Share:

A colorful and wonderfully decorated Dia de los Muertos altar at the front of the room presented itself as a stage for the dearly departed and celebrities like the beloved Selena Quintanilla. Candles, ornamented skulls and bright flowers adorned the altar. Disney’s “Coco” was projected on two screens while traditional Mexican music filled the room. Tamales, conchas and hot chocolate made the perfect trio for playing Loteria with fellow peers. 

Lancer Radio Network (LRN) held its second event this fall for a Dia De Los Muertos celebration on Friday, Nov. 1 at the Pasadena City College (PCC) Creveling Lounge. 

Marlene Adame, student and host of “Forget Me Nots” podcast on LRN, hosted the Dia de los Muertos Celebration with the faculty advisor and radio broadcasting professor Sonn Eidem. This year is LRN’s first year hosting events open to all students across campus. LRN feels that events like these are great ways to meet new students and grow Lancer Radio to a station for the campus as a center point for activities. 

“An event like this brings people together, which is our main goal: to promote culture, heritage, and let people know that Lancer Radio is out there,” said Eidem.

The Dia de los Muertos celebration was their second event this fall and they plan on entertaining another for PCC students by the end of the semester. This event marked a theme more focused on celebrating a cultural holiday compared to their previous one. Attendees were invited to pay tribute to their loved ones, and it allowed LRN to educate PCC students through entertainment and socialization.

“Anything that can show PCC students something new, that was mainly our purpose,” said Adame. “Like different music, the music alone is another genre that they may have never heard. Since we are a radio station and we are constantly trying to put out different music on the shows, this was another outlet of that form.” 

Adame and Eidem played variations of traditional Mexican music such as Cumbia and Bolero throughout the celebration. It emphasized culture in the atmosphere and inspired students to dance in their seats. 

“When I was a student here, there weren’t as many events,” said PCC alumni Andrea Cardenas. “I feel like this has really helped student involvement.”

Students of different ethnicities and age groups attended the Dia de los Muertos celebration. Many attendees had the party marked on the calendar the moment LRN showed up in classrooms to advertise the event. Others strolled in because they were attracted to the music but stayed for the food and games. 

“I wanted to see the kind of people who would come,” said PCC student Matthew Torres. “To see all the different people come together just to celebrate.” 

Follow: