To celebrate and honor Mexican heritage and culture, the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán (M.E.Ch.A.) at Cal State Fullerton hosted a Día de los Muertos market Wednesday by the Humanities Building from 1 to 8 p.m. 

Local vendors, artists and student organizations hosted tables showcasing ofrendas, tables full of offerings and photos of passed loved ones. While others offered jewelry, both hand-made and imported from different parts of Mexico, like Oaxaca. 

“It’s tradition, it’s celebration, it’s formation of a community,” said Nathaniel Lozano, fourth-year  Chicana/o studies major. “To bring our culture onto campus and to celebrate it and to celebrate our lost ones.” 

Lozano is co-chair of the MEChA chapter and helped organize the event for the community and students who brought their families to enjoy the festivities of Mexican culture. 

Alexis Ruiz, third-year psychology major and administrative assistant for Mesa Cooperativa, helped fund the day’s event and helped connect all the Latino organizations on campus.

“We do cater to most of the Latinx community, but we’re open to all,” Ruiz said. “We’re looking for everybody here.”

The vibrant colors of the marigold flower, or cempasúchil in Mexico, drew passersby to the event. Among the displays that caught students’ attention were Frank Cruz’s handmade wooden art tiles. 

“It’s been great, it’s amazing,” Cruz said. “There’s a lot of support here.”

Cruz, the founder of a group named Good Life Roots, an artists’ collective started in 1998 at East  Los Angeles College. After its creation, the group later expanded to concerts, raves and underground hip hop events to display their members’ works. 

“It’s made up of about 22 different artists and designers,” Cruz said. “When we saw the opportunity where we could represent artists and give artists a space, then we went in that direction.”

Since its founding, the collective has built a legacy through almost 30 years of collaboration with different artists and creators. Cruz has made connections with local artists and vendors over the years, showing the vital need for spaces like this to celebrate Mexican tradition and inviting people of all nationalities to celebrate and honor the dead. 

“Feeling like you’re a part of the community is important,” said Alex Morales, a fourth-year American studies and  business entrepreneurship major and secretary of the Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity. “Especially when you’re a minority somewhere, everybody needs a place to go.”

At the table, Lambda Theta Phi had photos of members of the fraternity who passed and people  from different CSUs that were like family to the organization, including Art Zola, from the Office of Black Student Success at Cal State San Bernardino, Omar Melgoza Cortez from UC San Diego and Fraternal Father Dr. Cayetano “Chaco” Soccarás. 

“The music is super lively, and everyone seems to be having such a good time walking around, seeing all the different ofrendas and shopping,” said Ariela Moreno, second-year theatre major. “I feel like these events are just a good way to connect with peers who are like you.” 

Moreno is part of the Ballet Folklorico at  CSUF and was showcasing her group’s ofrenda — offering their loved ones beautifully painted calaveras, Lotería playing cards, candy and pan dulce.

“There’s a lot of Latinos that come to events and also if you’re not Latino this is a good way to connect with a different culture that’s not your own,” Moreno said. “I feel like we do a very good job at embracing all of our cultures and showcasing them to our campus.”

“We’re here to have a good time and to just be louder, be bigger, show that we deserve our space,” Ruiz said. “Taking up space here in our Hispanic serving institution and just making sure that everyone knows they’re welcomed here.”