Scenes from this year’s UC Irvine Día de los Muertos. Photos by Karen Tapia
Annual event hosts 1,500 attendees, pays respect to culture, ancestors
I've had a couple of days to reflect on the beauty of UC Irvine’s third annual Día de los Muertos, which took place Nov. 3, and I'm still in awe.
To me and the more than 1,500 people who attended, it's not just another event. The School of Social Ecology wholeheartedly embraces this cultural celebration because it is so meaningful. It allows us, no matter our heritage, to joyfully celebrate and honor our deceased loved ones, who meant and continue to mean so much to us.
Transforming grief into celebration
Death is a natural part of life, and Día de los Muertos transforms grief into celebration through tradition — creating vibrant ofrendas (altars) with personal items, sharing stories, and preparing favorite foods to welcome back the spirits of ancestors for a temporary visit.
The university's MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán) students create our large ofrenda each year and explain to visitors how it reinforces family bonds, keeps memories alive, and teaches younger generations about their heritage and the continuity of life.
For Citlali Rodriguez, MEChA president and psychology and Chicano studies major, making the altar “brings visibility to our culture and our history.”
The altar included dozens of photos of UC Irvine students' lost loved ones. It was the centerpiece of the event, along with a community digital altar and video of scores of heartfelt tributes. A few examples:
Joaquin David Moreno, Oct. 27, 1968 – Dec. 18, 2023. "Joaquin, you are missed dearly! You were loved by many and remembered for your strong work ethic and love of our family. You fought so hard to stay with us, especially your children. We know you are looking out for Jacqueline, Jessica and Sebastian. We are all thinking of you as your beloved Dodgers are in their second World Series since you left us. You remain in all our hearts! Love, Mom and your seven siblings! Go Dodgers!" – Catherine Ostowari and Sophia Ostowari
Alyssa Mia Gomez, May 21, 1996 – Oct. 30, 2019. "My older sister was and will always be my hero. Her laughter was infectious and her smile would light up any room. I look for signs from her as I go through my days. I look for her in the butterflies, hummingbirds, and the stars. She brought so much joy and happiness to others. The grief of missing her will always hurt but I'll always feel blessed to have loved her so deeply that I will endure missing her for my entire life. I look forward to my dreams when I get to see her." – Gabriella Garay
Gerardo Rendon, May 11, 1951 – March 16, 2024. "Grandpa, you won't be here to see me graduate, but today you still have a place with me at UCI. Today, I honor you, your sacrifices, your belief in me, and the foundation you built. You may be gone, but your presence will always walk beside me. This one's for you." – Bianca Valdivia
Curren Gabriel Wahl, Aug. 6, 2002 – July 23, 2024. "In loving memory of Curren, our beloved son, whose heart was pure and spirit extraordinary. As a UCI student, he embodied brilliance, empathy, and true kindness, living each day with purpose and grace. Curren was a soul unlike any other: gentle yet strong, humble yet inspiring, deeply loved and forever missed. Though we can no longer hold him, his light lives on within us, guiding every breath and every heartbeat. His love remains eternal, woven into the fabric of who we are, and carried in every whisper of the wind that touches our hearts. We love you forever, Curren Gabriel." – Kathryn Couwenberg
Food, music and community
The crowd was treated to free tamales, pan de muerto and champurrado (hot chocolate) from Northgate González Market, chicken bowls and aguas frescas from Pollo Norteño, and conchas from My Panecito. And the entertainment was first-rate:
- The Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas had the Irvine Barclay Theatre filled and the audience on their feet. Their music included classic mariachi tunes, a tribute to Selena and Celia Cruz, and their popular “Un Poco Loco” and “Remember Me” (“Recuérdame”), familiar from the Disney movie “Coco.”
- Xipe Totec Danzantes Aztecas, a professional indigenous dance group that originated in Mexico City and was established in 1978 as the premier Aztec dance group in Los Angeles, opened the day's event with ancient Aztec ceremony and ritual dance.
