-year-old boys, it quickly escalated to full-on spying. It became our evening entertainment. We both learned about menstruation from listening to my mom explain what was going on to my younger sister’s body to her, but we couldn’t let on that we knew she had just gotten her first period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because we were spies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tracing the pipes back to the furnace, we saw that each pipe had a big sliding gate before it attached to the metal housing. And we realized that you could pull the door open on this gate and, not only was the sound clearer, but you could send sound the other way, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So Dennis could be down in the kitchen getting us root beers and I could say into the pipe, “Get Ding Dongs and corn chips, too.” And he could hear me. It became a big game where we were talking to each other all over the house without anyone knowing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930945\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11930945\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569-800x1181.jpeg\" alt=\"Two young men wearing white shirts in a kitchen with one holding a cooking tool in a bowl.\" width=\"800\" height=\"1181\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569-800x1181.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569-160x236.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569.jpeg 996w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The author (left) and his cousin/best friend, Dennis Goebel, causing trouble in the kitchen, circa 1980. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of JP Frary)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It was the week before Halloween and the whole family, except Super-Sad Grandma, was watching “Night of the Living Dead,” when my older sister just out of the blue said she didn’t believe in ghosts or zombies. The way she said it, it was like she was saying that Dennis and I \u003cem>did\u003c/em> believe in ghosts or zombies. I made eye contact with him, and I think we both had the same idea at exactly the same time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the movie was over, Dennis and I went straight up the ladder and right to the pipe that connects to my sisters’ room and listened in. We waited until we thought we heard my sisters get in bed, and once we didn’t hear them moving around, we started making moaning ghost sounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ooooh. Oooooooh,” we moaned, and then we listened. But we didn’t hear anything. So we made more sounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ooooh. Oooh,” we tried again, and then we listened. But we didn’t hear them scream or anything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And I don’t know where it came from, but I started whispering really loudly, “I’m waiting for you. I’m waaaaaitinnnng for yooooouu!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We went on and on for 20 minutes and there was no reaction from their room. And that’s when I noticed that the furnace pipe door to my old bedroom, which was now Super-Sad Grandma’s, was also open. We had been sending ghost sounds to her, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I snuck down the ladder and saw my sisters at the dining room table sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of my mom, who was braiding their hair. So they weren’t even in their room. And I looked at my old bedroom door, but it was shut and I couldn’t see any light coming from underneath. So I just crept back up the ladder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930946\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-scaled.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11930946\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-800x1165.jpeg\" alt=\"A woman wearing glasses and black shirt with a white collar has her hands on a man wearing glasses wearing a white sweater.\" width=\"800\" height=\"1165\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-800x1165.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-1020x1485.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-160x233.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-1055x1536.jpeg 1055w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-1407x2048.jpeg 1407w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-scaled.jpeg 1758w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The author’s grandparents, Evelyn and Bob Hunt. Their love for each other spans this world and the next, circa late 1970s. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of JP Frary)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The next morning at breakfast, Super-Sad Grandma wasn’t wearing a black dress. She had on regular grandma clothes. And she looked a lot less sad somehow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My dad asked her how she was feeling, and she said, “I finally got an answer back from Grandpa. He said he will wait for me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To this day I don’t know if she knew it was me and my cousin Dennis and not Grandpa, speaking to her from the great beyond. But I do know she never wore black again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "In honor of Day of the Dead and Halloween, storyteller JP Frary shares a tale from his childhood in Mendocino County — about spirits, and a couple of mischievous kids.",
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"title": "How a Childhood Prank Accidentally Helped My Newly Widowed Grandmother Face Her Grief | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>JP Frary is a storyteller and woodworker who creates art in a studio on the old Naval air base in Alameda. Frary has won six Moth StorySlams, StorySlam Oakland and Westside Stories and has been a featured storyteller on BackPocket Productions, Beyond Borders Storytelling and Six Feet Apart Productions.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>In honor of Day of the Dead and Halloween, he brings us this tale from his childhood in Mendocino County — about spirits, and a couple of mischievous kids.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had to give up my bedroom to our Super-Sad Grandma when she came to live with us a year after Grandpa died. Us kids never called her that to her face, but always behind her back. Even my parents started calling her Super-Sad Grandma whenever she would stay locked up in my bedroom, which was most days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My mom would say something like, ”Go tell Super-Sad Grandma that dinner’s ready. I mean, go get your grandmother for dinner.” Grandma was still wearing black dresses every day and she went to church a lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I got moved into the attic with the slanted ceilings where you could only stand up straight if you were in the middle of the room. It had these exposed, splintery rafters that I kept bumping my head on, and the furnace was up there and it looked like some sort of giant mechanical octopus with all the pipes heading off in different directions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I protested the move at first, because it was creepy up there, but my sisters already shared a room and there was no way Super-Sad Grandma could climb the ladder up to the attic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was 12 then. And I wasn’t getting along with my sisters. They were some kind of unified front that always voted against me whenever my folks let us choose anything. If I wanted to play Monopoly, they voted for Mystery Date. If I wanted fish sticks for dinner, they said macaroni and cheese. I wanted a dog … they made us get a cat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I felt isolated and outnumbered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the greatest day of my life was when my cousin Dennis’ parents got divorced. I don’t mean that like it sounds. I’m sure it was terribly sad for them and for him, too, but his parents were so flat broke and each of them was trying to figure out their own lives, that neither his mom or his dad could take him with them yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I begged my parents to let Dennis live with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was my age and he was the closest thing I had in the world to a brother. The day he climbed that creaky ladder into the attic, it was like winning the lottery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930944\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11930944\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps-800x781.jpeg\" alt=\"A vintage photo of two boys. The boy on the left has his arm around the boy on the right.