SAN DIEGO — In honor of Dia de los Muertos, volunteers in Hillcrest are inviting the community out to celebrate the life of their loved ones with an ofrenda.
It's the third year they've offered this ofrenda, or alter, for visitors to come and reflect or even ask questions and get to know your neighbors.
Benny Cartwright is just one of the team of volunteers in Hillcrest tasked with celebrating life.
"Death, at least in my culture and community was something that you set aside. It was sad. You didn't celebrate it. I think this is so beautiful because you celebrate your loved ones," Cartwright started.
The idea for the ofrenda initially started after Rudy Cervantes' murder in 2016.
“Dia de los Muertos was a huge tradition for Rick Cervantes, (Rudy’s brother) growing up, so we started building an ofrenda in his house," Cartwright shared.
Then in 2022, Rick Cervantes brought the ofrenda to the community, right beneath the Hillcrest Pride Flag, honoring local legends in Hillcrest like Flow and Mel, as well as national icons in the LGBTQ community.
"Marsha P Johnson, a well-known transgender activist. Matthew Shepard. Even the Golden Girls are up there," Cartwright explained.
Because the ofrenda is outdoors in a public space, a team of community volunteers has taken shifts to watch over it and interact with passersby at all hours of the day and night it is up. It has become a true community effort.
Cartwright encourages the community to participate in this tradition. This year alone, dozens have taken part and items will be stored for future ofrendas. He says the event is designed to celebrate life rather than evoke sadness. It encourages attendees to laugh, talk and embrace their loved ones.
"The most beautiful part is seeing people come place their loved one's photos here and come back every year and just remember their person."
Cartwright also says this ofrenda is special because of its community component, but that doesn't take away from the beauty of each of the Dia de los Muertos celebrations throughout San Diego County.
The memorial will be open until October 31 at 5 p.m. You can find it at 1500 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103.