Marbrisa Flores
In this altar, I honor the lives of those who are dear and near to my heart and whose existence in this world have had a major impact in my life. First in my altar is my father, David Flores, who passed away when I was merely 12 years old. He is buried in a small town in Mexico making it difficult for me to visit his grave on special occasions such as his birthday or on Father’s day. Making an altar in his honor today brings me hope that while I may not be able to visit him, he will be here present with me today as he enjoys the offerings I have put up for him. Next in my altar are my grandfather, Bernardino Estevez, and a close childhood friend, Carlos Segovia. My grandfather had a slow and painful death but today I cherish his life and the times we shared together. Carlos, my dear friend, was a warrior in his community -- actively caring about those on the streets and helping youth through spoken word and painting. During a visit home from his Marine camp, he was approached by gang members who shot a bullet through his head leaving him brain dead on the spot and now he is only with us in spirit but his legacy in the community and in our hearts remains. Lastly, I chose to honor two innocent and beautiful souls who were brought to this world to be exploited and murdered for human consumption. Paz, a beautiful ox was killed in a slaughterhouse for meat. I watched as he was stabbed in the head and skinned alive while he bled out in pain. This is standard practice for the billions of animals that are killed every year to land on someone’s plate. Every animal deserves to live and be remembered as the sentient, loving, and innocent beings they are. Another beautiful soul was Fernando, a baby chick I helped rescue from a life in a cage where he and dozens of other baby chicks were being sold to be grown and killed for their bodies. He lived a short life but one filled with love and care on his last days. He will always be loved and remembered for the innocence and charisma he brought into this world. May we cherish every single life in this world and honor those who have passed.
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