HSDA celebrates Día de los Muertos

The Hispanic Student Dental Association marked Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, with pastries and an ofrenda Nov. 3.

Third-year dental student Alondra Dominguez, vice president of the HSDA, explained that Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated Nov. 1-2 in honor of deceased family members.

“Usually on Day of the Dead, we honor our ancestors with a lot of food,” she said. “We make their favorite dishes and offer them at their graves. We put up their pictures on the ofrenda and use lots of flowers, marigolds. They’ll spread the petals out everywhere. There’s a festival and parades. People paint their faces; they go all out.

“We’re just bringing awareness of our culture,” she said, “and the things we do to celebrate the holiday season.”