Venice Bakery honors those who died in ICE custody with Dia De Los Muertos altar
This Día De Los Muertos, a beloved neighborhood bakery is sharing a colorful altar with the community, but it's one that also carries a powerful message amid ongoing immigration enforcement.
When you walk into Venice Bakery, the traditional Día De Los Muertos altar is already up. The holiday is a day of remembrance for those who have passed, mourning their loss but still including them in our lives.
This year, at the bakery, there are a number of photos from across the Southwest of men and women who died in ICE custody. The owner of the bakery says she wanted this year's altar - or " el altar " - to make a statement.
"I see myself, and my family, and my community in them, and it's just unfair that they had to die in those circumstances," said Norma Aceves, the owner of Venice Bakery and creator of the altar.
When customers learn that several photos are of people who died in ICE custody, it produces strong reactions.
"They lost their lives seeking the American dream, seeking to build their generational wealth, to change the lives of their future generations. I'm a daughter of immigrants, and my parents came here illegally," said customer Mireya Arias-Kim.
"This is a bakery, a neighborhood bakery, and she's taken the time to honor all of these lives. I think it brings awareness, and it honors the lives of all these people, so I think it's very special," said Rocio Naranjo.
Aceves has been putting up the Día De Los Muertos altar in her Venice neighborhood bakery for 10 years now. This year's altar has a strong meaning for her, her family and her customers.
"It's remembering that our culture has purpose, our traditions have purpose," she said. "When we do something, when we put up an altar, it's not just to look cute or nice for a season or for a day. It's to honor and remember the people that have passed away. It's to remember the struggles that we come from and how powerful we are."
