9th Annual Dia de los Muertos Event Article [By Ava Layon]
Posted on Oct. 19, 2022 / Subscribe 0
Today, I had the absolute pleasure of talking to Miss Naimeh Woodward, President and Founder of the Encinitas Friends of the Arts. From the moment I sat down with her, I could tell that she truly felt passionate about the topic at hand. She did not hesitate to get right into explaining the Encinitas Dia de los Muertos celebration that she puts on in partnership with the City of Encinitas every year for the past nine years. This year’s event takes place October 29 at the Encinitas Community Center from 12 to 4 PM.
Naimeh started as an Arts Commissioner for the City of Encinitas before she became the founder of EFA. Her main focus is, and always has been, “focusing on giving the Latino community a voice, focusing on the cultural aspect of the community.” She began collaborating with the city and their first event was put on about ten years ago at the local library! It was a very small close-nit crowd, though Naimeh tells me that now, even though the crowd has gotten bigger over the years, (up to 4,000 people now!) that intimate, safe feeling from all those years ago never really went away.
Like most events in Encinitas, Dia de los Muertos is completely family friendly. Many residents from the community are involved. They have over 100 volunteers consisting of Americorp volunteers, and young minds from the local high schools that volunteer. This aspect makes the event almost educational to the next generation. Furthermore, there is a Day of the Dead Art exhibit by Oak Crest Middle School students, showcasing their artistic passions.
During this celebration, many fun activities are involved: face painting, sugar skulls workshops and tissue flowers are only a few examples. Adding to the spectacular list of to-do’s, many of the activities are held outside. Those include, but are not limited to: artist demonstrations, vendors, a low rider car show by the Callejeros de Encinitas Car Club, and food.
When the idea for Dia de los Muertos came to her, Naimeh first asked herself, “Where is the Latino component of our community?” This question prompted her to hold an annual event representing the fellow Latinos in our community. I believe that after almost a decade, she finally found her answer, “watching the community come together as one is my favorite thing about all of this” she states, “it truly makes my heart sing. It is an event that could be somber, but instead with the help of our neighbors, we can turn it into something so beautiful.” Her dedication to this annual event and the culture behind it is evident. I truly believe that this passion will shine through during the event itself, making it a safe, beautiful and exciting environment.
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