The Brief

Today is Día de los Muertos. It’s a time when people celebrate the lives of those who've passed on and remember family members, close friends, pets and even strangers.

The holiday holds a special place for many people as a way to grieve those who have died and keep their memory alive. People usually celebrate with an ofrenda that has photos of their loved ones, their favorite meals, marigolds, pan de muerto, sugar skulls and other items that have meaning to those being remembered.

In celebration of the holiday, LAist asked readers: What is a memory of a loved one you would like to share for Día de los Muertos? We heard from people across Southern California about those favorite moments, and this digital ofrenda is meant to highlight those memories.

Remembering loved ones

Joanne Pineda of Monterey Park has made a tradition of celebrating Día de los Muertos with her family. She said she’ll always remember the time when her dad asked her mom to dance to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” in the living room.

“Thinking about it now really brings me tears because it just brought them so much joy. It brought them close together,” Pineda said. “For me to be there, to see that, how special it was to them I just think about it all the time.”

Joanne Pineda's parent's photo sits on an ofrenda to remember their lives.

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Courtesy of Joanne Pineda

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Joanne Pineda currently has an ofrenda in her home where she has photos of her parents, family members and a pet who have since passed away.

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Courtesy of Joanne Pineda

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She currently has her own ofrenda where she has photos of her late parents, family members and a pet. She plays "Harvest Moon" for her parents every year on Día de los Muertos and hopes they’re still dancing.

Araceli Guillen remembers her father, Antonino Raúl Guillén Álvarez, who passed away earlier this year. “Papa te extranaremos mucho”

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Courtesy Araceli Guillen

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For Dia de los Muertos, Araceli Guillén-Tuerpe is remembering her father — Antonino Raúl Guillén Álvarez — who died earlier this year. Her father came from Mexico to the U.S. about 50 years ago and settled in the San Fernando Valley. He instilled in his children the need to get an education, but Guillén-Tuerpe said her father always filled her childhood with music. He played the guitar and violin and sang all the time, especially classic mariachi songs like “Cielito Lindo” by Pedro Infante.

“He was in a retirement music group, so he was playing music until the very end with his group,” said Guillén-Tuerpe.

One of her fondest memories of her father happened during the pandemic. She was celebrating her daughter’s 10th birthday over Zoom, but the distance didn't keep her father from making the day special when he hopped on the call and sang “Las Mañanitas".

Sheena Kadi said this November will be two years since her chosen mom — Lucille Ruibal Rivera — died. On Kadi’s ofrenda, there are photos of Lucille, souvenirs from their travels together, candles, her favorite bottle of tequila, a pair of sunglasses and a feather from a hat she wore often.

“All these feathers kept falling out of it. So everywhere she went where she wore it, she would leave a trail of feathers behind,” Kadi said.

Sheena Kadi says this was her chosen mom’s favorite photo.

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Courtesy Sheena Kadi

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Kadi met Lucille on Christmas Eve of 2018 after Kadi’s family had disowned her because she's queer. Kadi’s friend invited her to spend the holiday at their house. Lucille, her friend’s mother, asked Kadi why she was spending the holiday there, and not with her family. When Kadi explained what happened, Lucille immediately hugged her and said, “You are my daughter and if anyone has questions, they can come and talk to me.”

Kadi remembers Lucille as someone who was bold, a healthcare leader, a Chicana artist and a fierce advocate for her community, including the LGBTQ+ community.

“She used to say if you have a seat at the table, be sure to pull up a few more chairs and bring more folks with you,” Kadi said.

She wants Lucille to know that she’s still carrying the lessons she taught her.

“Honoring your ancestors isn’t just about blood family, but also chosen family,  I'm going to do everything that I can to continue to honor and remember her," Kadi added.

Mario Aguilera is remembering his mom, Amanda, this Dia de los Muertos.

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Courtesy of Mario Aguilera

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For Día de los Muertos, Mario Aguilera is remembering his mom, Amanda, who recently died. She came to Los Angeles in the 1980s from El Salvador and was a proud Angelino for more than 40 years.

Aguilera, who grew up in Boyle Heights, remembers his mom being a hard worker, having cleaned houses for more than 20 years. She’d frequently ride the bus to and from work all around the city, and he remembers going on bus rides with her — sometimes for work, sometimes to find things to do around town.

Aguilera said his mom taught him the importance of exploring, getting out of your comfort zone and discovering new places and communities.

“It’s one of my favorite memories I have of her,” he said.

Remembering loved pets

Mischa Armada is celebrating the life of her 9-year-old Frenchie, Butters, who died Oct. 16. Butters was her best friend, constant companion and dog son who traveled with her after she got him in the Philippines. A memory she has of Butters was when they visited Mexico City in 2022 during Día de los Muertos and dressed him up as a little taco to visit the Zócalo. He was the only dog in costume that day.

Mischa Armada and her nine and a half year old Frenchie spent months in Mexico City in 2022, and celebrated Día de los Muertos at the Zócalo.

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Courtesy Mischa Armada

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“As we were walking along the Zócalo, all we heard was ‘Mira! Hola perrito!’ and people were just taking photos,” Armada said. “He was loving every minute of that.”

Families approached asking if they could take pictures with Butters, or Mantequilla as he was called there. She said he smiled the whole time.

Amy Breyer is celebrating her cat, Dwayne "the cat" Johnson, this Día de los Muertos. She said Dwane was “very much a little person in a fur suit.” She said Dwayne, who died Oct. 17, would greet them with a "meow-moh" that she swears he was trying to imitate the sound of "hello" when he walked into a room.

Amy Breyer is remembering her cat, Dwayne "the cat" Johnson, who passed away on Oct. 17.

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Courtesy of Amy Breyer

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She said Dwayne would sit on a kitchen chair to keep them company while they ate lunch and stand on her laptop when he decided it was time for Breyer to stop working for the day.

“We feel privileged that we could give him the foundation to become his fully-realized little furry self,” said Bryer in an obit about Dwayne, “even though right now there’s a Dwayne-shaped hole in our hearts.”

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.