Voices of the Victims: Behind Our 2025 Día de Muertos Altar

Every year, Día de Muertos reminds us that remembrance can do more than honor the past, it can inspire change in the present. This year, our altar carried a message that reached far beyond tradition. It became a space to give voice, visibility, and strength to women who have survived violence, and to raise awareness for those who continue to face it every day.

Our altar was dedicated to Elvia Carrillo Puerto, a visionary feminist and tireless advocate for women’s rights in Mexico.

Her courage and her fight for equality inspired the heart of our altar, a tribute not only to her, but to all women who continue to fight for dignity, safety, and opportunity.

Her story reminded us that remembrance can be an act of rebellion, a way to say: we will not be silent.

This year’s altar, titled “Voces de las Víctimas” (Voices of the Victims), was the result of months of planning, design, and collaboration, and three full days of hands on work from our incredible team. It was built to reflect the duality that so many women live: pain and power, loss and rebirth, silence and voice. The altar called attention to the devastating reality of gender violence, domestic abuse, and the ongoing struggle women and girls face daily in Mexico. At its center were purple ribbons, the color of resilience, justice, and womanhood. Visitors were invited to write messages of hope, remembrance, and solidarity, each one a quiet stand against violence. By the end of the night, those few ribbons, gently swaying in the breeze, carried more meaning than any words could express.

Together with Fundación Sarahuaro, we transformed remembrance into action.

Sarahuaro’s mission, empowering women through education, training, and micro-loans,  deeply resonates with our own values. Their work has given hundreds of women in Los Cabos the tools and confidence to rebuild their lives after hardship.

Through this altar, we helped amplify their message: that with support, empathy, and opportunity, women can rise again.

This altar was more than a creative project, it was a collective act of purpose, our team came together in full force. Designers, store managers and team members from across Eclectic Array joined efforts, arranging flowers, painting signs, placing candles, tying ribbons, each task carried out with heart and intention. It was an experience of team building with soul, guided by empathy, leadership, and unity. Everyone contributed. Everyone showed up. Everyone shared the same goal, to create impact.

We didn’t do it for awards or recognition. And even though we didn’t win this year, we succeeded in what matters most, people stopped to listen, to reflect, and to feel.

At Eclectic Array, our purpose has always been more than creating beautiful, handmade products. It’s about creating change. Every boutique, every collaboration, and every project is part of a bigger mission: to connect communities, empower artisans, and use our voice to spark impact. This altar reminded us that our role as a B Corp is not just to operate ethically, but to lead with compassion and action.

Because when art, community, and purpose meet, transformation begins.

And that’s what Eclectic Array stands for, the change we wish to see in the world.

 

As the last candle faded, our team stood quietly before the altar, proud, moved, and united. We left with our hands covered in marigold petals and our hearts full of gratitude,  for the women we honored, for the foundation we supported, and for the reminder that even the smallest act of awareness can create ripples of change.

Because together, we can build more than altars. We can build hope. We can build understanding. We can build the change that matters.