Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a cultural holiday with roots in Mexico and traditions that vary across communities. It is a time to remember and honor loved ones who have passed away, often through ofrendas (altars), photographs, food, flowers, music, and other meaningful offerings.
At Oasis, the majority of our clients and approximately 40% of our staff are Latine. The experiences and traditions that our community members bring to our work help shape Oasis’ shared spaces.
In our Berkeley office, Alex, Oasis’ Client Support Coordinator, created an altar in the client waiting area and invited colleagues to participate.
“As Día de Muertos approached, I wanted to decorate the client waiting area and display a small ofrenda altar. I know some of us have lost loved ones in our lives, and I thought it would be nice to have something to honor and remember those who have passed away. My hope was to bring all of us together in community, especially during these tough times.” – Alex
In Fresno, our team has created something similar. Oasis’ Social Services Coordinator, Juana, and Legal Advocate, Vereniz, have also decorated our Fresno office, with the help of our Central Valley clients. In 2022, the first Día de Muertos altar was set up in our Fresno office, with the intention to honor Latine LGBTQ activists, artists, family members, and community members. That year, the altar quickly became a community altar as people stopped by to learn about the tradition and ask how they could contribute.
Since 2022, our clients have led the creation of the altars by making large flores de cempasúchil (Marigolds), even gathering in each other’s homes to craft the flowers together. In coming together, they are building support systems, continuing traditions, and strengthening their hope and resistance.
For many, the simple act of going out to shop for life’s daily essentials feels impossible. With increased fear surrounding ICE activity and immigration enforcement in the Central Valley and across California, the connections made during this special day feel especially meaningful.
Our participation in this tradition has had an impact—One of our clients shared with our team about the recent passing of his mother in his country of origin; a country he could not return to. This client has been in the U.S. for many years and is now considering reuniting with his long estranged siblings. In an attempt to find support, he opened up to our team to share his experience and asked about opportunities for community-building. Our team invited him to our ‘Noches de Cultura;’ the evening we built our altar with clients. This client’s experience is not uncommon. Our clients are not able to return to their countries of origin for a variety of reasons, limiting their ability to connect with and say goodbye to their family members when they pass away. The altar has helped create a sense of community around a shared cultural holiday that combines joy, pain, grief, and meaning.
The altars in our two offices look different, a reflection of how each community creates a unique space for remembrance and connection. For people navigating an oppressive and uncertain legal system, small gestures of care help communicate that they are welcome. The altars displayed at the entrances of our Berkeley and Fresno offices are just one way our team members bring their experiences and traditions into their work of supporting our community.
“For me, the altar is a symbol of strength and highlights the connections to those we love, near and far. The colors and warmth of the altar serve as a reminder of resilience, pride, culture, and also a reminder to love and care for each other right now and always.” – Vereniz
Día de Muertos can also be a time to remember lives lost to violence and injustice. At Oasis, our altars honor not only our loved ones, but also people who have died as a result of our immigration system. Remembering them is a way to acknowledge the devastating cost of these systems and reaffirm our commitment to the people still navigating them. As we remember those we have lost, we carry their stories with us, and continue working toward a world where everyone can live with justice, dignity, and belonging.
The mantra “Honor the dead while fighting like hell for the living” carries us forward.
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Learn More
For those interested in learning more about Día de Muertos and its traditions, the National Museum of the American Latino offers educational resources. Pixar’s Coco also offers a popular, fictionalized introduction to some of the traditions associated with the holiday.