\" width=\"800\" height=\"781\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps-800x781.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps-160x156.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Paddy-Caps.jpeg 985w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cousins Dennis Goebel (left) and JP Frary wearing the ‘Paddy caps’ their grandparents brought back from Ireland, circa 1977. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of JP Frary)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We went everywhere together, riding bikes through the orchard to talk with neighbor girls who smoked cigarettes and catching a bunch of crawdads in the Russian River and letting them all go in the same deep pool to see if they’d fight. Sometimes we’d even outvote my sisters and get to watch a Western or professional wrestling on the TV. It was the answer to my prayers — to have an instant brother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every night, we’d lie in our beds up in the attic and talk and talk and talk until one of us fell asleep. There was a furnace pipe that ran right next to Dennis’ bed, and one night, long after we’d been yelled at to go to sleep for the fifth time, he cocked his head and said, “I can hear Johnny Carson.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My parents were in the living room watching TV, and the furnace pipe next to Dennis’ bed led directly to a vent over the couch they were sitting on. The two of us put our ears against the metal furnace pipe and we could make out every word Johnny was saying. His guest that night was Robin Williams. We stayed glued at the hip with our heads on the furnace pipe until the closing music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, we went from pipe to pipe to pipe putting our ears up against them. We could hear into every room in the entire house. We listened to my sister talk on the phone in the kitchen. We listened to my mom and dad argue about whether or not to buy a second car. And we listened to Super-Sad Grandma whispering words we could not make out at all, until we realized just by the rhythm that she was saying the Rosary prayer over and over: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee … ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first, we just listened, to listen. But being 12-year-old boys, it quickly escalated to full-on spying. It became our evening entertainment. We both learned about menstruation from listening to my mom explain what was going on to my younger sister’s body to her, but we couldn’t let on that we knew she had just gotten her first period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because we were spies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tracing the pipes back to the furnace, we saw that each pipe had a big sliding gate before it attached to the metal housing. And we realized that you could pull the door open on this gate and, not only was the sound clearer, but you could send sound the other way, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So Dennis could be down in the kitchen getting us root beers and I could say into the pipe, “Get Ding Dongs and corn chips, too.” And he could hear me. It became a big game where we were talking to each other all over the house without anyone knowing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930945\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11930945\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569-800x1181.jpeg\" alt=\"Two young men wearing white shirts in a kitchen with one holding a cooking tool in a bowl.\" width=\"800\" height=\"1181\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569-800x1181.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569-160x236.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/JP-and-Dennis-in-kitchen-e1667417652569.jpeg 996w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The author (left) and his cousin/best friend, Dennis Goebel, causing trouble in the kitchen, circa 1980. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of JP Frary)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It was the week before Halloween and the whole family, except Super-Sad Grandma, was watching “Night of the Living Dead,” when my older sister just out of the blue said she didn’t believe in ghosts or zombies. The way she said it, it was like she was saying that Dennis and I \u003cem>did\u003c/em> believe in ghosts or zombies. I made eye contact with him, and I think we both had the same idea at exactly the same time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the movie was over, Dennis and I went straight up the ladder and right to the pipe that connects to my sisters’ room and listened in. We waited until we thought we heard my sisters get in bed, and once we didn’t hear them moving around, we started making moaning ghost sounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ooooh. Oooooooh,” we moaned, and then we listened. But we didn’t hear anything. So we made more sounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ooooh. Oooh,” we tried again, and then we listened. But we didn’t hear them scream or anything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And I don’t know where it came from, but I started whispering really loudly, “I’m waiting for you. I’m waaaaaitinnnng for yooooouu!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We went on and on for 20 minutes and there was no reaction from their room. And that’s when I noticed that the furnace pipe door to my old bedroom, which was now Super-Sad Grandma’s, was also open. We had been sending ghost sounds to her, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I snuck down the ladder and saw my sisters at the dining room table sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of my mom, who was braiding their hair. So they weren’t even in their room. And I looked at my old bedroom door, but it was shut and I couldn’t see any light coming from underneath. So I just crept back up the ladder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930946\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-scaled.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11930946\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-800x1165.jpeg\" alt=\"A woman wearing glasses and black shirt with a white collar has her hands on a man wearing glasses wearing a white sweater.\" width=\"800\" height=\"1165\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-800x1165.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-1020x1485.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-160x233.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-1055x1536.jpeg 1055w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-1407x2048.jpeg 1407w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/Bob-and-Evelyn-Hunt-scaled.jpeg 1758w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The author’s grandparents, Evelyn and Bob Hunt. Their love for each other spans this world and the next, circa late 1970s. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of JP Frary)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The next morning at breakfast, Super-Sad Grandma wasn’t wearing a black dress. She had on regular grandma clothes. And she looked a lot less sad somehow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My dad asked her how she was feeling, and she said, “I finally got an answer back from Grandpa. He said he will wait for me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To this day I don’t know if she knew it was me and my cousin Dennis and not Grandpa, speaking to her from the great beyond. But I do know she never wore black again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"disqusTitle": "'We Dance United': Aztec Dance Troupes Preserve a Proud Heritage for Bay Area's Latinx Community",
"title": "'We Dance United': Aztec Dance Troupes Preserve a Proud Heritage for Bay Area's Latinx Community",
