while explaining how they balance this with honoring their cultural customs. Latino speakers visited the school on campus for Hispanic Heritage Month, and each speaker described their country of origin and spoke of their life in the U.S. During Women’s History Month, a panel of three women shared their life stories to students via Zoom, including navigating their career paths and living with disabilities they possess. In addition to the recent altar project, the committee has put past events together this year to celebrate Women’s History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. “And so we really look towards our families to be able to give us insight into different traditions, celebrations, different populations that we see in our community.” “The DEI Committee really is there and was created so that we can elevate the voices of those families that are in our school that might want to highlight their own cultures and identities,” Parikh said.
Lastly, the three tiers of the altar symbolize heaven, the earth, and the afterlife.Ĭo-chair of the committee, Manisha Parikh, says the altar was made to allow those of Mexican heritage to feel seen and heard, as well as to inform school students and staff on the customs of a culture unique from their own.
The hanging paper cutouts, called papel picado in Spanish, signify the fragility of life, and the sugar skulls similarly represent the briefness of life. Candles are meant to attract spirits to the altar, as is the scent and vibrant color of marigold flowers. These elements each carry a unique symbolism in honoring those who have passed. The finished offering includes three layers of framed photos adorned with candles, marigolds, paper cutouts and sugar skulls. 2, the whole school was allowed to submit photos of passed loved ones to include in the altar setup.Ĭommittee members and volunteers then contributed to decorating the altar over the course of three days. After committee members researched the traditions of Día de los Muertos, which is celebrated Oct. The members of the DEI Committee, who started the group in 2020, decided to build the altar as a COVID-friendly way to educate community members on the Mexican holiday and its cultural origins.