Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteers and the youth they serve joined our team to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos Mini Fest at our Milpitas office on Sunday, October 23, 2022. The social gathering focused on embracing the Latin culture and learning diverse customs and traditions.
Upon arriving at the Mini-Fest, youth and CASA Volunteers were given a brief history by the Aztec dance group, Calpulli Tonalehqueh, of the holiday Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Dia de Los Muertos is a Latin celebration dedicated to honoring the life of those who departed. The dance group then performed a traditional Aztec dance for the attendees.
After the Aztec dance performance, the attendees participated in art and craft activities, including papel picado (perforated paper), marigolds and painted sugar skulls. They used items to create their mini altars. While participating in the activities, the youth were given a safe space to express their feelings about grief and loss openly. By creating a mini altar, CASAs and the youth learned new ways to grieve by honoring their loved ones.
In addition, the youth had Dia de Los Muertos-themed face painting done by Christina Amormino, also known as Muertos Art. After painting their faces, the youth and CASAs could enjoy Latin foods such as tamales, Mexican hot chocolate and pan dulce (sweet bread).
Events like the Mini-Fest celebrate the diversity of the youth served by Child Advocates by creating a welcoming and safe environment for them to explore cultural customs and traditions. By the end of the event, the youth learned more about Latin culture while being able to create positive memories with their CASAs.
The event was only made possible with the assistance of fellow community members Christina Amormino and Calpulli Tonalehqueh, who helped LIFT UP our youth through cultural activities.
If you have any questions or are interested in sponsoring a youth-related event, please contact our development department at development@childadvocatessv.org. Below are a few images of our Dia de Los Muertos Mini-Fest.