"headTitle": "The California Report Magazine | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>This week, communities across California celebrated Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, with processions and ceremonies honoring the loved ones they've lost. In San Francisco’s Mission District, festivities kicked off with Aztec dance troupes blessing altars on 24th Street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You were born in these traditions and this is what's going to surround you to the day you die,” said Chabela Sanchez, who performs with Danza Azteca Xitlalli and has danced in events like these for more than 30 years. “You will be surrounded by the ancestors and prayer in this way. So we're going to bless you with the ceremony.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For some Mexican Americans, Aztec dancing helps them feel connected to their Indigenous roots. But if you see a performance and notice a crucifix being held or a guitarist strumming religious hymns in Spanish, those are European symbols and traditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So even though there's a Catholic image behind it, there's that syncretism of why it had to be,” said Sanchez. “To be able to survive and be preserved.”[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Roberto Vargas, Aztec dancer\"]'Danza represents the cosmos, and the cosmos has an order.'[/pullquote]\u003ca href=\"https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/spanish-invasion/syncretism-aztec-christians\">Syncretism\u003c/a>, Sanchez explained, is the blending of two contradictory religious traditions. To keep dance traditions, Aztec performers trying to protect their Indigenous spiritual roots often concealed them under the guise of Catholicism, which helped divert unwanted hostility from Spanish colonizers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days some Indigenous people with roots in Latin America still practice some aspects of Catholicism as well as Indigenous traditions, and many Aztec troupes reflect a melding of those two religious traditions in their ceremonies throughout the year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Xilonen ceremony\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In addition to Day of the Dead festivities, Aztec dancers perform at ceremonies throughout the year. During the summer solstice, drummers and dancers are key to the Xilonen, or the ceremony of the young corn, which is a coming-of-age ceremony for Latinx teenagers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really is kind of an Aztec quinceañera,” said Sanchez. “Our girls run from ages 13 to 17.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At this summer’s Xilonen in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco, different dance troupes, each in their own matching Indigenous regalia, performed at a local park as part of an event hosted by Danza Azteca Xitlalli. Five teens in white knee-length dresses donned colorful feathers on their wrists and crowns made of corn husks, as Aztec dancers encircled them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Xilonen ceremony is one of many annual cultural milestones hosted by an Aztec dance troupe rather than by a family or a church.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Dancing nonstop for 30 hours\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At least five Aztec dance troupes in San Francisco perform their own ceremonies throughout the year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It can be a big commitment for the dancers, who sometimes get called at a moment’s notice to support a birth or death ceremony.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the kids that grew up here on the street died,” said Louie Gutierrez, director of Danza Azteca Coyolxauhqui, who lives in the Mission. “So they wanted to do a ritual for them, burn some sage, some copal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11931036\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-11931036\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Aztec dancer in traditional dresswith head raised dances with others in a Mission District alley surrounded by colorful murals\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1703\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-800x532.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-160x106.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Louie Gutierrez (foreground), director of Danza Azteca Coyolxauhqui, and other Aztec dancers commemorate the Day of the Virgin Guadalupe by dancing in front of murals depicting the Virgin of Guadalupe around the Mission District during Paseo \u003cem>Artístico\u003c/em> on Dec. 9, 2017. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For a typical ceremony, performers may dance for 30 hours with breaks for prayer and food. There’s one annual event in December — a Catholic tribute to the Virgin Mary — where Gutierrez and his dancemates dance nonstop for an entire day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dancers show up for these marathon late-night events and practices while juggling full-time jobs. Gutierrez \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057615303390\">runs the popular La Reyna bakery in the Mission\u003c/a>. But showing up for his community as a dancer is an unpaid gig.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Generals and captains\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Aztec dance groups are organized in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057615303390\">strict hierarchies\u003c/a>. Here’s how it works: Each dance group has a sergeant who reports to a regional captain, and the captains report to the highest-ranking position in Aztec dance: an Aztec dance general. That person is usually someone living in Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sanchez's husband, Roberto Vargas, also a longtime Aztec dancer, explained how the strict militaristic order of command helps everyone dance in unison.[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Louie Gutierrez, director, Danza Azteca Coyolxauhqui\"]'The point of dancing is to bring health and well-being.'[/pullquote]“Danza represents the cosmos, and the cosmos has an order,” said Vargas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://mexicayotl.org/our-board/\">The Aztec dance higher-ups — the generals in Mexico\u003c/a> — set the rules and the tone on how dancing should be performed and on which events dance troupes are allowed to participate in. For a long time, Vargas said, the elders have shied away from participating in political events or protests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They don't want to align themselves with politicos because somebody could be cool one day and the next day, not cool,” he explained. “So you can't be affiliating with people who are wishy-washy, so it's sort of like the spiritual mission is more important than any political [one].”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A history of violence against dancers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Another big reason why many Azteca dancers have avoided protests is because historical violence has been etched into their memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vargas remembers the Tlatelolco massacre in the days before the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico. Eyewitnesses say government forces opened fire on student protesters, killing hundreds. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97546687\">The tragedy and its aftermath had a chilling effect on student activists and cultural performers.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Over there [in Mexico], they have memories of once again people being killed,” said Vargas. “You risk your life standing up against the government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That comes on top of historical violence against Indigenous people — including dancers — since colonization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“During the early years of bringing the danza out to the public, people were getting attacked and jailed and killed for practicing these traditions,” explained Vargas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930976\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-11930976 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"An Aztec dancer in colorful feathered head dresses garb plays a traditional percussion instrument as another dancer stands in the background on a lawn surrounded by onlookers\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Teokalli Aztec Dancers from the Bay Area and Mexico City dance during the third annual Indigenous Peoples Day Commemoration at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco on Oct. 11, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But in the U.S., Sanchez said, many dancers see performing as an inherently political act because they are reclaiming their Indigenous cultural identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A number of troupes, for example, performed at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Indians-gather-on-Alcatraz-in-memory-of-occupation-5019944.php\">Indigenous Peoples Day Sunrise Gathering\u003c/a> last month, an event that challenges centuries of colonization and genocide with a gathering on Alcatraz Island that features both Aztec and Native American dancers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The point of dancing is to bring health and well-being,” said Gutierrez, adding that dancing has helped him focus his energy in a positive direction. It’s a huge part of his quest for a healthier lifestyle and of his spiritual journey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gutierrez and Sanchez are always keeping an eye out, scouting for the next generation of dancers to carry on this tradition. They know it may take a while for younger dancers to fully understand how vital they are to the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you see a Danza Azteca performance and you feel pulled in by the dancers, Sanchez said, that’s your heart being conquered. You want to be a part of it. She recited the motto that guides all Aztec dancers: \"Union, conformidad y conquista.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loosely translated, it means: We dance united, we dance together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "As California Latinos celebrate Día de Los Muertos, which remembers loved ones who have died, many processions include a blessing ceremony by Aztec dance troupes.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>This week, communities across California celebrated Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, with processions and ceremonies honoring the loved ones they've lost. In San Francisco’s Mission District, festivities kicked off with Aztec dance troupes blessing altars on 24th Street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You were born in these traditions and this is what's going to surround you to the day you die,” said Chabela Sanchez, who performs with Danza Azteca Xitlalli and has danced in events like these for more than 30 years. “You will be surrounded by the ancestors and prayer in this way. So we're going to bless you with the ceremony.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For some Mexican Americans, Aztec dancing helps them feel connected to their Indigenous roots. But if you see a performance and notice a crucifix being held or a guitarist strumming religious hymns in Spanish, those are European symbols and traditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So even though there's a Catholic image behind it, there's that syncretism of why it had to be,” said Sanchez. “To be able to survive and be preserved.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/spanish-invasion/syncretism-aztec-christians\">Syncretism\u003c/a>, Sanchez explained, is the blending of two contradictory religious traditions. To keep dance traditions, Aztec performers trying to protect their Indigenous spiritual roots often concealed them under the guise of Catholicism, which helped divert unwanted hostility from Spanish colonizers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days some Indigenous people with roots in Latin America still practice some aspects of Catholicism as well as Indigenous traditions, and many Aztec troupes reflect a melding of those two religious traditions in their ceremonies throughout the year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Xilonen ceremony\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In addition to Day of the Dead festivities, Aztec dancers perform at ceremonies throughout the year. During the summer solstice, drummers and dancers are key to the Xilonen, or the ceremony of the young corn, which is a coming-of-age ceremony for Latinx teenagers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really is kind of an Aztec quinceañera,” said Sanchez. “Our girls run from ages 13 to 17.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At this summer’s Xilonen in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco, different dance troupes, each in their own matching Indigenous regalia, performed at a local park as part of an event hosted by Danza Azteca Xitlalli. Five teens in white knee-length dresses donned colorful feathers on their wrists and crowns made of corn husks, as Aztec dancers encircled them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Xilonen ceremony is one of many annual cultural milestones hosted by an Aztec dance troupe rather than by a family or a church.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Dancing nonstop for 30 hours\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At least five Aztec dance troupes in San Francisco perform their own ceremonies throughout the year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It can be a big commitment for the dancers, who sometimes get called at a moment’s notice to support a birth or death ceremony.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the kids that grew up here on the street died,” said Louie Gutierrez, director of Danza Azteca Coyolxauhqui, who lives in the Mission. “So they wanted to do a ritual for them, burn some sage, some copal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11931036\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-11931036\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Aztec dancer in traditional dresswith head raised dances with others in a Mission District alley surrounded by colorful murals\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1703\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-800x532.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-160x106.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_Calle24_PaseoArtistico_12092017_7693-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Louie Gutierrez (foreground), director of Danza Azteca Coyolxauhqui, and other Aztec dancers commemorate the Day of the Virgin Guadalupe by dancing in front of murals depicting the Virgin of Guadalupe around the Mission District during Paseo \u003cem>Artístico\u003c/em> on Dec. 9, 2017. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For a typical ceremony, performers may dance for 30 hours with breaks for prayer and food. There’s one annual event in December — a Catholic tribute to the Virgin Mary — where Gutierrez and his dancemates dance nonstop for an entire day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dancers show up for these marathon late-night events and practices while juggling full-time jobs. Gutierrez \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057615303390\">runs the popular La Reyna bakery in the Mission\u003c/a>. But showing up for his community as a dancer is an unpaid gig.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Generals and captains\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Aztec dance groups are organized in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057615303390\">strict hierarchies\u003c/a>. Here’s how it works: Each dance group has a sergeant who reports to a regional captain, and the captains report to the highest-ranking position in Aztec dance: an Aztec dance general. That person is usually someone living in Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sanchez's husband, Roberto Vargas, also a longtime Aztec dancer, explained how the strict militaristic order of command helps everyone dance in unison.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Danza represents the cosmos, and the cosmos has an order,” said Vargas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://mexicayotl.org/our-board/\">The Aztec dance higher-ups — the generals in Mexico\u003c/a> — set the rules and the tone on how dancing should be performed and on which events dance troupes are allowed to participate in. For a long time, Vargas said, the elders have shied away from participating in political events or protests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They don't want to align themselves with politicos because somebody could be cool one day and the next day, not cool,” he explained. “So you can't be affiliating with people who are wishy-washy, so it's sort of like the spiritual mission is more important than any political [one].”