Support in celebration of Mayra Rivera's life

Mayra Rivera – October 17, 1992 – February 11, 2023

[Update as of 2/18/2023: The celebration of Mayra’s life will be on March 4, 2023. It will be held at Mickey Leland Memorial Park (3701 Cavalcade St, Houston, TX 77026) and begin at 1:30pm, rain or shine.]

With heavy hearts, the Rivera family announces the death of our beloved Mayra Rivera. Following a long battle with acute myeloid leukemia, she died on February 11, 2023.

Mayra was a light to all that knew her and in her 30 short years she spread light and joy into the lives of all of us. Fiercely and proudly Chicana, Mayra was born and raised in Houston, Texas yet never forgot the roots planted by her parents in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Mayra adventured far and wide, always making new acquaintances and friends along the way. From Denver Harbor in Houston, to San Luis Potosi and Acapulco, Mexico, to South Hadley, MA to Cairo, Egypt – Mayra did not miss a chance to connect with a pure-hearted person (or leave a single dog unpetted).

Activist and author Gloria Anzaldua once said, “I will overcome the tradition of silence” and these were words Mayra lived by. Endlessly passionate, Mayra simply could not and would not allow injustice to persist unchallenged. Mayra’s voice will continue to echo on through the lives she has impacted with her thoughtful conversations, passionate protests and the beautiful art she has shared with the world. Her laugh, her smile, her love of dancing will live on in our memories. We invite you to mourn the loss of such an incredible human being and encourage you to take action in your own lives commensurate with the undeniable impact Mayra Rivera has had on your life.

As we struggle with our sadness, the family is preparing the final arrangements and a memorial service to honor and celebrate our beloved Mayra. If you would like to support the family, consider doing so with a donation along with sharing this message with others.

Once all the arrangements have been finalized, we will post more information.