- Marimba Tropical's vibe brought out audience members who danced to music from Mexico and Guatemala.
- Ballet Folklorico de UCI featured more than 80 dancers presenting traditional dances from all the diverse regions of Mexico.
- Mariachi Orgullo de UCI performed four musical numbers, traditionally played during Día de los Muertos.
- The adorable all-star mariachi group Las Estrellas de Anaheim and Baile Folklórico de Horace Mann Elementary School had the crowd smiling from ear to ear.
A pueblito of activities
While festivities had people inside, outside and around the Irvine Barclay Theatre, we also featured a “pueblito” this year, where guests learned about 15 student organizations and participated in crafts including sugar skull decorating, hosted by the Bilingual Teacher Student Association; paper flower making; and mask-making, hosted by UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art.
Powerful words from community leaders
Making brief but powerful remarks were the Consul of Mexico Maxaira Baltazar and Northgate's president Oscar González.
“As Consul of Mexico, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the UCI community for hosting this beautiful celebration and for opening your hearts to one of Mexico’s most meaningful traditions, el Día de los Muertos,” Baltazar said. “At its core, Día de Muertos is much more than a commemoration of death; it is a profound celebration of life, memory, and love. What makes this tradition so beautiful is its message: that remembrance is a form of immortality. In Mexican culture, death is not an end, but a continuation, a reminder to embrace life with joy and to appreciate every moment we have with those around us. It teaches us that even in loss, there is light; even in grief, there is gratitude. ... Seeing it celebrated here at UC Irvine reminds us how culture can transcend borders and bring communities together in mutual respect and understanding.”
González thanked his late parents for instilling in him and his 12 siblings a hard-work ethic and belief in the power of higher education.
“As a Mexican immigrant, Día de los Muertos represents a lot,” he said. “It's really a celebration of our roots and being proud of who we are. But, I think for many of us and certainly for you, especially first-gen students, it's also about celebrating our wings. I was the first and only one in my family to be able to have the luxury to graduate from higher education and that is important. There's no question that education gives us that opportunity that our parents sacrificed so much for… Honor your wings and where they can take you.”
Dean Jon B. Gould, who embraced the event idea and wholeheartedly supported it from the beginning, spoke from the podium: “Half of our undergraduates are Latino or Latina, and if there is any year in which it is important for us to stand with our students and to show respect and support for the local community, it is this year. Indeed, we dedicate this event to our Latino community and their heritage, so thank you all for being out here today to participate.”
He later summed up the experience in a Facebook post: “For the third year in a row, the School of Social Ecology hosted Día de los Muertos at UC Irvine. This year the event took on special significance. As one business leader told me, ‘the community really needed this.’ … It really was our honor to host.”
Gratitude and looking ahead
This event would not be possible without the generous support of all our sponsors: Northgate González Market and UC Irvine's Office of Inclusive Excellence, University Advancement & Alumni Relations, Latinx Resource Center, Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music and Social Change, Claire Trevor School of the Arts, School of Education, Graduate Division, Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences, School of Social Sciences, Henry Samueli School of Engineering, School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Medicine, School of Humanities, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, and School of Law.
The people involved in making our Día de los Muertos successful include dozens of volunteers; student organizations; emcee John Gutierrez, vice president of the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, who has kept our audiences engaged since Year 1; Maria Cervantes, executive director of the UCI-OC Alliance, who has worked on our planning committees also since Year 1; and Stacy Skwarlo, executive director of development for our school, who is involved in all the details that make the event beautiful to look at and to enjoy. Special thanks belong to adelí durón, director of the university's Latinx Resource Center, my co-chair since the beginning. She tirelessly works with all the students involved, provides the professional face-painting that attendees look forward to each year and offers all the support behind the scenes that no one sees.
We hope to see you at our fourth annual Día de los Muertos on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026!
— Mimi Ko Cruz
Watch the highlights reel by Han Parker on YouTube
View photos by Karen Tapia, Greg Andersen and Steve Zylius on Flickr