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A history of violence against dancers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Another big reason why many Azteca dancers have avoided protests is because historical violence has been etched into their memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vargas remembers the Tlatelolco massacre in the days before the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico. Eyewitnesses say government forces opened fire on student protesters, killing hundreds. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97546687\">The tragedy and its aftermath had a chilling effect on student activists and cultural performers.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Over there [in Mexico], they have memories of once again people being killed,” said Vargas. “You risk your life standing up against the government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That comes on top of historical violence against Indigenous people — including dancers — since colonization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“During the early years of bringing the danza out to the public, people were getting attacked and jailed and killed for practicing these traditions,” explained Vargas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930976\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-11930976 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"An Aztec dancer in colorful feathered head dresses garb plays a traditional percussion instrument as another dancer stands in the background on a lawn surrounded by onlookers\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS51910_083_SanFrancisco_IndigenousPeoplesDay_10112021-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Teokalli Aztec Dancers from the Bay Area and Mexico City dance during the third annual Indigenous Peoples Day Commemoration at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco on Oct. 11, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But in the U.S., Sanchez said, many dancers see performing as an inherently political act because they are reclaiming their Indigenous cultural identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A number of troupes, for example, performed at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Indians-gather-on-Alcatraz-in-memory-of-occupation-5019944.php\">Indigenous Peoples Day Sunrise Gathering\u003c/a> last month, an event that challenges centuries of colonization and genocide with a gathering on Alcatraz Island that features both Aztec and Native American dancers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The point of dancing is to bring health and well-being,” said Gutierrez, adding that dancing has helped him focus his energy in a positive direction. It’s a huge part of his quest for a healthier lifestyle and of his spiritual journey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gutierrez and Sanchez are always keeping an eye out, scouting for the next generation of dancers to carry on this tradition. They know it may take a while for younger dancers to fully understand how vital they are to the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you see a Danza Azteca performance and you feel pulled in by the dancers, Sanchez said, that’s your heart being conquered. You want to be a part of it. She recited the motto that guides all Aztec dancers: \"Union, conformidad y conquista.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loosely translated, it means: We dance united, we dance together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"disqusTitle": "How Fruitvale Honors the Dead During a COVID-Era Día de los Muertos",
"title": "How Fruitvale Honors the Dead During a COVID-Era Día de los Muertos",
"headTitle": "KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>Día de los Muertos celebrations, taking place through Wednesday across the Bay Area, evoke messages of healing and reflection that are particularly resonant as the pandemic stretches well into its third year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the biggest events happened Sunday in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood, which is majority Latino and was among \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/projects/california-coronavirus-overcrowded-neighborhoods-homes/\">the ZIP codes facing the highest case rates in California\u003c/a> at the height of the pandemic. The theme was “Honoring Our Essential Workers” — the roles that kept the economy moving during lockdowns and were predominantly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11815391/in-bay-area-women-and-people-of-color-shoulder-most-front-line-work-during-pandemic\">made up of people of color\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Fruitvale is the land of the essential workers — from our merchants, to small-business owners, our restaurant workers, campesinos, firefighters,” said Caheri Gutierrez, senior manager of communications and external affairs with The Unity Council, which organizes the festival. “Everyone in the Fruitvale is an essential worker, so we’re honoring them and uplifting them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the ofrendas, or altars, along the Fruitvale Village complex was dedicated to farmworkers: A masked skeleton wearing a bright orange shirt, jeans, a straw hat, work gloves and boots tends the soil, with a can adorned in cempasúchil, or marigolds, to hold the maize. The ground, made of real soil, also included a variety of indigenous maize ranging from purple to red.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11931053\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-11931053\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A person stands to the right wearing a long black dress with matching veil and face mask. Behind them, an ofrenda described in the story with a skeletal worker tending to some corn.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The artist of this ofrenda , Nahui Tochtli, dedicates the altar to the farmers workers. Tochtli includes the the farmworker skeleton tending real-life soil and in the foreground viewers can see the with range of different types of corn from domesticated to the multi-color indigenous corn. Photo taken at the Fruitvale Village complex on October 30, 2022. \u003ccite>(Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“In our culture, corn is a very important vegetable because it’s also a symbol of growth,” said Nahui Tochtli, the artist who created this ofrenda, who is dressed as La Catrina, an elegant skeleton associated with the holiday, with a black veil. “It doesn't really die, but it just keeps on living.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tochtli, who has been participating in the festival for eight years, said her altar this year is inspired in part by her own personal loss. Her uncle died a year ago from COVID-19. He worked two jobs, one as a shoemaker and the second as a farmworker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He died in a hospital and I didn’t get the chance to see him again,” she said. “None of us were able to go inside the hospital and say their goodbyes or farewells. It was really sad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around 25 ofrendas were featured at the festival. They were multisensory, featuring everything from the songs enjoyed by departed loved ones to cinnamon-scented pan de muerto, to sugar skulls in eye-popping colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930979\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-11930979\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1634-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A group of dancers wearing various styles of traditional clothing, several including feathered headpieces, stand in a line side by side. Their arms extended, most appear to hold goblets with smoke coming from them. The performers stand amid a larger crowd of onlookers. