A group of Houston artists is preparing a poignant tribute to cyclists killed in traffic crashes by creating personalized ofrendas, or altars, as part of this year’s Día de los Muertos exhibition at MECA (Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts).
The project, led by former City Council member Karla Cisneros, will honor eight cyclists who lost their lives over the past century, many in incidents near Houston’s city center. The altars will be featured during MECA’s 25th annual Día de los Muertos exhibition at the historic Dow Elementary building from Oct. 17 to Nov. 14.
The ofrendas will commemorate:
- Bennis Noble Butcher (1916)
- Michael Demny (1996)
- Chelsea Norman (2013)
- Marjorie Corcoran (2017)
- David Leon Loya Jr. (2019)
- Samiha Fatima Hossain (2019)
- Shane McKinney (2022)
- Rodney Adkins (2023)
Each altar will be paired with the sprucing up of the cyclists’ corresponding “ghost bikes”—white-painted bicycles placed at crash sites to serve as public memorials and reminders of traffic safety. The tribute to Chelsea Norman, whose fatal crash in 2013 spurred calls for safer bike infrastructure, will be among those highlighted.
“This is about honoring lives and making sure we don’t forget,” Cisneros said. “When you make roadways safer for bicyclists, you make roads safer for everyone.”
The installation aims to raise awareness of Houston’s ongoing challenges with bike safety, even as the city continues to expand its cycling infrastructure through the Houston Bike Plan. Houston has logged over 100 ghost bikes since the tradition began, representing a growing call for change among street safety advocates.
By integrating Día de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday that celebrates and remembers the dead, organizers hope to create a powerful cultural and emotional connection that drives attention to the human cost of unsafe streets.
The exhibit opens to the public on Oct. 17 at MECA’s headquarters in Houston’s Old Sixth Ward. Entry is free, and community members are encouraged to participate by sharing memories or adding to the altars.