FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2024
Contact:
Texas Civil Rights Project, media@texascivilrightsproject.org
Texas Immigration Law Council, press@txilc.org
Grassroots Leadership, mreza@grassrootsleadership.org
AUSTIN, TEXAS - On Friday, November 1st, advocates with the Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP), Grassroots Leadership, the Texas Immigration Law Council, and other partners will hold a Día de los Muertos celebration to honor and remember those whose lives have been lost due to the impacts of harmful and unjust state policies. The event will take place at the South Steps of the Texas Capitol Building, beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT and concluding at 8:00 p.m. CT. Attendees will hear remarks highlighting the toll of these policies on communities across Texas, including those affected along the border, in state prisons, under unsafe labor conditions, and more. The evening will conclude with art, poetry, food, and refreshments.
The event is free and open to the public, register to attend here.
Following the tradition of Día de los Muertos, an ofrenda (altar) will be set up, adorned with photos, offerings, and marigold flowers to honor the lives lost due to harmful policies and political actions in Texas. This year’s event will also serve as a space for the community to gather ahead of the upcoming election, reflecting on the importance of unity and resilience. Regardless of the election outcomes, advocates remain committed to standing in solidarity with one another to work to improve the lives of all Texans and hold our elected officials accountable. The event will feature speakers from TCRP, Workers Defense Project, Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, allgo, and Moms Demand Action, aiming to foster an open dialogue about the effects of state policies on individuals and families throughout Texas.
Texas Civil Rights Project: “Our Dia De Muertos celebration is a moment to honor the many dying in Texas because our State leaders pursue policies that place profit and power over people,” said Roberto Lopez (he/him) Senior Advocacy Manager for the Beyond Borders Program at the Texas Civil Rights Project. “The impact of harmful Texas policies has been vast -from lives lost along the Rio Grande due to Operation Lone Star to lives lost because of undignified working conditions, a lack of access to medical care, and climate change - our movement is together to say enough is enough. Texas laws should put people first, and now is the time for change.”
Texas Immigration Law Council: “This is the second year we have gathered in Austin to celebrate Día de los Muertos, and though we are united in our grief for those we have unnecessarily lost, we will continue to stand together across movements to challenge the harmful policies that have led to these preventable tragedies,” said Priscilla Lugo, Policy & Communications Manager at the Texas Immigration Law Council. “In a time where we are seeing unprecedented death in our state and along the border, it is imperative that we remain united for a better Texas for all.”
Operation Identification: “For this Dia de los Muertos, we honor Eddie Canales, the founder of the South Texas Human Rights Center, who lost his battle to cancer earlier this year,” said Ivanna Robledo (She/Ella) Doctoral Candidate at Texas State University and Team Member with Operation Identification. “We celebrate his legacy by continuing to advocate for the rights of the dead and their families. Operation Identification works daily to uphold our mission of turning numbers into names by providing families of the missing with answers, upholding fundamental human rights, and restoring dignity to the dead.”
Never Again Action: "This Dia de los Muertos, we mourn the deaths of everyone who has died as a result of state violence, especially those who have died due to border militarization. As we watch politicians in Texas and nationally disregard human life and treat people migrating callously as villains in cheap political talking points, we instead insist through our mourning that, as our Jewish tradition teaches us, every life is a universe," said Shayna Solomon (She/Her), Field Director, Never Again Action
Texas After Violence Project: “The Texas After Violence Project will honor the life of Seth Michael Anderson, who died while incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. His death highlights the dangerous conditions of confinement and severe lack of mental healthcare in the prison system. As we celebrate Día de Muertos, we remember Seth. His memory lives on in our collective fight for the dignity and safety of all those impacted by state violence,” said Jennifer Toon (She/Her) Community Advocacy Manager at the Texas After Violence Project.
Lioness: “This Dia de los Muertos celebration we are honoring Frances Ford, who died under deplorable conditions due to medical neglect inside a Texas prison,” said Marci Marie Simmons (she/her), Director of Community Engagement for Lioness Justice Impacted Women’s Alliance. “Frances’ death reflects the brutal reality faced by incarcerated women who are routinely denied access to basic healthcare. Her life, like so many others, was cut short because Texas policies prioritize punishment over people. It’s time for change—no one should die because they are denied dignity and care in custody.”
Vocal Texas: “This Día de Los Muertos, we mourn the countless folks our state has persecuted in its war on poverty and Black and brown folks. We light these velas thinking of the people currently incarcerated, the nearly 500 lives we lost to preventable overdose in Travis County last year, the over 6,000 unhoused neighbors living on the streets of Austin without shelter. We light them for those who are no longer here to do so like Vernon Jarmon, our leader who spoke at this very memorial last year and passed in his home shortly after receiving permanent housing. We condemn our state and governor’s reliance on carceral and punitive attacks on people while they rely on neglected economic and social support, ” said Eli Cortez, Organizer at VOCAL-TX.