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marisol Solis Luna's daughter pats for attention during a Danza Azteca performance at Oakland's Día de los Muertos festival in the Fruitvale neighborhood on October 30, 2022. The Aztec Dance performance incorporates all the groups from Oakland to bless the altars or ofrendas. \u003ccite>(Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Stephanie Jauregui, a first-time ofrenda maker, had a cempasúchil flower arrangement and a bottle of Modelo beer honoring youth from Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even understanding that, like, students from Oakland, like sometimes we did dabble in like stuff like that,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jauregui’s altar is dedicated in part to her own personal friends whom she has lost over the years. The 22-year-old youth organizer for Californians for Justice said this tribute doesn’t end on Día de los Muertos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just want to honor them in a bigger scale than what I've done, like in my own altar at home,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11931055\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-11931055\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a white dress appears to walk toward the camera. They have face paint on half of their face and a headpiece. Behind them, similarly dressed dancers perform on a stage. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A dancer from Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl smiles as their group exits the stage at Oakland's Día de los Muertos festival on October 30, 2022. \u003ccite>(Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Día de los Muertos celebrations, taking place through Wednesday across the Bay Area, evoke messages of healing and reflection that are particularly resonant as the pandemic stretches well into its third year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the biggest events happened Sunday in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood, which is majority Latino and was among \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/projects/california-coronavirus-overcrowded-neighborhoods-homes/\">the ZIP codes facing the highest case rates in California\u003c/a> at the height of the pandemic. The theme was “Honoring Our Essential Workers” — the roles that kept the economy moving during lockdowns and were predominantly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11815391/in-bay-area-women-and-people-of-color-shoulder-most-front-line-work-during-pandemic\">made up of people of color\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Fruitvale is the land of the essential workers — from our merchants, to small-business owners, our restaurant workers, campesinos, firefighters,” said Caheri Gutierrez, senior manager of communications and external affairs with The Unity Council, which organizes the festival. “Everyone in the Fruitvale is an essential worker, so we’re honoring them and uplifting them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the ofrendas, or altars, along the Fruitvale Village complex was dedicated to farmworkers: A masked skeleton wearing a bright orange shirt, jeans, a straw hat, work gloves and boots tends the soil, with a can adorned in cempasúchil, or marigolds, to hold the maize. The ground, made of real soil, also included a variety of indigenous maize ranging from purple to red.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11931053\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-11931053\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A person stands to the right wearing a long black dress with matching veil and face mask. Behind them, an ofrenda described in the story with a skeletal worker tending to some corn.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1596-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The artist of this ofrenda , Nahui Tochtli, dedicates the altar to the farmers workers. Tochtli includes the the farmworker skeleton tending real-life soil and in the foreground viewers can see the with range of different types of corn from domesticated to the multi-color indigenous corn. Photo taken at the Fruitvale Village complex on October 30, 2022. \u003ccite>(Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“In our culture, corn is a very important vegetable because it’s also a symbol of growth,” said Nahui Tochtli, the artist who created this ofrenda, who is dressed as La Catrina, an elegant skeleton associated with the holiday, with a black veil. “It doesn't really die, but it just keeps on living.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tochtli, who has been participating in the festival for eight years, said her altar this year is inspired in part by her own personal loss. Her uncle died a year ago from COVID-19. He worked two jobs, one as a shoemaker and the second as a farmworker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He died in a hospital and I didn’t get the chance to see him again,” she said. “None of us were able to go inside the hospital and say their goodbyes or farewells. It was really sad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around 25 ofrendas were featured at the festival. They were multisensory, featuring everything from the songs enjoyed by departed loved ones to cinnamon-scented pan de muerto, to sugar skulls in eye-popping colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11930979\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-11930979\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1634-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A group of dancers wearing various styles of traditional clothing, several including feathered headpieces, stand in a line side by side. Their arms extended, most appear to hold goblets with smoke coming from them. The performers stand amid a larger crowd of onlookers. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marisol Solis Luna's daughter pats for attention during a Danza Azteca performance at Oakland's Día de los Muertos festival in the Fruitvale neighborhood on October 30, 2022. The Aztec Dance performance incorporates all the groups from Oakland to bless the altars or ofrendas. \u003ccite>(Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Stephanie Jauregui, a first-time ofrenda maker, had a cempasúchil flower arrangement and a bottle of Modelo beer honoring youth from Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even understanding that, like, students from Oakland, like sometimes we did dabble in like stuff like that,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jauregui’s altar is dedicated in part to her own personal friends whom she has lost over the years. The 22-year-old youth organizer for Californians for Justice said this tribute doesn’t end on Día de los Muertos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just want to honor them in a bigger scale than what I've done, like in my own altar at home,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11931055\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-11931055\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a white dress appears to walk toward the camera. They have face paint on half of their face and a headpiece. Behind them, similarly dressed dancers perform on a stage. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/20221030FruitvaleFest-1766-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A dancer from Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl smiles as their group exits the stage at Oakland's Día de los Muertos festival on October 30, 2022. \u003ccite>(Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "'To Also Celebrate the Living': Día de los Muertos Returns to the Mission",
