In yet another rendition of Irvington’s annual celebration of Día De Los Muertos, Irvington MEChA led the organization of a cross-cultural event alongside Irvington IndoPak and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA). This year, they were joined by new booths showcasing aspects of South Asian traditions for Diwali and honoring historical Hispanic LGBTQ+ figures.
The event kickstarted with performances by Indopak and MEChA. Indopak dancers, Maanya Lodha (12), Aniket Kini (12), Arjun Ghuman (12), Shreen Mahanty (11), Bhavya Vyas (10), and Diya Kavasseri (10), put together a mash-up of cultural dances ranging from bhangra to dandiya-raas, extending the reach of the art past the usual IndoPak audience. Sazón Latino dancers, Samantha Lizarraga (12), Melanie Chavez (12), Maximiliano Fiorelli (12), Ixayana Vera (12), Jonathan Ruiz (12), Lethzy Cortez (12), Thania Banales (12), Alexa Valdez (11), Aaron Palacios (11), Kendra Guido (10), Gloria Dorado (10), Mariana Fernandez (10), Stephanie Chavez (10), Brianna Cortes (9), Yarelly Hernandez (9), and Alexa Gonzales (9) also performed a mix of various Hispanic cultural dances, taking turns switching in and out of the limelight.
After, students had the rest of the period to look through the cafeteria, where altars were ornamented with favorite foods to toys, honoring items once prized by the passed loved ones. The booths were not restricted to family members, with some students deciding to honor the passing of celebrities or figures they admire. MEChA dancers could also be seen inviting students from all classes to come dance with them, dancing and celebrating with bachata, cumbia, and Las Iguanas. IndoPak’s Shreen Mahanty (11) managed a henna station, where she employed techniques often used in the Indian subcontinent to create semi-permanent tattoos on volunteers. Irvington’s GSA also attended the event, setting up their own ofrenda to honor significant LGBTQ+ figures in Hispanic history.
Leading up to the event, the MEChA officer team dedicated hours towards planning. MEChA Co-President Samantha Lizarraga (12) explained the various responsibilities of organizing the event, such as “coordination with classes and teachers for attendance and the setup of prizes” along with intricacies like “making sure supplies were ready [on time].”
Additionally, Spanish classes 3-4 assisted MEChA through decorating the cafeteria and contributing their parts in the ofrendas, the altars used in Hispanic cultures as gateways for offerings to the dead. Spanish 1-2 students participated in the event, engaging in various activities spread around the cafeteria.
Once again, the time, effort, and logistical skills put in have led to a truly great execution of showcasing Hispanic, queer, and Desi cultures at Irvington, and has raised the bar for future MEChA events.
