LAHSO honors the dead with El Día de los Muertos

By Roya Fathalizadeh–

The Latin American and Hispanic Student Organization celebrated El Día de los Muertos with food, music, dancing and education on the culture on Oct. 27. Translated to Day of the Dead, the Hispanic holiday honors friends and family who have died.

“We try to bring different voices together to remember those we have lost,” event coordinator Nora Atkins said.

Students of all races and ethnicities came together to enjoy the event, which tries to incorporate different cultures through music and dance. This year, the event featured the Kentucky Salsa All-Stars who danced to live Cuban music.

“Day of the Dead is the most profound holiday within Hispanic culture,” volunteer Carlos Acevedo said. The attendees painted sugar skulls and wrote down the names of those who have died to commemorate their past life. Attendees lit candles and placed them on the names, filling a table.

“I wanted to give my time to my culture and expand it for more people to understand and enjoy,” Acevedo said.

“It is said in our tradition that the veil to the other side is always open,” Atkins said. “We eat and dance around them because their spirits are here and always will be.”