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"headTitle": "‘To Also Celebrate the Living’: Día de los Muertos Returns to the Mission | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Hundreds of residents filled the streets of the Mission District in San Francisco on Tuesday evening to honor and celebrate the dead on Día de los Muertos. The sidewalks of 24th Street, from Mission Street to Potrero Avenue, were packed with families, some holding candles, others wearing delicately crafted dresses, face paint and hair arrangements made out of cempasúchil, or marigolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894971\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894971 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A person wears an elaborate head garment, face paint and purple, ribboned dress as they dance in the streets.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Daniela Zurita walks during Dia de los Muertos in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021, in memory of her mother who passed away in August due to COVID-19. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Photos and paintings of loved ones who had died were placed on tables or pinned on trees, surrounded by food, water, sage and cempasúchil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the corner of 24th and Capp streets, outside the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District building, a celebration honoring the lives of deceased womxn, queer and trans people of color, or QTPOC, and youth included dance performances by the the Mission-based Danza Azteca Mixcoatl Anahuac and readings by members of the Young Women’s Freedom Center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(“\u003ca href=\"https://thebutlercollegian.com/2021/03/women-womxn-womyn/\">Womxn\u003c/a>” is an alternative spelling used to include those who feel excluded by the spellings “women” or “womyn,” particularly trans and nonbinary women.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894963\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894963 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing traditional Aztec dance regalia lifts their hands up in prayer in front of a poster that shares some of the statistics on violence committed against women and queer and trans people of color.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A member of the group Danza Azteca Mixcoatl Anahuac opens a community healing vigil and living ofrenda celebration with a blessing outside Calle 24 on 24th and Capp streets in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. The event honored the memory of womxn, QTPOC, and children lost to violence. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As has become tradition over the decades, musicians, artists and vendors gathered at intersections, parking lots and other available open space, transforming 24th Street into a living ofrenda — or place of offering — a powerful reminder that honoring the dead need not always be somber ritual, but also can be one of joy and creative expression.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894962\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894962 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people carries a bright orange banner down the middle of a street.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A group walks along 24th Street under colorful rows of papel picado while carrying a sign that says “38th Annual Dia de los Muertos San Francisco Mission District,” during a Day of the Dead celebration in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Día de los Muertos is not just about celebrating the dead, but to also celebrate the living,” Jorge Molina, a bearer of Indigenous knowledge and self-described “journeyman,” said after performing a blessing at the new Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts exhibit, “Ni Tanto Ni Tan Muertos, En Nuestra Memoria — Neither So Many, Nor So Dead, in Our Memories.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894964\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894964 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing face paint and cemaspúchil in her hair sings to a crowd on the sidewalk.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Berta Hernández speaks during a community healing vigil and living ofrenda celebration on 24th and Capp streets in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. The event honored the memory of womxn, QTPOC, and children lost to violence. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the vigil organized by Calle 24, Berta Hernández, a community health worker and educator, performed a spoken-word piece as part of a larger tribute to Evelyn Hernández, a San Francisco resident whose body was found floating in the Bay in 2002. Her young son, Alex, is still missing, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanfranciscopolice.org/stay-safe/ongoing-investigations/homicides-and-cold-cases\">according to the San Francisco Police Department\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernández first met Evelyn when the latter was a student in a youth theater group at the Mission Recreation Center in the mid-1990s. Evelyn was then 14 and had recently migrated from El Salvador. Over the years, Berta and her family grew very close with Evelyn, and were deeply affected by her death.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894972\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894972 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two people wear face paint and flowers in their hair and look at the camera.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mariah Cativo (left) and Lucy Molina pause for a portrait as they walk along 24th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That loss still hurts,” Hernández said in Spanish, noting that it has taken her 19 years to feel comfortable enough to “offer this small tribute.” She, along with others who knew Evelyn, performed a rendition of “Canción Sin Miedo,” an anthem that denounces gender-based violence and demands justice for femicides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Cantamos sin miedo, pedimos justicia. Gritamos por cada desaparecida. Que resuene fuerte ‘¡nos queremos vivas!’ Que caiga con fuerza el feminicida,” they sang. \u003cem>We sing without fear, we ask for justice. We yell for each woman that has dissappeared. Let it be heard that we want each of us alive and that there be an end to femicide.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894973\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894973 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of photos with pink, green, and yellow paper flowers stands next a small mortar that carries burning sage. A few candles are nearby.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An altar made by the Young Women’s Freedom Center for people lost to police brutality and gender violence, as well as people who passed through the program, at a Dia de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hernández pointed to the increase in cases of gender-based violence in the U.S. and Latin America during the pandemic, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-health-violence-coronavirus-cfb40ca690c9f556b742bd39e1e8e9b6\">especially against Indigenous and migrant women\u003c/a>, as one of the key reasons Evelyn’s death is especially relevant now. The vigil also honored the lives of multiple other Bay Area women who were victims of violence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Dia de Muertos is about the dead, yes,” Hernández said. “But at the same time, it always is a denuncia social — an act of resistance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894967\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894967 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a hat and a pink jacket holds a box that includes many photos of a woman, candles and lights.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alfonso Ochoa Salas wears an altar for artist Yolanda López at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts exhibit ‘Ni Tanto Ni Tan Muertos, En Nuestra Memoria — Neither So Many, Nor So Dead, in Our Memories,’ on the 35th annual Day of the Dead celebration at the center in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The 38th Día de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco drew hundreds of residents, artists and vendors to the streets, where many sought to honor those both dead and living.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Hundreds of residents filled the streets of the Mission District in San Francisco on Tuesday evening to honor and celebrate the dead on Día de los Muertos. The sidewalks of 24th Street, from Mission Street to Potrero Avenue, were packed with families, some holding candles, others wearing delicately crafted dresses, face paint and hair arrangements made out of cempasúchil, or marigolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894971\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894971 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A person wears an elaborate head garment, face paint and purple, ribboned dress as they dance in the streets.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52348_030_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Daniela Zurita walks during Dia de los Muertos in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021, in memory of her mother who passed away in August due to COVID-19. