Mikailhuitl: Decolonizing Day of the Dead – Mexica Cultural History Celebration and Community History Festival

D3's Mikailhuitl celebration honors the traditional Mexica observance of Day of the Dead, decolonizing Dia de los Muertos by celebrating during the authentic dates practiced by the Mexica/Aztecs. This two-weekend cultural arts festival directly commemorates Colorado 150 & America 250 through a dedicated educational booth featuring "150 Years of Westwood Neighborhood," & "150 Years of Indigenous & Mexica Art in Colorado" information, with interactive displays, historical documentation, & take-away educational materials connecting Mexica tradition, the Westwood neighborhood, & Colorado's broader diverse heritage.
The celebration features Voladores de Papantla, traditional Mexica dance performances by Kalpulli Mikakuika, & visiting dancers & musicians from Mexico & across the US. Live Mexica/Aztec music, community-built altars, & a free ceremonial feast anchor the event's identity as both a cultural celebration & living ceremony.

D3 Arts is a BIPOC-led organization serving Denver's Council District 3, where 78% of residents are of Mexican descent. Executive Director Santiago Jaramillo brings 27 years of experience leading sweat lodge ceremonies & authentic cultural knowledge to the programming. The event also features original Mexica & Mixtec imagery, local art, food, & vendors, with all programming offered in English & Spanish. The celebration creates safe, inclusive spaces for artistic expression while preserving culture among the 500+ community members served annually.

D3 Arts' Mikailhuitl celebration directly commemorates Colorado 150 and America 250 through multiple integrated approaches. The organization will establish a dedicated educational booth featuring "150 Years of Westwood Neighborhood," "150 Years of Indigenous and Mexica Art in Colorado," and "250 Years of US Arts." This interactive installation will include educational materials, games, and displays that trace the continuous presence of indigenous artistic traditions throughout Colorado's 150-year statehood and America's 250-year history. The programming honors pre-Columbian history while acknowledging indigenous presence that predates political boundaries by thousands of years.

Traditional Mexica dance performances showcase centuries-old artistic expressions that have persisted throughout US and Colorado history. Audiences will receive written materials explaining the historical context behind each performance and its connection to Colorado and American art history. All advertising and promotional materials will prominently feature this historical narrative, positioning art history as central to the event's purpose. The celebration recognizes the Westwood neighborhood's cultural continuity while commemorating Colorado's diverse cultural landscape and the resilience of indigenous communities throughout the region's complex 150-year journey as a state and 250-year national history.

D3 Arts primarily serves residents of Denver's Council District 3, particularly the Westwood neighborhood, where 78% of residents are of Mexican descent (30% foreign-born), 30% live in poverty, and 75% live below Denver's Area Median Income. The Mikailhuitl celebration specifically reaches adults recovering from substance misuse, justice-involved individuals seeking to reduce recidivism, at-risk BIPOC youth ages 13-25, individuals who self-identify as indigenous, community members seeking cultural reconnection, LGBTQIA+ youth and adults, and those living at or below the poverty level.