Crafting for their ancestors

Event brings families together to honor loved ones

“Our dance [is] our form of sharing what comes from our heart, our prayers, our inner dance, honoring the four sacred elements of life, earth, wind, water and fire, honoring, give of life, mother earth, honoring the energy that comes from the sun and everything that our ancestors understood about the constellations spirit of the plants and the animals,” said Ajolote

[From Art pg. 1]

Pierce College President Alexis Montevirgen was in attendance at the ArtWalk. He said that he was very impressed by how well put together the event was, especially since it is the first time it has happened.

Montevirgen said that he thinks the ArtWalk is a good event to help build community at Pierce.

“I think it is important to create community and celebrate the arts. The fact that we have such student interest in the arts is important. It is important to invite the community out to be here, to enjoy and to participate in the events that we have,” Montevirgen said. “I just think overall that it is a great event to have and hope that they have many more.”

The event went from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Performing Arts Hill. People attending the event gathered in the Art Garden where there was food, including nachos, candy and hot chocolate. Attendees could participate in theater games that were played as well.

Chelsea Westman / Roundup dances call everyone.

Dazante Lilia Tapia performs a ceremonial dance with Grupo Ajolote on Nov. 7, 2019, outside the Student Engagement Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

“The drums are a representation of the heartbeat of mother earth,”

Chavez said. “That's why you have so much participation because it's

MEChA adviser Angelita Rovero said this is their fifth annual tradition at the campus. She said the 42 students who created the altars were from the “Mexican American Arts and American Culture” course.

MARC BLAIS Reporter @marcTBlais1

Instead of dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating, some students spent Oct. 31 learning about Dia de los Muertos at Pierce’s Fall Art Gallery.

Linda Vallejo, a legacy artist for Self Help Graphics, spoke at Pierce College about the tradition of Dia de los Muertos and Self Help Graphics & Art. The event kicked off at 6 p.m. at the art building in room 3300.

Vallejo spoke about the tradition of Dia de los Muertos, otherwise known as Day of the Dead. It is a

Mexican holiday that begins Oct. 31 and ends Nov. 2. Vallejo spoke about how the holiday is about remembering and honoring loved ones that have passed away, but also celebrating life as well.

“What I am hoping that everyone gets from it is that they take a moment to think about someone that they lost that they really loved, and take a moment to remember them and possibly make a small shrine in a home, and maybe think about them and speak about their memory,” Vallejo said.

Vallejo also spoke about the organization, Self Help Graphics & Art, and the work they have done to celebrate the tradition of Dia de