Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
As the Day of the Dead sun set in Philadelphia on Sunday, communities across the city celebrated resilience in togetherness. Along South Ninth Street, a festival brought joy for hundreds of people in the Italian Market area, with traditional dances, contests, a Catrina parade, and flavorful food. The Association of Mexican Business Owners of Philadelphia organized the festival, its second after holding one last year. But the absence of some in the community was felt. “There was a large Anglo-Saxon community, more than the Latino community, but I can’t tell you why,” said Gerardo Coronado, the association’s manager. “But it is good that they, too, identify with the Day of the Dead celebration; that is why we make sure to have a bilingual event, so they can feel included, too.” On Oct. 22, local immigration advocates said Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested four people in Philadelphia, including a man at the Italian Market. For Hernandez, a mother of three who declined to provide a name due to her immigration status, that made her think twice before deciding to show up to the celebration. “With the raids and everything, we are afraid — afraid to know that we cannot celebrate, because we may be taken away from our families,” Hernandez said, holding hands with her young son and daughter. “But seeing people enjoying Mexican culture makes me feel less excluded, less disconnected.” On her 20th Day of the Dead in Philadelphia, she expressed hope that attending the festival wouldteach her children not to live in fear “so they can be resilient and can move on with their lives when I am no longer here,” Hernandez said. The sentiment of resilience to keep going forward despite adversity was also what served as inspiration for artist Claudia Peregrina for an altar at this year’s festival, titled “La Travesia,” the crossing. “It pays tribute to our fellow immigrants who sadly perished during their journey, and to the bravery of those who made it here, especially in these very difficult times, where the community lives in fear,” Peregrina said. The colorful installation at Ninth Street and Washington Avenue, featured Mexican calaveritas — sugar skulls — vibrant colors, marigolds, Day of the Dead bread, and an array of fruits for the souls of the 10,000 to 80,000 immigrants that have perished while crossing the U.S.- Mexico border since 1994, according to Human Rights Watch. Peregrina praised the diversity and vibrancy of the event, seeing it as a recognition of the immigrant community in Philadelphia. “Today showed us that we don’t sit alone, an important togetherness on a day as emotional as the Day of the Dead,” Peregrina said. “This festival is a demonstration of our strengths after not only the constant struggle with our hard work, but also the constant struggle to be part of spaces where we can showcase the best of what we bring with us from our home countries.” Farewell to Cantina la Martina But one of those spaces said farewell to Philadelphia on Sunday night. With the barbacoa’s fire on, Cantina La Martina owners Dionicio Jiménez and Mariangeli Alicea Saez welcomed customers to their D Street restaurant in Kensington for a Day of the Dead celebration of life as they prepared to shut down at 10 p.m. “It’s incredibly frustrating and emotional, but it’s been a blessing to have been here in magical Kensington, where amid the chaos and negative perspectives, this place has been an oasis of community for so many people,” Alicea Saez said. Since 2022, Cantina La Martina has faced an array of challenges, from providers who refused to deliver to insurers dropping them due to the stagnant conditions in the neighborhood — including homelessness, illegal drug use and sales, and gun violence. Amid the pain of the loss, they found strength in saying goodbye to the community in the restaurant’s backyard. It was filled with music, folkloric dances, a Day of the Dead altar, and Jiménez’s famous cooking, which got him a nomination for a James Beard award in 2023. Neighbors stopped by during the week to drop off pictures of their loved ones and children made claveritas at McPherson Square Library. And, at the center of the altar, they included a paper sign listing the values they feel have “passed away” this year: justice, free speech, empathy, democracy, liberty, equity, human rights, transparency, and respect. “As we celebrate the Day of the Dead, where a cycle opens and another begins, Cantina’s cycle in Kensington has finished, but we are still here,” Alicea Saez said. “We hope that the people and organizations that remain will continue to follow up on the work that still needs to be done, to improve the quality of life for the people who live and work here so that their voices will be heard.”
