NAMPA — On Oct. 29th, Poder of Idaho, a nonprofit organization, partnered with the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho to host a trunk or treat event and also invited community members to celebrate the community altars displayed inside the cultural center for Día de los Muertos.
Día de los Muertos also known as the "Day of the Dead" is traditionally celebrated to remember and honor those who have died.
Raquel Reyes, a board member, said there was an altar the organization decided to set up and dedicated to the victims of the Boise Towne Square mall shooting.
“We just wanted to share that it’s a time of healing and closure for them,” Reyes said.
The organization dedicated an altar to honor Jo Acker and Roberto Padilla Argüelles.
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Acker was a security officer at the mall. Family members said Jo was a caring person with a big heart.
In a Facebook post, a family member wrote Padilla Argüelles was an agricultural worker under the H2A program. They described him, who was staying in Rupert, as a supportive, caring husband and father.
“Because we didn’t really know them personally, we went ahead and put some food for their journey and water, some flowers for the set, and we did have some candles on the table,” Reyes said.
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Reyes said the altar was a way to raise awareness about the two lives lost in the tragedy.
“We felt as, like an agency that we should honor them because it was close to Día de Los Muertos, and we should honor their memory here for whatever they contributed to society, earth, our community," Reyes said.
