Latin American and Hispanic Student Organization (LAHSO) members participated in festivities as part of the group’s annual event to celebrate Día de Los Muertos on Nov. 2 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Día de Los Muertos, which translates to Day of The Dead, is a holiday that honors both life and death and commemorates loved ones who have passed away.

Margot Reimer’s Thoughts

Trip chaperone and Spanish teacher Margot Riemer said the holiday is joyous despite the inherent sorrow of death.

“I love the fact that so many Spanish-speaking cultures approach death with this hopeful and positive outlook,” Riemer said. “It’s not something to fear, but to accept and even celebrate.”

Altars and Ofrendas

To honor their deceased family members, several families who celebrate Día de Los Muertos make altars decorated with images of those who have passed. In addition, family members prepare “ofrendas,” offerings of the favorite food and drink of the ones being honored.

“A big part of being Latino is [that] we tell a lot of stories about past people and try to honor those ancestors as much as possible, so I think that this day really highlights that,” LAHSO leader Diana Castellanos ’20 said.

Attendance Rate

Approximately 70 members of the school community attended the event and had the opportunity to watch parades of Aztec and indigenous dancers, as well as admire altars created by members of the greater Los Angeles community.

“We broke up into groups and spent a couple of hours walking around,” Riemer said. “My group ate lunch and then we watched the parade, admired the altars and shopped at some of the booths.”