If you haven't stood under her yet, this is the week. La Catrina de Oakland, a 34-foot sculpture of the elegant skeleton linked with Día de los Muertos, has spent October at Fruitvale Transit Village, next to Fruitvale BART. The Unity Council, which brought her to Oakland, says she leaves on Nov. 5.
Where she came from
The Unity Council says the figure was handcrafted by artisans at Artsumex in Mexico City. Her arrival was marked by a welcome ceremony on the morning of Oct. 1, when hundreds gathered in the plaza, KQED reported. Mayor Barbara Lee and the Consul General of Mexico spoke, and Fremont High School's ballet folklórico performed.
The Unity Council, which has worked in Fruitvale for more than 60 years, frames the sculpture as a statement of welcome and pride: "Our culture travels with us." Alongside the installation it is running a La Catrina Resistance Fund with a goal of $250,000 by Dec. 31 to protect programs including its seven Head Start sites and youth leadership programs, which it says face funding threats.
How to visit
The sculpture is outdoors and free to see. She is also the centerpiece of the Unity Council's free Oakland Día de los Muertos festival on Sunday, Nov. 1, which we included in our Día de los Muertos guide. Expect big crowds that day. Fruitvale BART is steps away, and weekday mornings are the quietest time for photos.