On Día de Muertos, remembering those lost to COVID-19
Día de Muertos is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican tradition dating back more than 3,000 years in which people honor their deceased friends and family members by building ofrendas (Altars) that are decorated with candles, cempasúchil (Aztec marigolds), sugar skulls, papél picado (tissue paper), pan de muerto (day of the dead bread), the deceased’s favorite foods, and pictures. During this celebration it is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit the living.
More than 500 people participated in the event, during which we shared information about the benefits of a single-payer Medicare for All healthcare system, especially in California where 2.3 million people remain uninsured and Black and Brown communities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.