In the middle of a college library in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a table full of photos, flowers and handwritten notes is doing quiet, powerful work. The Hispanic Student Association at Tulsa Community College built a Día de los Muertos ofrenda on the southeast campus so students and staff can honor the people they have lost.

Celinda Gómez, who leads the student group, grew up building an altar at home every year. She compares it to the way some families put up a Christmas tree. When college staff asked whether she would create one on campus, she said yes right away.

Memories on the altar

For Gómez, the holiday is about her roots and about keeping memories alive for the next generation. She said her 4-year-old son now knows who his great-grandparents were because he helps set up the family altar.

On the campus ofrenda she placed a photo of her sister-in-law, who died three years ago. She said the days leading up to the holiday are hard but also full of meaning because they bring back the laughter and good times the family shared.

Lesley Hernandez, another member, is taking part for the first time. She added a photo of her great-grandmother from California, a woman she never met but whom her mother adored. Her family told her the old saying about the matriarch: she had a fix for everything. Knowing she now sits on the altar brought them joy.

Hernandez first learned about the tradition from a popular animated movie and admits she sometimes feels guilty for coming to it late. For her the holiday feels less like goodbye and more like a promise to see someone again.

A space for everyone

Gómez also set out cards so students whose loved ones are not pictured could write messages. One student wrote about missing someone more than life itself and wishing they could be there for graduation. Another wished a great-grandfather could see every milestone. A third said the holiday is a way to stay connected to Mexican heritage and to honor people who have been forgotten.

Gómez said the altar also holds space for family members who have gone missing, waiting for the day they can be brought home.

Día de los Muertos is celebrated mostly on Nov. 1 and 2, with the first day often set aside for children and the second for adults. Some families begin even earlier by remembering beloved pets. Celebrations are underway across Tulsa this week.