Ready to do your own Altar?  check out Frida Katrina "Mexican Fok Art" this is Leticia's new project. Frida Katrina is a project to support Mexican Artist and Artisans,gving them an opportunity to share their art and make a way of living.  At Frida Katrina you can find "papel picado" paper mache skulls, sugar skulls, Alebrijes and almost everything that you need to build an altar. You can also find small kit bag with all what you need for a small ofering.
check out the facebook page; https://www.facebook.com/MexicanFolkArtFridaKatrina/info

Vazquez first demonstrated the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition in Columbus as part of a show-and-tell activity during her student exchange program. Years later, starting in 2005 to the present, this material became the basis for an annual exhibition and a series of Day of the Dead workshops in English and in Spanish. In the workshops she explains the Pre-Hispanic (Precolumbian) roots of this tradition and the syncretism between native and Spanish Catholic culture. 

She also invites different families and local artists each year to participate and create their own altar offerings. Vazquez's own work featured in the exhibits includes painted paper and glue masks, sculptures and boxes that portray a variety of allusive characters and scenes. It has become the Day of the dead Community event in Columbus OH. It takes place every year during the first days of November.

Cityfolk Festival

Ofrenda dia de  muertos

Leticia Vazquez Smith At Dayton Ohio Folk Festival

She participated in 3 panels

•  Ritual and spirit in folk art 
•  Evolution in Mexican Food  Tortilla time
•  Let's talk ingredients; Corn, Chile, Chocolate

Leticia Vazquez-Smith is a native of Mexico City who now lives in Columbus. She is is an ardent promoter of traditional Mexican culture through her work as a cultural worker, craftswoman, business owner, researcher and president of the Latino Arts for Humanity organization. She is particularly interested in traditional Mexican foodways and Day of the Dead celebrations, interests that she has combined since 2005 with an annual Day of the Dead exhibition and bilingual community workshops. The Day of the Dead traditions are based on the belief that one can continue to maintain a relationship with one’s loved ones, even after that person has passed away. This is celebrated on a designated day when families gather to honor their dead by posting their pictures, favorite objects and food on a makeshift altar. They may also write poems (called calaveras) or sing their favorite songs. It is not a sad nor scary day, but one full of family love and spiritual faith.

Cityfolk Dayton OH

The Latino Ohio exhibition has influence even beyond the festival. This year, the Cityfolk Festival is working closely with the “Welcome Dayton: Immigrant Friendly City” initiative, a move to raise awareness of the benefits of a culturally and economically diverse community, by focusing on Ohio’s large and growing Latino population. “We bring music from all over the world and make it a part of Dayton,” says Kathleen Alter, Executive Director of Cityfolk. 

This year we will honor our Grandmas and Grandpas at the 

"Day of the dead Community event 2013"

Nuestras tradiciones del Dia de los muertos.

If you want to participate please contact us as soon as possible.

Location: Parkview United Methodist Church

344 Algonquin Ave. Columbus OH 43204

November 2nd & 3rd 2013

Email Leticia @ letimex@yahoo.com for more information and if you want to get involve and participate.

This year we will honor our Grandmas and Grandpas at the 

"Day of the dead Community event 2013"

Nuestras tradiciones del Dia de los muertos.

If you want to participate please contact us as soon as possible.

Location: Parkview United Methodist Church

344 Algonquin Ave. Columbus OH 43204

November 2nd & 3rd 2013

tambien puedes enviar un email a letimex@yahoo.com

MidWest Fair Trade Fest 2013

MidWest Fair Trade Fest 2013 is Saturday April 13th. 

At The Ohio State University's 4H center (2201 Fred Taylor Dr.) 

A Fair Trade Experience presented by Global Gallery and this is the second year that  The Latino Arts for Humanity collaborates with the MidWest Fair Trade Fest and 

WE ARE VERY EXCITED!

Come to enjoy amazing performances, there will be plenty of interactive workshops available for you to learn something new! 

Tickets $5 and kids 12 & under get in free!

See you there!

check Latino Arts for Humanity Facebook page for more information.

Thank you very much for your contribution to the 
Day of the dead Community event 2012

Thank you very much to Pastor Paul Ernest from Parkview United Methodist Church for supporting our event.

Thanks to Jolinda from First Unitarian Universal Church of Columbus and her Altar Offering and readings.

Thanks to the Amaya family and Tony  Molchen for the Guatemalan Cemetery

Thank you to Enrique Infante for his music 

Thank you to Ruben Castilla Herrera for presenting The Circle of Life: An Art of

Hosting Conversation and storytelling on our experiences with

life, grieving, death, letting go and celebrating 

Thank you to Iris Reategui and Margarita Revilla for their support to the the event every year

Thank you to Eevi Cunninham for making cup cakes!

Thank you to Patti Vonn Niessen for making Pan de Muerto

Big thank you to Beatriz Vasquez for sharing her Papel picado exhibit with us, it was amazing!

Than you to Tom the Mom guy! for donating the Moms again

Thank you to Pepe Zacatelco  and to all the volunteers that came along to make this happen one more time.

Thank you to Global Gallery Connie De Jong for letting us print our flyers.

All my love to all of you!
Leticia Vazquez-Smith