Crafting Calaveras with The Adelante Club

Marcela Iraheta | Staff Writer

Samayia Kirby | Culture Editor

Santa Monica College (SMC) student, Magdalena Renderos smoothing sugar into a mold for making sugar skulls in the Art Department Patio at SMC's Main Campus in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College student, Juarez (L) prepares a sugar skull by packing sugar into a mold. Arturo Alvarado (R), psychology major, stands by, ready with a paper plate to unmold the sugar skull, in the Art Department Patio at Santa Monica College's Main Campus in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

From L to R, Jesus Caldera, president of the Adelante Club, and Nahomy Rivas, treasurer, are setting up the altar that the sugar skulls will be displayed on, in the Art Department Patio at Santa Monica College's Main Campus in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

A close up of the molding process, as Santa Monica College students pack sugar into molds to make sugar skulls in the Art Department Patio at Santa Monica College's Main Campus in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

A close up of the unmolding process, as Santa Monica College student, Juarez (L) turns the mold upside down on a plate held by Arturo Alvarado (R), psychology major, in the Art Department Patio at Santa Monica College's Main Campus in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College (SMC) student, Lesley Valtierra, ICC rep for the Adelante Club, smoothing sugar into a mold for making sugar skulls in the Art Department Patio at SMC's Main Campus in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

An activity put on by the Adelante club to encourage bonding among students while also commemorating Dia De Los Muertos.

Thursday, Oct. 26, Santa Monica College’s (SMC) Adelante club hosted their annual sugar skull crafting experience ahead of Dia De Los Muertos, a traditional Latin American holiday that acknowledges and celebrates the symbolic relationship between life and death. The skull crafting experience, put on by the Adelante club, was planned as a two-part event. Next week, the club will meet again to decorate and display the work produced on Thursday at SMC’s main campus quad.

Refreshments such as pizza and soda were provided, courtesy of the Art Department, for the Adelante club members gathered at the Art Complex to enjoy while they made their sugar skulls. The skulls, otherwise known as Calaveras, are made from a delicate mixture of granulated sugar, meringue powder, and water. The club program leader Maria Martinez instructed students to make the skulls by pressing the mixture into skull-shaped molds. Students wasted no time making dozens of skulls, big, medium, and small.

The Adelante club is a program extended by the Latino Center that is aimed at providing academic support and counseling to students. The activities offered, such as this one, are designed with the intent to encourage students to make connections by developing their social skills and sharpening their academic skills. 

“We basically create a space where they can interact with each other, make new friends, and make connections. We also provide academic help…We’re just like a social club, but also trying to help our students achieve academic success,” said Adelante club president Jesus Caldera.

While the students crafted their skulls, club president Jesus Caldera was busy at work building and decorating their club altar, set to be displayed at the SMC main campus quad where the community will also be able to see all of the beautifully decorated sugar skulls. The purpose of the altar is to honor loved ones who have passed on. In addition, people from the community can bring items such as photographs to decorate the altar and commemorate their loved ones. The club members shared they were thrilled to be sharing such a culturally significant experience with the SMC community for yet another year. 

Student Adan Santiago said, “I feel at home because before, I would always do this type of event at home with family. Being able to celebrate here at school also feels very home-like, very warm.”