In a room full of faces of all shades, after a week of celebrations honoring her life with Samoan customs, a long line of community members tearfully walked the aisle to the casket at First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto to say their final goodbyes. Amidst tears, murmurs, and whispers, East Palo Alto (EPA) Mayor Antonio López’s declaration of August 10 as Mama Dee Day was immediately met with rapturous applause.