MSU student organizations, colleges, departments and units have united together to celebrate the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, a Latinx/Hispanic celebration that honors and celebrates loved ones who have passed.
“Death is not seen as something like sadness or mourning but something of celebration of one's life,” Associate Professor Estrella Torrez said. “It’s a way of sort of recognizing that individual and honoring them.”
Although Día de los Muertos officially occurs between Oct. 28 and Nov. 3, ofrendas have been placed across campus honoring different groups of people since Oct. 17. However, ofrendas are traditionally constructed on Oct. 28.
In the past, MSU organizations have hosted separate ways of celebrating, but this is the first year they have coordinated and collaborated with each other.
“It also gives us the opportunity to let the student body, faculty and staff know where the ofrendas are being hosted,” WKAR Senior Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Amanda Flores said. "So that if it’s in their space they’re able to celebrate with their community in that department, unit."
James Madison College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or JMC DEI, Office, Culturas de las Razas Unidas and Case Hall Residential REHS staff held an opening ceremony on Oct. 17 where students decorated sugar skulls, crafted tissue flowers and contributed to the community ofrenda.
"A lot of times departments, colleges here at Michigan State are putting on these events, and as much as we all want to support usually, they're all happening on the same night," JMC DEI Specialist Florensio Hernandez said. "It kind of helps us coordinate and stay a little more organized in that regard."
Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in isolation and uncertainty, communities have been unable to gather in person. Creating designated spaces lets the community pause and celebrate — not just those who have passed — but also themselves.
"Because we’ve all become so very incredibly busy in our own little parts of campus that we don’t oftentimes get to cross paths, and when we do, it does feel like being in family,” Torrez said. “I think something like this is important because it’s creating these intentional spaces so that we can gather together as community in celebration.”
Community ofrendas are for everyone, and Hernandez has invited Lansing School District students and local family members. He hopes this campus-wide initiative will educate and bring people together around traditions, culture and food.
“One of my hopes is that students, faculty and staff and community members who interact with the ofrendas — who are not familiar with Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos — that they’re able to understand ways in which anyone can celebrate and honor life after death,” Flores said. “I think it’s important for us to not forget our family members who have passed and by honoring them they remain as stable guides in our life by continuing to remember them.”
More information on ofrenda locations across campus and various Día de los Muertos events can be found here.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
