Alison De La Cruz (DeLa) with D'Lo — Armory Center for the Arts

DeLa (aka Alison De La Cruz) will be creating their debut installation piece entitled The Portal for Grieving & Healing. This 5-archway installation is a partnership with the Armory Center for the Arts and will be enhanced by pre-festival participatory grief circles and community-making workshops held at the Armory with Death Doula Luzviminda Jariwala. Finally, while at the festival, LA-based performing artist D'Lo and his partners in the UNCLES project will be on site to provide participants with support around the Portal for Grieving & Healing.

DeLa (also known as Alison De La Cruz) is a multidisciplinary artist, creative, facilitator, contemporary ritualist, and elder. DeLa’s artistic work has ranged from place-based poetry and productions, contemporary theater and movement. While DeLa has been creating collages with found images and textures for years, this piece is their first public participatory installation work. More about DeLa.

Pasadena's Armory Center for the Arts is a leader for contemporary art exhibitions and community-based arts education. The Armory believes that an understanding and appreciation of the arts is essential for a well-rounded human experience and a healthy community. At the core of our mission is a deep commitment to social justice through arts education. More about the Armory Center for the Arts.

To support participants during the installation DeLa has also partnered with LA artist: D'Lo and his new project: UNCLES (You Not Crying Leaves Everyone Suffering). Setting out to create new pathways for each person’s emotional expanse & vulnerability, D'Lo alongside other masculine people (including trained therapists/social workers) offer to listen to whatever pain/grief a person/stranger might be carrying in their hearts and offer to cry with them. More about D'Lo.