On November 1 and 2, the annual holiday Día de los Muertos, also known as The Day of the Dead, was celebrated. This is a Mexican holiday where it is believed that the border between the spirit world and the everyday world opens. Because of this, families are able to welcome back the souls of their relatives who have since passed on, with a reunion that consists of food, refreshments, and celebration. Families create ofrendas (offerings) to honor and show respect to these family members.
This year on November 2, the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and the Intercultural Space hosted an event to celebrate and recognize this holiday, where students could decorate tote bags. Students were allotted to create whatever design they wished on their bags while also listening to light music, eating cookies, and drinking hot chocolate and coffee from Dunkin’. As stated by Liliana Delman, the director of DEI, “In addition to art supplies like sugar skull stencils, paints, and markers to decorate their tote bags, all students learned about this cultural tradition through an educational presentation.” This event took place on the second floor of the University Center Complex (UCC), in the Intercultural Space, and took place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Día de los Muertos tote bag decorating proved to be an informative, interactive, and fun way for students to learn more about this important holiday.
As explained by Delman, within the Intercultural Space is The Intercultural Space Student Advisory Committee, which is a group made up of both undergraduate and graduate students at Stevens, who are dedicated to enforcing and representing the goals and objectives of the Intercultural Space through educational and social programs. They are led by the Intercultural Space Coordinators, Cesar Noguera-Saigua and Stephanie Cueva, who receive oversight from the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. This Student Advisory Committee ran this event, and while they were able to provide advice to students on their tote bags, they also informed students about the cultural importance of Día de los Muertos.
To learn more about the Intercultural Space, visit the website (www.stevens.edu/interculturalspace), Instagram @interculturalspace, or email DEI@stevens.edu.
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