The Mucho Orgullo club has brought a piece of Hispanic culture to Chapel Hill High School by creating its very own Day of the Dead altar for the media center.
The club, whose name translates to “much pride,” is relatively new to the school and centered around Latinx students and allies of the community. It has given many Chapel Hill High School students of Latin descent the opportunity to connect with each other and bond over their shared experiences.
“[The club] is very interesting and a good outlet to have with people who understand on a different level what it means to be Latinx in both the pros and cons. It helps to be able to find a group of people who just get the celebrations we have and be able to explain that as a group,” freshman club member Amrita Jamel said.
The club decided to create a Day of the Dead altar as its first project as a way to honor the loved ones they lost. The project was also a way to expose other Chapel Hill High School students to Hispanic culture.
“I hope [students] learn how much my culture values family and learn about this important tradition,” sophomore club member Hugo Bautista said.
The Day of the Dead, which honors those who have passed with food, drink and festivities, is celebrated on November 1 and November 2. Though the holiday originated in Mexico, it is now widely celebrated throughout Latin America.
Many of Mucho Orgullo’s members were excited to take part in the project and introduce their fellow Tigers to Hispanic culture.
“I really hope that my peers get to see something they haven’t seen in their lives. Hopefully, this will grasp their attention and further push them to delve into Hispanic culture, which would put a fat smile on my face,” junior club member Juan Diaz Rhi said.
Rhi was responsible for leading the Day of the Dead project.
“Honestly, it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in my high school career. My peers were very cooperative and also went above and beyond to make sure the altar was nothing but quality,” Rhi said. “Although I might’ve taken the lead on the project, none of this would’ve been possible without my passionate peers and our club’s superb supervisor, Mrs. Martinez.”
Club advisor Linda Martinez-Cervantes said her favorite part of the project was watching her students work on the altar. She hopes that the altar not only allows Chapel Hill High students to gain a better understanding of the importance of the Day of the Dead, but that it also motivates all students to embrace their backgrounds.
“I hope that it inspires other Latino students to freely express their culture and feel part of a much larger community. I also hope that other students feel welcome at CHHS to be who they are no matter their background or culture,” Martinez said.
The club plans to keep creating projects that will help bring attention to and honor Hispanic culture.
“It’s important for students to be exposed to other cultures and customs. It allows for connection and comprehension, and I think our club was able to do that through the altar,” Martinez said.
