© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Temporary memorials honor victims of violence and drugs in Kansas City's Latino community

A cross from last year's mock cemetery in Kansas City's Westside. The 2023 displays will be up for two weeks.
Andrea Garcia
A cross from last year's mock cemetery in Kansas City's Westside. The 2023 displays will be up for two weeks.

The annual displays in the Kansas City area pays tribute to victims of gun violence, suicide and overdoses in the Latino community. Victims from both sides of the state line will be represented.

Dia de los Muertos, traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, is an opportunity for the Latino community to honor loved ones who have passed away. Among the remembrances taking place this year are two "mock cemeteries" for victims of gun violence, suicide and overdoses in Kansas City's Latino community.

The memorial includes individuals from both Kansas and Missouri. It's an acknowledgement of solidarity and understanding despite a historical divide between Latinos in the Westside and Kansas, says Andrea Garcia, the Community Betterment Coordinator for the Northeast at the Mattie Rhodes Center.

Honoring these victims is something especially important to Garcia. Her brother, John Paul Garcia, was killed by gun violence in 2010.

"We want to acknowledge and we want to give them the place, the platform to honor their family," Garcia said. "Because when you see that other person, they suddenly become a real person, not a street or a neighborhood or something like that."

  • Monique Arellano, Community Resource Coordinator at the Mattie Rhodes Center
  • Andrea Garcia, Community Betterment Coordinator for the Northeast
Stay Connected
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
In an era defined by the unprecedented, one thing remains certain: Kansas Citians’ passion for their hometown. As an Up To Date producer, I construct daily conversations to keep our city connected. My work analyzes big challenges and celebrates achievements to help you see your town in a new way. Email me at hallejackson@kcur.org.
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.