Dia de los Muertos Celebration – BACKUP #2

1. PUSD Ethnic Studies

Arcade Compound Pharmacy | 700 E Colorado Blvd
Ethnic Studies students in Pasadena Unified School District will explore America’s history with an emphasis on the stories and voices of the many nations that together shape our present community. This is an intentional, inquiry-based approach to an inclusive history that honors the stories of peoples who have traditionally been left out of the telling of how America came to be.

Special thanks to teacher, David Flores, for coordinating this altar and inspiring and guiding youth daily.

2. Playhouse Village Association

Wollhaus Artisan Tools & Yarn | 696 E Colorado Blvd #2
This altar is dedicated to the Abuelos and Abuelas, or grandparents, of Playhouse Village Association staff and friends. Our grandparents impart roots and culture to us, their grandchildren. They are a source of wisdom, friendship, and storytelling in our lives. On the different levels of the altar, offerings or gifts are placed, usually including favorite items of the deceased intended to honor and welcome them back home. Our altar features a mini version of Loteria, a favorite game played with Abuelito and a sewing kit, a common pastime spent with grandma.

3. The Style Lounge

696 E Colorado Blvd #1
Families create ofrendas to honor their departed family members that have passed. These altars are decorated with bright yellow marigold flowers, photos of the departed, and the favorite foods and drinks of the one being honored. Food is, as with any celebration, an integral part of the Día de los Muertos celebration. But food as an ofrenda is offered for the aroma, it is not believed that the foods are used or consumed by the spirits. The foods are eaten or given away by the living later, after their essence has been consumed. Another item often found on the altar are traditional liquors or other drinks because after the journey here, the souls are thirsty.

4. Adelante Youth Alliance

Tutu School Pasadena | 696 E Colorado Blvd #6
This ofrenda was lovingly built by the children of Adelante Youth Alliance. This community-based non-profit organization’s goals are to help Pasadena youth succeed, with programs designed to enhance academic, social and professional competence, while learning valuable life and job skills. AYA has been instrumental in providing thousands of local youth with the support, resources and role models needed to believe in their own abilities and achieve their full potential to become productive members of their communities – willing and able to give back. You can learn more about AYA at adelanteya.org.

5. Playhouse Village Association & Modern Animal

Tutu School Pasadena | 696 E Colorado Blvd #8
Staff from Playhouse Village Association and Modern Animal that have lost a pet, created this altar celebrating the memories and lives of our dear departed pets:

About Modern Animal
Just opened on Colorado Blvd in Playhouse Village, Modern Animal is a new kind of veterinary experience for animals and their humans.

6. Latino Heritage Association

Jane Alea Salon | 696 E Colorado Blvd #15
Latino Heritage Association’s mission is to promote knowledge of the Latino experience and history through cultural and educational programs in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley. We do this to honor our elders, to preserve our collective past, to help educate all involved in our projects, to provide positive educational outreach for all in our community. We were the founders of the Latino Heritage parade and Jamaica, which is now known as the Pasadena Latino Heritage Parade.

7. Pasadena Latino Heritage Parade & Festival Committee

El Portal | 695 E Green St
Would like to thank the PLHP Committee, Volunteers and Abel Ramirez of El Portal for supporting our Dia de Los Muertos Exhibit. Part of our exhibit is in memory of Veterans and in particular the 13 soldiers that died at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan in 2021. “Some Gave All, All Gave Some.” The Latino Heritage Parade and Festival is a community celebration of Latino history, arts, and culture. Their 23rd annual Celebration “Surviving and Thriving” – “Sobreviviendo Y Prosperando” continues through October 30th. Learn more at pasadenalatinoheritageparade.org.

7. Pasadena/Altadena Coalition of Transformative Leaders

El Portal | 695 E Green St
The Pasadena/Altadena Coalition of Transformative Leaders (PACTL) serves as the transformative catalyst and community voice for unifying diverse interests of youth, parents and professionals to shape social policy that promotes a caring community by creating a safe and loving space for collective wisdom and action. PACTL’s Mission is to reweave the social fabric of diverse communities to help residents become active participants in their health and education through activities and services that build the capacity for youth, parents and professionals. Learn more at pactl.org.

7. Pasadena Mexican American History Association

El Portal | 695 E Green St
Mexican Americans in the City of Pasadena “Preserving the history of Mexican Americans in our community” Our Vision is to promote our mission by inviting and engaging past and future generations in realizing our efforts to preserve and document the history of Mexican Americans in the City of Pasadena. Our Values are to promote pride in our heritage based on the integrity, dedication, and empowerment of our community and realizing our objectives with the value of our historical contributions.

8. Mercadito Monarca

696 E Colorado Blvd #19
Our first altar is dedicated to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children (MMIW & Children). The second altar is dedicated to my family, friends and loved ones from clients that may want a place to honor their loved ones.

Mercadito Monarca, is a Chicanx Indigenous owned artisanal marketplace that features a curated selection of 100% BIPOC products and brands from local and international artisans. Founded by Pasadena lifetime residents, Mercadito Monarca opened its doors in Playhouse Village in November of 2020 to provide an immersive vibrant experience into the cultural richness and diversity of the Americas through the arts. This unique cultural gift shop offers a wide selection of handcrafted products including home decor, apparel, jewelry, bilingual books, kitchenware, etc. Complemented by culturally relevant workshops offered like paint nights, Day of the Dead crafts and other traditional Mexican crafts, the founders hope to inspire its visitors to preserve and re-connect to their own heritage, culture, language and traditions.

