Calavera LGBTQ festival in LA celebrates Latinx diversity, Day of the Dead

The recent Calavera LGBTQ Festival in Boyle Heights was a colorful, joyous celebration of life and death.

The annual event centers L.A.’s diverse Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities, while honoring the Mexican-Catholic tradition of Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

Organizers from the Latino Equity Alliance said the Calavera festival is all about creating a safe, celebratory space for these communities — particularly for those unable to celebrate “all parts of themselves.”

“This festival provides space for our Latine LGBTQ+ members to celebrate in ways that are healing and meaningful to them that acknowledge all parts of them; without our queer family having to compartmentalize themselves,” said organizer Sanya Lojero. “Historically, some Latine LGBTQ+ people have expressed the feeling of not being able to celebrate all parts of themself in their Latine communities, due to a lack of acceptance and understanding. We are able to invite Latine LGBTQ+ people as well as our cisgender, heterosexual community members to this event, where we are all able to celebrate and build acceptance of one another together.”

The Oct. 21 event at the Mi Centro venue featured street vendors, community resources, live music and a drag competition, where artists performed for the title of Mx. Calavera. Organizers said the diverse crowd included queer community members, families, señores and señoras all enjoying the drag performances.

This year’s Day of the Dead altar was themed “Amor Eterno: Te Amo Más Qué A Mi Propia Piel.”

The festival is one of the alliance’s longest-running signature events, starting back in 2016.

“Moments like these exemplify our mission of building community power and family acceptance within our Latine communities, regardless of gender and sexuality,” said Lojero. “We recognize that everyone has their own journey with LGBTQ+ acceptance and hosting this Calavera festival is a way we are able to meet the community where they are at to facilitate that process.”