At the stands a small ofrenda, an offering altar set up with photos and sculptures of businesses that have shut down during the pandemic in Dallas鈥� neighborhood of Oak Cliff.
It offers residents a place to honor the 鈥渉uge cultural loss of spaces in our community,鈥� Oak Cliff resident Victoria Ferrell-Ortiz said. She created the altar.
顿铆a de los Muertos, which will take place Nov. 1 and 2, is a tradition that has been celebrated for thousands of years and traces back to indigenous tribes in Mexico. Altars are a huge part of the celebration.
鈥淭his altar is unique in that it centers spaces, so it offers a land acknowledgment saying this is stolen land,鈥� Ferrell-Ortiz said.
One of the businesses highlighted is which was located on Colorado Boulevard in Oak Cliff. After 72 years, it was demolished in the summer of 2020 to build eight-story apartments. Another is , which closed its doors in 2017, but Ferrell-Ortiz said the pandemic reminded her of how a restaurant's demolition still stings years later.
Dispersed throughout Ferrell-Ortiz鈥檚 ofrenda are note cards that explain the significance of each caricature or decoration. One reads: What do you do when your favorite restaurant closes?
The ofrenda is also a commentary on the gentrification of the neighborhood and highlights the importance of educating residents on zoning policies in the city.
鈥淥ak Cliff is currently being developed and the community should be at the center of that and historical preservation,鈥� Ferrell-Ortiz said.
On this Day of the Dead, Ferrell-Ortiz said she will remember the closed businesses 鈥渢hat are significant to us; to people of color and to our history.鈥�
Altars, traditional folkloric clothing and live performances will highlight local Day of the Dead.
Here鈥檚 where you can celebrate the holiday:
Date: Oct. 30
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Location: Dallas City Hall
Address: 1500 Marilla Dallas, TX 75201
Date: Oct. 30
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Latino Cultural Center
Address: 2600 Live Oak St, Dallas, TX 75204
Date: Oct. 30
Time: 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Location:
Address: 3220 Botanic Garden Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Date: Oct. 31
Time: 1:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Legacy Hall
Address: Windrose Ave., Plano, TX 75024
Date: Oct. 30
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Location:
Address: 508 W 7th St, Dallas, TX 75208
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