Dia de los Muertos (DDM) or Day of the Dead is a Mexican celebration of life and death rooted in indigenous and Spanish/Catholic traditions. It is a day to honor the lives and pray for the souls of loved ones who have passed away. Altars are built and decorated as ofrendas or offerings to honor loved ones with flowers, candles, and pictures. DDM is a day of remembrance and a promise to never forget those who have passed. In observance of DDM, SCPP and OIP have come together to create an ofrenda that honors the life of those who lost their lives due to systemic violence.

Above is a picture of the altar, located on the second floor hallway of Weill Hall – it included pictures of Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Michael Brown, Amadou Diallo and Eric Garner. These are only a few of the victims of systemic violence, but our hearts and prayers go out for the entire Black/Afro-diaspora community.

The goal of Students of Color in Public Policy is to ultimately use this, and future events, to demonstrate and continue to build unity between people of color. We continue to stand in solidarity with the immigrant community, the Muslim community, the Native American community, the LGBTQIA community, the Black community, and all others battling with systemic oppression.

In solidarity,

SCPP Executive Board