Eloisa Lopez-Valencia
My altar is dedicated to my grandpa Jesus Lopez Mendoza, or “Pa Jesus” as I liked to call him. My grandpa was born in Paredones, Michoacan, Mexico on June 6th 1934. My goal for this altar was not only to honor my grandpa but also to answer Gloria Anzaldua’s question in Light in the Dark: “What good can come from death and destruction?” While making flowers, papel picado, and a paper mache viejito, I thought about my grandpa more than ever. I thought about the countless stories he would share with me while I sat with him during my summer vacations in Mexico. My grandpa lived alone so when my mom would tell me “llevale un taco a tu abuelo,” what that really meant was me coming home hours later because my grandpa was an amazing storyteller. I now realize he was making up for countless days of unspoken words. Death can shock us from what is familiar. When I went to Mexico this summer I was no longer welcomed by my grandpa. Death forces us into an unknown space and reminds us to take a step back from our daily routine and think about what is really important to us. This is the good that can come from death.
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