Obituaries: Juan Pablo GutiNrrez
August 5, 1953 - December 26, 2021If you are familiar with the Mission district's Day of the Dead Ritual Procession, then you were impacted by Juan Pablo's tireless grassroots work.
He was the principal in getting that underway every November 2 for almost four decades. Forming the Culture Rescue Committee, he gave rise to the phrase "our dead are not for sale," signifying his battle against corporate sponsorship of this well-known yearly event in San Francisco.His work with various organizations in the Mission district since his San Francisco arrival in 1985 led him to be director of the Mission Cultural Center for three years.
Juan Pablo was an artist, poet, actor, playwright, theater director, museum consultant, bilingual educator, guide in spiritual magic, Meso-American culture specialist, and AIDS activist.
Originally from San Antonio, Texas, he received an M.A. in education from the University of Texas at Austin. His surviving family of choice includes Luis de la Garza, Dolores Terrazas, Franco Balancio, Kevin Woodson, Linda Wilson, and Andres Terrazas.A memorial is being held to honor his life Saturday, March 26, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