9. BAN SUP Refill

25 E El Molino Ave
This year for Dia de los Muertos, we chose to remember and honor the wild life that have been (and continue to be) affected by humankind. Although we as individuals may not have created the systems we currently exist in, we acknowledge that the diversity of the animal kingdom has increasingly diminished and gone extinct due to pollution, habitat destruction, invasive species, etc. Our altar was made using 100% recycled, repurposed, and found objects.

10. Liz Espinoza

Monopole Wine | 21 S El Molino Ave
This ofrenda is for Edwin Aguilar. I met Edwin at the Pasadena Chalk Festival where we watched each others’ children grow up, as we chalked year after year. He was a great father, husband, brother, coworker, friend, and an inspiration to whomever he met. Edwin’s story was one of survival and perseverance. He immigrated to the United States at nine years old, crossing the Rio Grande, where he could barely touch the bottom with his toes to keep his head above water, from war torn El Salvador just in time to escape being recruited into a “children’s army.” Edwin was the assistant art director for The Simpsons. He had lived in East Los Angeles and received a full scholarship to Art Center in Pasadena, before attending animation school in Santa Monica. He then joined the animation industry where he earned many awards and worldwide recognition for his work. He passed away at only 46 from a stroke. His life touched and inspired so many. David Silver, Director of The Simpsons, says it best, “He was extremely friendly and had a good heart. He had a calm understanding about him and a wicked sense of humor. When picking a team you want him on your side. He would definitely have your back.” We love you and miss you, Edwin. Thank you for being my friend.

About Elizabeth Espinoza (Liz)
About 35 years ago, I began attending workshops in intaglio print making at Self Help Graphics. That was also where I got my introduction to Dia de los Muertos and Altar building. I have been creating altars for at least 25 years, even building some in my front yard, inviting my neighbors to join me in creating their own, or to place a photo or name on mine. I have created public altars at Forever Hollywood, the Arroyo, The Folk Tree, and more. Each altar I create for public viewing speaks to a relevant topic of the times such as teen suicide, violent crimes against women, mass shooting in Las Vegas (guns), or life threatening dangers that immigrants face trying to get to this country while fleeing for their lives. I find it important that we continue to engage the community in dialogue over these subjects so that hopefully we can find solutions and recognize the greater need for humanitarian efforts. These altars are dedicated to those who lost their lives from any of the above categories.

11. Mr. Pasadena

Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S El Molino Ave
This altar pays homage to the men and women who built the landmarks and organizations that define Pasadena. We thank them for their contributions to the city we love. Their memory continues to inspire us to do better, do more and to always give back to the Pasadena community.

Michael “Mr. Pasadena” Calderon is that guy who seems to know everything about Pasadena. He is your one stop shop for all things Pasadena. Follow him on Instagram @mrpasadena.

12. Mercadito Monarca

Basecamp Fitness | 38 S El Molino Ave
A Day of the Dead altar is usually built on multiple levels, with some extravagant, community-built versions reaching a story high. But the most common altars are divided into three sections: the ground-level entrance called la entrada, a mid-tier section with a table of offerings, and the highest level representing heaven. One of the most important items at the altar is a photo of the departed, placed on the uppermost level of the altar.

13. Jacob Maarse Florists

Cempásuchil | 655 E Green St
Cempásuchil, also called “flor de muerto” is the name for marigold flowers that are used in Day of the Dead celebrations. The brightly colored orange petals of the marigold are said to represent the sun. Along with its sweet, floral scents, which get carried along by the evening winds, the flowers lead the spirits to their shining altars. Their blooms are used to line graves and adorn altars, sometimes laid down to create a physical path for the dead to follow to their offerings.

14. Denise Esparza

Boston Court Pasadena | 70 N Mentor Ave
This ofrenda, created by Denise Esparza and dedicated to loved ones lost by our community is on view in Boston Court’s lobby. As the world begins to reopen, we want to pause and hold space with you to honor, grieve, and celebrate those you have lost in the past year and a half, and to acknowledge the frustrating dissonance of the world reopening while family, friends, and community members continue to get sick and die.

About Denise Esparza
Denise Esparza, a Chicana altarista, was born in 1966 in East Los Angeles. She is the daughter of Ofelia & Amado Esparza the youngest of their nine children. Denise represents six generations of altar makers of Purepecha roots, hailing from Guanajuato, Mexico. Her work as an altarista and handcrafter was heavily influenced by her mother, Ofelia Esparza, who is globally recognized for her Day of the Dead ofrendas (altars/shrines) and by her grandmother Lupe Aviles Salazar. She continues in these traditions with her 4 children and 4 grandchildren.

On View:
October 27th-29th: 4:00PM-6:00PM
October 30th: 7:00PM-8:00PM
November 1st-2nd: 4:00PM-6:00PM

15. Pasadena Chamber of Commerce

44 N Mentor Ave
The altar at the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce honors the memory of a mother, teacher, wife and daughter who had a huge and positive impact on everyone she met. She was a daughter of the Midwest who came to California to pursue a career in education and touched the lives of many in a more than 30 year career in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She was a wife and mother who measured success in the accomplishments of her family and students. She also had a terrific sense of adventure and a great sense of humor and irony.

The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce is a member service organization dedicated to the prosperity of our members and a healthy, growing economy for the greater Pasadena area.