IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION recognizing Dia De Los Muertos on November 1st, 2024, and November 2nd, 2024.
Intro
RESOLUTION NO. 21783, October 28, 2024
INTRODUCED BY Manuel Abarca IV, Donna Peyton, Venessa Huskey, and DaRon McGee, County Legislators
Body
WHEREAS, Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated annually on November 1st and 2nd, 2024 in the United States and throughout Latin America recognizing the rich cultural contributions that Mexican Americans and their historical traditions have made to Jackson County, Missouri and the entire region; and,
WHEREAS, Mattie Rhodes Center has been celebrating the Day of the Dead/Dia de Los Muertos consecutively for over 26 years; and,
WHEREAS, Mattie Rhodes Center will have two Honorary Cemeteries, at Indian Mound Park in the Historic Northeast and at Jarboe Park in the Westside, where families will be able to honor loved ones killed due to violence by decorating a cross (ofrenda) and celebrating the legacies that their loved one leaves behind; and,
WHEREAS, on Friday, November 1, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. at 1701 Jarboe Street, KCMO 64108, Mattie Rhodes will host the Closing Celebration of the Dia de Los Muertos Art Exhibition and Calaca Night Parade, free and open to the general public; and,
WHEREAS, this vibrant event invites both locals and visitors to immerse themselves in the traditions and joyful remembrance of Diìa de Los Muertos featuring elaborate altars (ofrendas) in preparation for Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a multi-day holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and parts of Latin America that honors loved ones who have died; and,
WHEREAS, Mattie Rhodes, established in 1894, is a Kansas City based community development organization whose vision is for a vibrant, connected community in which individuals and families are healthy, safe, and equipped to thrive; and,
WHEREAS, Mattie Rhodes Center believes that all individuals should be able to live healthy, violence-free lives where they have the resources and tools they need in order to prevent violent incidents from occurring and to break the cycle of violence in their communities; and,
WHEREAS, the Mattie Rhodes Center has three, Bilingual (Spanish and English) Public Safety programs:
§ Nuevo Amanecer (New Dawn) Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment program - a substance abuse treatment program providing individual and family counseling, group education, and community support;
§ Community Resource Team - Community Resource Coordinators connect individuals, who are victims and perpetrators of violence, to resources in their community;
§ ParateXPaz (Stand Up for Peace) - a violence prevention outreach program, in partnership with Aim4Peace, that focuses on providing mediation, canvassing, and case management to individuals and families close to violence in the Historic Northeast area; and,
WHEREAS, Mattie Rhodes’ Día de Los Muertos celebrations in KCMO’s Westside are recognized across our region, attracting over 5,000 festival goers who attend to engage with the hundreds of individuals and organizations from across Jackson County; and,
WHEREAS, families and friends of all ages come together to build altars, enjoy live music, and showcase their creativity in this uniquely designed participatory event; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri supports enabling legislation that would declare November 1 and 2, 2024, as the Dia de los Muertos days in Jackson County, Missouri.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage by a majority of the Legislature.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________
County Counselor
Certificate of Passage
I hereby certify that the attached resolution, Resolution No. 21783 of October 28, 2024, was duly passed on October 28, 2024 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas ________9___________ Nays ________0___________
Abstaining ______0_________ Absent _______0___________
______________________ _____________________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature