Somos Lawrence: Gratitude for support of Día de Muertos (Column)

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Note: The Lawrence Times is offering some space for area organizations and organizers to express their views, provide updates and attempt to reach other folks who might share their mission. This post is contributed content (i.e., not produced by the Times staff) and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Times staff. See more in our Community Voices section, or see how to submit your own piece.

Following a large Día de Muertos event on Nov. 2, Somos Lawrence, Lawrence Percolator and Moms Demand Action would like to thank the following:

Artist Juan Hernández for his guidance and dedication in the event, and in the community workshops leading to the event.

All the volunteers who helped put this event together, both students and community members. We are particularly thankful to the Spanish speaking families from Somos Lawrence who dedicated hours on end to bring this event to the larger Lawrence community. 

Our partners: the Ballard Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Common Ground Community Garden. 

Dave Loewenstein for opening his workshop for community use, without any reservations. 

• The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council.

We had a total of 82 volunteers, including high school students and students in Latinx studies courses.

This year’s event included a community altar honoring gun violence victims.

Dominick Williams for Everytown for Gun Safety
Dominick Williams for Everytown for Gun Safety Yareli Ortiz looks at the main altar.
Manny Ramírez for Somos Lawrence First prize in the ofrenda exhibit: Leslie Perales
Manny Ramírez for Somos Lawrence Second prize in the ofrenda exhibit: Judith Gómez Siles
Manny Ramírez for Somos Lawrence Third place in the ofrenda exhibit: Betty Norris
Manny Ramírez for Somos Lawrence Special mention: Ofrenda by Cristina Verdines and family
Manny Ramírez for Somos Lawrence Special mention: Ofrenda by Manny Ramírez
Manny Ramírez for Somos Lawrence The Lawrence Humane Society altar honors our animal companions.
Manny Ramírez for Somos Lawrence The DARE Center’s altar honors those who died while experiencing homelessness.
Dominick Williams for Everytown for Gun Safety Mauricio Gris, Mauricio Sr., and Rodrigo at the DARE Center altar
Manny Ramírez for Somos Lawrence Día de Muertos organizers, from left to right: Kyla Love, Lawrence Percolator; Juan Hernández, Somos Lawrence; Araceli Masterson-Algar, Somos Lawrence; Claudia Olea, Moms Demand Action; Ramón Valdés, Lawrence Percolator; and Leslie Milton, Moms Demand Action.
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More Community Voices:

Shawn Alexander: Say his name – Fred Harvey Smith (Column)

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”Racial violence has been omnipresent in American history, and in far too many of the incidents, the perpetrators of the crime are acquitted or not even brought up on charges. When I think of such cases I am often haunted by the heinous murder of Fred Harvey Smith here in the land of John Brown in May 1936,” Shawn Alexander writes in this column.

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