During this event, in Memorial Hall on October 30 at 6 p.m., we will build community, engage in dialogue, and experience artistic expression related to the celebration and appreciation of Día de los Muertos and other Latinx and Latin American cultural commemorations of their loved ones. 

We come to this acknowledging and celebrating that Latinx and Latin American cultures are the result of the mixing of Indigenous, colonial, African, new immigrant cultures (and more), and celebrate the forms of fall commemorations that result from this mixing. 

Artists, performers, cultural organizers, educators and students will host various stations around the space creating multiple opportunities for participants to view and craft ofrendas, experience cultural practices, and collaborate with our community while reflecting on their own cultural celebrations of their ancestors. We encourage participants to reflect on and share their own cultural traditions regarding loss, grief and trauma and return to their own communities invigorated about the importance of global connections. 

As our fifth annual co-curricular event, this space is intended to bring together students, faculty, staff, and local community members from the Shenandoah Valley to learn across generations and identities. By learning about the celebration of Día de los Muertos and other Latinx cultural commemorative traditions, together we can build a more evolved global mindset.

By attending this event, participants will make progress towards: 

• Developing an understanding and appreciation, with a lens of cultural awareness, for how Día de los Muertos can be celebrated at JMU 
• Sharing experiences between community scholars and JMU community members, with a focus on how culture and traditions can reveal connections across the Americas
• Experiencing the integral component of artistic creativity in the celebration of Día de los Muertos and other Latino/a/x centered commemorations regarding loss, grief, and traum
•  Building community around spaces for learning where participants collaborate across generations and identities to build a global mindset

Organizers and sponsors:

Event co-sponsored by JMU Libraries, the College of Education, the Honors College, and Latin American, Latinx, and Caribbean Studies (LAXC).

Artists & Contributors:

• Estela Diaz Knott (from the Lua Project)
• Marissa Kalo 
• Local educators

Location and parking information:

The event will be held in the Forum in Memorial Hall (395 South High Street, Harrisonburg). Visitors (community members) may park in any JMU Memorial Hall parking lot to attend the event; no parking permits or vouchers will be necessary. However, all regulations for JMU students, faculty and staff will remain in effect, and students attending the event are required to park in appropriate student parking lots with a JMU parking permit.

Sign up:

Please sign up by selecting "Begin Registration" below. Signing up ahead of time is so helpful for our planning! Anyone is welcome at this family-friendly community/campus event.

Questions? 

Please contact Elaine Kaye (robertef@jmu.edu) with any questions about this event.