PULLMAN–Washington State University’s Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (M.E.Ch.A.) has organized a Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead procession Nov. 2. Participation in the procession is free and open to the entire community. Skeleton faces and costumes are encouraged.
People of all ages dressed in skeleton faces and costumes will gather at the Chicano/a-Latino/a Student Center (Wilson Hall 101) at 5 p.m. and parade across campus toward the Bookie and College Hill, arriving at the Latino House (955 E. Street) at 5:30 p.m. After touring the Latino House, the group will continue back to Wilson Hall 101 to celebrate from 6 to 8 p.m.
There will be candles, drums and posters available for participants to hold. These posters will have pictures of Latino and Latina immigrants who died crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Organizers of the event hope to honor their deaths and to show that building walls on the WSU campus and the U.S.-Mexico border will only create a climate of fear that will increase the number of deaths along the border.
The Dia de los Muertos celebration will include education of the purpose of the holiday and event. There will be tables for face painting, papel picado and sugar skull making as well as a loteria (Mexican Bingo) area. There will also be Pan de Muerto and other Mexican food items, as well as a video on Dia de los Muertos celebration
For more information, contact Rafael Perez at (509) 439-9257 or José Alamillo, WSU MEChA advisor at alamillo@wsu.edu or (509) 335-4793.
