By Yanet Castro
Staff writer
Northeast Texas Community College CARE Center and Carmen Shurtleff’s social work class is participating in dia de los muertos (Day of the Dead) November 1 and 2.
Dia de los Muertos is a 2-day Hispanic holiday that honors and remembers deceased loved ones.
¡°I want people to actually know the meaning,¡± Shurtleff said.
November 1 the CARE Center had dia de los muertos Bingo and pan de muerto with hot chocolate. Shurtleff¡¯s social work class created an ofrenda in the Care Center where anyone is welcome to place a picture of their deceased loved one November 1st-2nd.
¡°I want the opportunity for students to experience and the recognition for their lost ones as well,¡± Shurtleff said.
On November 2 the CARE Center will host a catrina contest where students were able to create their own catrina and participate in the contest.
The CARE Center will host a special gathering November 2 at 12:30 p.m. to honor Nataly Montoya who passed away in a car accident on her way to campus on March 8, 2022. Claudia Soto, Montoya¡¯s mother and former student of Shurtleff, took the initiative last year to start dia de los muertos at NTCC to honor and remember her daughter.
¡°We want to carry on her initiative,¡± Shurtleff said.