Latinx Student Association hosts 7th annual Día de Los Muertos event

Pictured above: Aztec dance group Kalpulli Tlaltecuhtli performed in reverence to the alter assembled by members of the LSA

The Coeur de Catherine Ballroom at St. Catherine University overflowed last Friday with students, faculty, and community members all celebrating Día de Los Muertos. The event was hosted by the St. Kate's Latinx Student Association (LSA) and featured Mexican food, Aztec and Ecuadorian dancers, crafts, face-paint, and a dance.

St. Kate's students wore festive hairpieces and face paint in celebration of Dia de Los Muertos.

The celebration marked the seventh year in a row that LSA has held the event, which has only grown each year. "Seeing students engaging and enjoying the Día de Los Muertos event is what makes me want to continue to share this celebration," said LSA co-president Adriana Cortes ‘21 (Economics and Spanish). "The Día de Los Muertos event is always planned with students in mind. We want to make sure that students of different backgrounds can come together in a welcoming environment to learn and enjoy some of the things that Dia de Los Muertos has to offer."

This year was the first LSA sponsored Día de Los Muertos event in which students were welcomed to perform during the entertainment portion of the celebration. "Every year we look for entertainment and food that we think the St. Kate's community will enjoy," said Cortes, "as well as taking input from our club members who are always very involved in the planning of Dia de Los Muertos."

Onlookers enjoy the performance of a Mexican Baile Folklorico by a St. Kate's student.

The celebration included performances by a St. Kate's student who danced a Mexican Baile Folklorico, an Ecuadorian dance group called Away Runakuna, and an Aztec dance group called Kalpulli Tlaltecuhtli.

The LSA has a strong presence on campus, hosting regular meetings and putting on smaller events centered around issues in the Latinx community. "The Latinx Student Association strives to present Latinx culture as a prominent part of the St. Catherine University community," said Cortes. "Our club welcomes and challenges everyone to learn about a culture outside of their own and embrace diversity."

The club's mission, according to Cortes, is to provide support and service to the Latinx community on campus and to offer leadership opportunities to those students.

"We also aim to provide an open and welcoming space for all students of the St. Kate's community to experience Latinx culture," said Cortes. "We do so by putting on events like Día de Los Muertos. This event not only serves as an opportunity for students to learn about Latinx culture but also allows them to experience and engage with the cultural customs of this meaningful day."

The event included an informative video about Dia de Los Muertos, as well as explanations of the significance of the altar and the performances. "Dia de Los Muertos is a very important day in my life," said LSA co-president Barbara Salinas ‘20 (Political Science and Public Policy). "This day is filled with love, remembrance, joy, memories, and well-being. It is an opportunity to remember those who were an important part of my life, and although they are gone, it is not a day for sadness. Instead, it is one that brings celebration and togetherness. It allows me to embrace my past and present loved ones in a day that is full of life."