Ofelia Esparza (right) and her daughter Elena inaugurate an altar in Boyle Heights. Photo: César Tapia.
Artist and educator Ofelia Esparza is a pioneer builder of altars, traditional offerings inspired by the indigenous traditions of Mexico. For many years, Esparza has built altars in California and other parts of the United States. During a festival of popular art in the Plaza del Mariachi in Boyle Heights, a symbolic Latino neighborhood in Los Angeles, Esparza directed the construction of an altar by young people from the community. The youth shared their pride in their community and used the altar to express their concerns about displacement, because of the influx of new neighbors with higher incomes, and the rising cost of living in the neighborhood. Our correspondent in Los Angeles, Rubén Tapia, has the story. This feature is part of our series Raíces: Los Maestros: Stories about those who are passing on art to the next generation.
The full story and sound is available in Spanish.
