Día de los Muertos, otherwise known as Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated by the Hispanic community to remember relatives who have passed away. Every year at Archer, Hermanas Unidas creates an ofrenda, or altar, so the entire Archer community can participate in the holiday.

“It’s a tradition that started off in the Spanish speaking community, but it’s something everyone can get something out of,” Hermanas Unidas Executive Board member Celeste Ramirez ’20 said. “It’s a beautiful experience to reflect on the people that have passed away, to really think about them and write about how you feel.”

On Monday, Oct. 29, the club offered students the opportunity to create tissue paper flowers and cards to celebrate the holiday. The club also welcomed students to reflect upon the week’s “tragic” shootings at the Tree of Life synagogue in Philadelphia and a Kroger supermarket in Kentucky, according to a school-wide email sent by Spanish teacher Talia Geffen.

“[The altar] means commemorating our loved ones that have passed away and honoring who they were and their lives and keeping them alive,” Ramirez said. “I think it’s particularly...important this year because of what happened this weekend.”