Some random photos of us

Dia de los Muertos, Welcoming him home around the world

Here is his altar at our home, where he can enjoy pancakes just the way he loves them, alfajar (a argentinian cookie), M&M's, beer, and some coconut cookies made by Katie and Zosha. To keep him entertained he has his soccer DVD's of the World Cup, the flag of his favorite soccer team La Catolica, along with some of our coin collection and one of his masks. Many momentos of our adventures outdoors, like acorns, mushrooms and moss, welcome him as well. The blue candle, he told me once, is lit when you are feeling the absence of a loved one.



















































The Mission in San Francisco has a big Dia de los Muertos festival each year. Anyone is welcome to set up an altar in Garfield park. His was built under a Giant Redwood (his favorite California tree) and overlooked the soccer field. He would be pleased.

Thousands of people came by and took pictures and sat with him here. I was touched and so were many who saw it.














































Around the corner along the processonal route, Carlos Baron made another beautiful altar. His "Dead Artists" bus was a tribute to Latin American artists. Ignacio was given a priveledged spot among Edith Pilaf, Lucielle Ball, among others. Later in the evening Carlos burned in Ignacio's honor a giant puppet "La Llorona" that Ignacio had helped make for the March 4 protests in Sacramento.






































Many other altars in the park gave people the opportunity to write to their loved ones. I especially liked this string altar. Notice the soccer field in the back.


















Finally, we brought the altar from Garfield park back to the imagine site. A woman who lives in a park nearby told me yesterday that she can feel the love radiating from this spot. "I didn't know him, but I know his spirit will live on," she said as she walked away.

































































My Dad, sister and brother in Kansas City made an altar and said this about it: "On both the first and second of Nov, we will be having our own little circle with Ignacio Fito and share a couple things with him that I most fondly remember we shared in comradeship; the soccer games we shared at the Irish Pub and the Guiness we all shared at the Abby Tavern. So we are going to make it our ritual to drink at least one Negra Modelo, one Guiness, one Irish coffee, watch a soccer game or play some form of football/hurling, get into at least one argument about whose team is better (as well as discuss politics, social reform and the inherent flaws of the communist system). We will have a little table set up with Candles, incense, offerings, matches, jerseys, beer, a libation bowl for his share (which we will later pour onto a sacred spot for us) and his superman statue."

In St. Louis, my family and Sydney and Brent also made a beautiful altar. My mom made chili and they spent all night drinking Chilean wine and remembering the great spirit Fito is. Here is the picture they sent me.

Homage to Fito: October 11, 2010

Here is a short play that I made with six of Fito's acting friends: Diana, Yanko, Andrés, Paty, Bustamante, and Jaime. We presented it for the one month anniversary of his last living day: October 11, 2010.

Español sin subtitulos:



English with Subtitles:

Recap on Wednesday's Community Meeting

Last night, Max Anderson, city council member for District 3,  hosted a community meeting on safety and future plans for the Adeline corridor. The meeting consisted of the mayor of Berkeley, the Chief of Police, and representatives from the Department of Public Works, the Parks Department, Bart Police, and the Department of Economic Development. Most of the speakers described the planned amendments to Adeline, including sidewalk upgrades, new planters, and potentially new lights. The Chief of Police explained some of the bigger departmental shifts that he is directing. He also said that he is hopeful that they will find Fito's murderers. For more information on the meeting, please visit the Berkeleyside Blog

The Viewing, The Funeral.

Fito's viewing was on my birthday. It was a birthday without happiness. It was my first birthday in his presence (we were across the globe for the other two). It was a day that floated by like a passing thought. I saw him, there under the acrylic window, I saw the clothes I dressed him in. I saw the dragon toy, but not his ring, just out of view. I kept him company. I could not move my eyes. And then suddenly I would move my eyes. Was this really happening.

I met many people that day, my birthday. It was too ironic that he died on his birthday and I saw him dead all day on mine. We were a match that met too late and ended too early. We are a love that the Gods fear. There was a celestial war and something went wrong. The man that placed seven bullets fatefully into my love would have been his best friend, had he let him talk...just a word, just talking, no jumping the gun.

The day after was his funeral, 2pm at his high school, middle school, and grammar school: San Ignacio el Bosque (St. Ignacio of the Forest). He was buried in Parque del Recuerdos where his friend Nacho (short for Ignacio) was buried 2 years ago when we were living together at El Grifo. Aligning the earth above him is a ring of Ginkos and liquidambars.

Sunday Night Vigil

a community member organized a vigil on Sunday night at Fito's memorial. it was a chance for neighbors to come out and discuss the incident as well as safety in the neighborhood.

a really lovely comment came from one neighbor who talked about how inspiring Fito's life was and how he hopes to take a little bit of Fito's euphoric approach to living with him.

thank you to the organizers!

Time Lapse

we created a time lapse of the mural and mandala

Fito's flickr page

here is a link to fito's flickr page

Photos of Mandala

lisa took these beautiful photos of the mandala

Visit the memorial at Emerson and Adeline

Come visit the memorial, mural, and mandala for Fito at Emerson and Adeline. Feel free to bring flowers for the mandala, it can evolve as people apply their own designs and plants.

Community Meeting this Wednesday

There will be a community meeting on Wednesday, the 29th of September at 6:30 pm at the Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley. The Berkeley mayor, community representatives, as well as Berkeley police will discuss safety in the neighborhood. Please come participate in the conversation.