An attendee embodies a traditional catrina at the Boyle Heights Community Block Party Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 1, 2024. Photo by Jacqueline Ramirez.
An attendee embodies a traditional catrina at the Boyle Heights Community Block Party Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 1, 2024. Photo by Jacqueline Ramirez.

Self Help Graphics & Art is offering a series of Día de los Muertos community art workshops beginning this Saturday. 

Participants will get a chance to create papel picado, paper flowers, and calaca and marigold magnets and honor loved ones through creative traditions.

Led by Self Help Graphics teaching artists, the free, family-friendly workshops are held each October leading up to the annual Día de los Muertos celebration, which this year, will take place at the East LA Civic Center Park on Nov. 1. 

The celebration — held in partnership with the office of LA County Board Supervisor Hilda Solis — will feature traditional altars honoring community members, including those lost by systemic violence and the recent fires in Los Angeles. 

How to join:

The first workshop will be held at In the Making located at 4024 E Cesar E. Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA

The other three workshops will be at the East Los Angeles County Library at 4837 E 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA.

To learn more about Self Help Graphics’ Día de los Muertos programs, including the annual celebration, visit their website: https://www.selfhelpgraphics.com/diadelosmuertos

My background: I was part of the team that launched De Los, a new section of the Los Angeles Times exploring Latino identity. I’ve been a local reporter for The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and The Orange County Register. You can find my writing on religion, food, and culture in The Atlantic, Eater, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and Religion News Service. My upbringing spans South Central, El Monte, and Pomona.

What I do: I write about how decisions surrounding immigration, city hall, schools, health, religion and culture impact Boyle Heights and East LA. I do this by spending time with residents and community members, reaching out to civic and elected leaders, and by analyzing related research. I also mentor Boyle Heights Beat youth journalists.

Why LA: It’s where I’m from. Reporting and living here means appreciating the different neighborhood identities that make up LA. Also, nothing beats walking along the LA River, hiking at Debs Park, or catching a sunset while running on the Sixth Street Bridge in Boyle Heights.

The best way to contact me: My email is alejandra.molina@boyleheightsbeat.org.

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