On the third floor of the Joe Crowley Student Union, the First-Generation Student Center showcases its community altar. It’s one of a dozen Day of the Dead altars on display on campus.
“It’s all about celebrating life,” said center employee Kenia Ramirez Moreno. “You can clearly see that in the colors. These are not dull colors. These are very fluorescent fall orange yellows, whites to back it off.”
The seven-foot-long altar is usually set up inside their office, but this year, it’s on full display for everyone to see.
“We are setting up our Dia de los Muertos altar to kind of just give our students a sense of belonging,” said Teresa Silva, who also works at the center. “Just remembering all of their family members, pets, friends that have passed away, kind of making sure that they’re being seen on campus, just representing them and their culture.”
Day of the Dead altars are a way of remembering and honoring deceased friends and family. It is believed that the altars help guide the spirits back to the world of the living. Marigolds (cempasúchil), bread of the dead (pan de muerto), and candles are left out to lead the dead to the altar.
This altar is also decorated with balloons and decorative butterflies, which Ramirez Moreno said represents the transition of life.
“The monarch butterflies represent that through changes, there’s this continuous transitional life, and you move from one place to another. And I think for our loved ones that have passed away, they are those butterflies. They come back for this special occasion,” she said.
Altars also include photos of loved ones. About 30 first-generation students submitted photos and Silva included pictures of her uncle, cousin and great-grandparents, who were immigrants from Tepic, Mexico.
“This is Adolfo Covarrubias, and then Carmen Covarrubias. My great-grandpa passed away in 2016. And then my great grandma, she just passed this last December. So we're lucky enough to have been able to spend 96 years with both of them,” she said.
Silva said the pictures bring back memories and remind her of where she came from. She’s also happy to share family stories when people stop to look.
The altars at UNR will be on display through November 3.