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Photos and paintings of loved ones who had died were placed on tables or pinned on trees, surrounded by food, water, sage and cempasúchil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the corner of 24th and Capp streets, outside the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District building, a celebration honoring the lives of deceased womxn, queer and trans people of color, or QTPOC, and youth included dance performances by the the Mission-based Danza Azteca Mixcoatl Anahuac and readings by members of the Young Women’s Freedom Center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(“\u003ca href=\"https://thebutlercollegian.com/2021/03/women-womxn-womyn/\">Womxn\u003c/a>” is an alternative spelling used to include those who feel excluded by the spellings “women” or “womyn,” particularly trans and nonbinary women.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894963\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894963 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing traditional Aztec dance regalia lifts their hands up in prayer in front of a poster that shares some of the statistics on violence committed against women and queer and trans people of color.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52324_004_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A member of the group Danza Azteca Mixcoatl Anahuac opens a community healing vigil and living ofrenda celebration with a blessing outside Calle 24 on 24th and Capp streets in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. The event honored the memory of womxn, QTPOC, and children lost to violence. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As has become tradition over the decades, musicians, artists and vendors gathered at intersections, parking lots and other available open space, transforming 24th Street into a living ofrenda — or place of offering — a powerful reminder that honoring the dead need not always be somber ritual, but also can be one of joy and creative expression.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894962\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894962 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people carries a bright orange banner down the middle of a street.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52321_001_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A group walks along 24th Street under colorful rows of papel picado while carrying a sign that says “38th Annual Dia de los Muertos San Francisco Mission District,” during a Day of the Dead celebration in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Día de los Muertos is not just about celebrating the dead, but to also celebrate the living,” Jorge Molina, a bearer of Indigenous knowledge and self-described “journeyman,” said after performing a blessing at the new Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts exhibit, “Ni Tanto Ni Tan Muertos, En Nuestra Memoria — Neither So Many, Nor So Dead, in Our Memories.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894964\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894964 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing face paint and cemaspúchil in her hair sings to a crowd on the sidewalk.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52331_011_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Berta Hernández speaks during a community healing vigil and living ofrenda celebration on 24th and Capp streets in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. The event honored the memory of womxn, QTPOC, and children lost to violence. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the vigil organized by Calle 24, Berta Hernández, a community health worker and educator, performed a spoken-word piece as part of a larger tribute to Evelyn Hernández, a San Francisco resident whose body was found floating in the Bay in 2002. Her young son, Alex, is still missing, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanfranciscopolice.org/stay-safe/ongoing-investigations/homicides-and-cold-cases\">according to the San Francisco Police Department\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernández first met Evelyn when the latter was a student in a youth theater group at the Mission Recreation Center in the mid-1990s. Evelyn was then 14 and had recently migrated from El Salvador. Over the years, Berta and her family grew very close with Evelyn, and were deeply affected by her death.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894972\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894972 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Two people wear face paint and flowers in their hair and look at the camera.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52357_037_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mariah Cativo (left) and Lucy Molina pause for a portrait as they walk along 24th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That loss still hurts,” Hernández said in Spanish, noting that it has taken her 19 years to feel comfortable enough to “offer this small tribute.” She, along with others who knew Evelyn, performed a rendition of “Canción Sin Miedo,” an anthem that denounces gender-based violence and demands justice for femicides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Cantamos sin miedo, pedimos justicia. Gritamos por cada desaparecida. Que resuene fuerte ‘¡nos queremos vivas!’ Que caiga con fuerza el feminicida,” they sang. \u003cem>We sing without fear, we ask for justice. We yell for each woman that has dissappeared. Let it be heard that we want each of us alive and that there be an end to femicide.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894973\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894973 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of photos with pink, green, and yellow paper flowers stands next a small mortar that carries burning sage. A few candles are nearby.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52341_022_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An altar made by the Young Women’s Freedom Center for people lost to police brutality and gender violence, as well as people who passed through the program, at a Dia de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hernández pointed to the increase in cases of gender-based violence in the U.S. and Latin America during the pandemic, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-health-violence-coronavirus-cfb40ca690c9f556b742bd39e1e8e9b6\">especially against Indigenous and migrant women\u003c/a>, as one of the key reasons Evelyn’s death is especially relevant now. The vigil also honored the lives of multiple other Bay Area women who were victims of violence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Dia de Muertos is about the dead, yes,” Hernández said. “But at the same time, it always is a denuncia social — an act of resistance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11894967\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11894967 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a hat and a pink jacket holds a box that includes many photos of a woman, candles and lights.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/RS52344_025_SanFrancisco_DiadelosMuertos_11022021-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alfonso Ochoa Salas wears an altar for artist Yolanda López at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts exhibit ‘Ni Tanto Ni Tan Muertos, En Nuestra Memoria — Neither So Many, Nor So Dead, in Our Memories,’ on the 35th annual Day of the Dead celebration at the center in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
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"order": 1
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"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"order": 9
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
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"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
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},
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"order": 15
},
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"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
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"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
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"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
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},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
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