Art has the power to honor, to remember, and to galvanize action. That’s why I spent the past few months working alongside partners at Clear the Air, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, Sierra Club Michigan, and the University of Michigan Dearborn Public Health Society to create an altar and Tree of Life installation that was accepted for the Detroit Institute of Arts’ annual Día de Muertos exhibition — a community celebration where families and organizations build ofrendas (altars) to honor loved ones who have passed.

Our altar tells the stories of Detroiters whose lives were cut short by industrial pollution, much of it driven by coal-based steelmaking and other heavy industry that continues to poison communities.

Above: Josh Medina with UNI, Maricela Gutierrez with Industrious Labs, Antonio Rafael, and Cara Beld with Michigan’s Sierra Club chapter

Honoring Curley, DJ, and Sylvia

At the heart of the altar are the lives and stories of three Wayne County residents whose experiences reflect both resilience and the heavy toll of industrial pollution:

• Curley Hugh Anderson (1916–1985) – A devoted father who worked decades in Michigan’s steel mills. He stood up for justice through a class-action suit after developing Black Lung Disease, which ultimately claimed his life just a few years after retiring.
• Darnell “DJ” Jalien Paton (2012–2023) – A bright, kind 10-year-old whose life was tragically cut short by an asthma attack in a city ranked the #1 worst in the U.S. for asthma-related health impacts.
• Sylvia Silva (1948–2025) – A beloved mother, Detroit art teacher, and community activist whose life ended amid the region’s chronic air pollution.

Surrounded by traditional marigolds, personal mementos, and community art, their stories bring into sharp focus the real human cost of industrial pollution. Sprinkled in the altar you will find a black lung, black heart, a dark hourglass, dark papel picado with images of Big Industry; symbols of the health harms of pollution and the strain on this community.

Above: The side of the altar honoring Darnell “DJ” Jalien Paton

Meet Curley, DJ, and Sylvia — and learn how their stories remind us why clean air can’t wait.

The Tree of Life: A Symbol of Hope

At the center of the more muted altar, from a mound of coal, there is a Tree of Life, symbolizing hope for clean air, healthy communities, and stronger accountability for polluters. Its branches hold healthy birds, nests, butterflies, healthy green leaves, and images that symbolize good air quality. The tree is a vision for renewal and transformation, where steel is made without coal, industry is a good neighbor, and communities can finally breathe easier.

We’ve created a virtual community altar that invites Detroiters to share their own stories of loved ones or personal experiences with air pollution. Together, these stories form a collective call for change.

Above: Artist Antonio Rafael installs the Tree of Life at the altar

Why Air Pollution Matters

Detroit ranks #1 among major U.S. cities for asthma-related health impacts. For residents, this looks like children rushed to the ER for asthma attacks, parents buried too soon, and families living with chronic illness.

A major driver is coal-based steelmaking and other heavy industry, which release toxic pollutants that scar lungs, shorten lives, and saddle communities with billions in healthcare costs. Nationally, coal-based steel and coke plants are linked to as many as 535 premature deaths and $13.2 billion in health harms every year. Each year, pollution from Michigan’s steel and coke industry is responsible for:

• Up to an estimated 80 premature deaths
• More than 20,000 asthma symptoms
• As much as $1.2 billion in health costs

In Michigan and neighboring states, these facilities are among the largest sources of sulfur dioxide and fine particulate matter, pollutants strongly linked to asthma and heart disease.

For decades, these harms have been treated as the price of doing business. Invisible to policymakers and industry leaders, but paid in full by working families and neighborhoods.

This altar and Tree of Life refuse to let those costs remain hidden. They remind us that behind every statistic are real people — Curley, DJ, Sylvia — and thousands more whose stories are just as urgent. The message is clear: Detroit cannot be asked to sacrifice its health for coal-based steel and heavy industry any longer. Clean steel solutions exist, but they require industry and government to act with urgency.

Experience the Exhibit

• Where: Detroit Institute of Arts, 3rd Floor (5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202)
• When: September 27 – November 2, 2025, during regular museum hours

If you visit, take time to pause at the altar. Read the stories of Curley, DJ, and Sylvia. Reflect on the fight for clean air in Detroit and beyond. And consider adding your own story to the growing chorus demanding change.