Texas Harm Reduction Alliance: “This Día de los Muertos, we come together to celebrate the countless lives lost to overdose. Instead of allowing their stories to be overshadowed by harmful rhetoric surrounding borders, let's focus on the love and humanity they brought into our lives. These individuals deserve recognition, compassion, and a commitment to creating change. We pledge to acknowledge harm reduction as part of their legacy, ensuring that their experiences help pave the way for people who use drugs to thrive,” said Maggie Luna, Executive Director, at the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance.
EveryTown/Moms Demand Action: “Dia de los Muertos is a time of remembrance, reflection and celebration of those who came before us and their gifts to our world,” said Claudia Yañez, a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Yet for many families, these festivities are often tainted by gun violence because so many were taken from us far too soon. As we gather in our communities, let’s remember those we’ve lost to this preventable crisis and vow to honor their memories with action and commitment for a future free of gun violence and full of vibrant opportunities where our children can grow and prosper freely.”
allgo: “For this Dia de los Muertos, we honor a long time friend and collaborator, and artist in residence at allgo, playwright, community healer and author Shay Youngblood who transitioned earlier this year. We honor her as someone who shared her truth, wisdom and knowledge from her perspective as a black lesbian born in the U.S. Her exploration of grief and the concept of family and themes of identity, community and collective care will light the path to a future in which we can all take ownership and pride. As a healer in residence for the first iteration of the Collective Healing Initiative through Texas Association Against Sexual Assault her impact will be felt for generations,” said Kelle’ Martín allgo Executive Director.
Grassroots Leadership: “On this Dia de los Muertos, we light candles for the lives taken by state violence—from neglect to our public health to the cruelty of mass incarceration and detention,” said Sulma Franco (ella/she), Immigration Campaigns Director at Grassroots Leadership. ”We remember the loved ones lost, honoring their memory across borders that keep us apart. And we honor the brave people who risked everything, whose dreams live on in our fight for a future where all are free, thriving, and held in dignity.“
Workers Defense Project: “One construction worker dies every three days in Texas making it the most dangerous state for employees in the country. While tragic, the majority of these deaths are preventable, which is why Workers Defense fights every day for workers' rights and protections at the local, state, and federal levels,” said Daniela Hernandez, Statewide Policy Coordinator at Workers Defense Project. “This Dia de los Muertos, we honor the legacy of workers who have died from extreme heat while on the job. We remember people like farmworker Maria Perez, construction worker Gabriel Infante, and mail carrier Eugene Gates who have perished and continue fighting so that the living can get the protection and dignity they are worth.”
Frontera Fund: “For Dia de los Muertos, we remember and celebrate the life of Rosaura “Rosie” Jimenez. She was a mother, student, and McAllen resident who lost her life in 1977 because of abortion restrictions. We honor Rosie and the legacy she has left that has allowed us to push for legislation that would restore Medicaid and private insurance coverage of abortion care for Texans. After more than 45 years, we are still fighting abortion restrictions that keep people from accessing abortion care. We are lighting candles for the lives lost to unjust abortion bans that are keeping people from living happy, healthy lives that are free of fear” said Aileen Garza, Board Member at Frontera Fund
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The Texas Civil Rights Project is boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts. We use our tools of litigation and legal advocacy to protect and advance the civil rights of everyone in Texas, and we partner with communities across the state to serve the rising movement for social justice. We undertake our work with a vision of a Texas in which all communities can thrive with dignity, justice and without fear.
The Texas Immigration Law Council is a statewide nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization formed in 2023 to promote and protect the rights of immigrants and refugees of all nationalities in Texas. The Council promotes meaningful access to justice for immigrants and refugees by serving as a statewide immigrant legal resource center. The Council brings together constituencies across the political spectrum to advance constructive dialogue on immigrant solutions for Texas.
About Grassroots Leadership
Grassroots Leadership is a Texas-based national organization that works for a more just society where prison profiteering, mass incarceration, deportation, and criminalization are things of the past. Follow us @Grassroots_News.
Never Again Action is a Jewish-led mobilization against the persecution, detention, and deportation of immigrants in the United States. We are a welcoming multiracial, intergenerational, and multi faith collective of Central Texans whose distinctive Jewish lens informs our work. This Jewish lens speaks to a history of resilience in the face of marginalization. We are both allies to others, and allied in our community.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national nonprofit that works with immigrants, community organizations, legal professionals, and policy makers to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. Through community education programs, legal training & technical assistance, and policy development & advocacy, the ILRC works to protect and defend the fundamental rights of immigrant families and communities.
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