Sugar skulls, painted faces and parading girls in flamboyant dresses marks a typical day for Dia des los Muertos, translated as the Day of the Dead.

However in November, three WSU organizations, La Hermandad de O eMe Te, M.E.Ch.A and Mujeres Unidas, will come together with their own Day of the Dead celebration.

“The Day of the Dead is the traditional Latin America holiday to showcase life and pay respects to past loved ones,” said Rafael Salmerón, president of La Hermandad de O eme Te. “It’s a time of celebration, not mourning.”

La Hermandad de O eMe Te is an Aztec-based brotherhood and a non-traditional fraternity under the Greek council. M.E.Ch.A. works to promote higher education amongst Latino/a students. Mujeres Unidas is a Latina based organization whose goal is empowering women on campus.

This is the sixth year the groups have put on the Cumbia themed celebration.

Salmerón said the Day of the Dead is a time when families get together and set up a shrine or altar to remember the loved one who has died. This altar is decorated with their favorite foods, candles and the traditional sugar skulls.

A parade goes through the town and people paint their faces to look like skulls. Some even wear bright, colorful masks. There are also marigolds, the signature flower for the event, Salmerón said.

“The church celebrations are very spiritual,” said Jennyfer Berrueta-Trejo, the C.A.S.H.E. co-chair of M.E.Ch.A. “But outside the church everyone is celebrating the person’s life.”

This year, WSU’s Day of the Dead celebration will begin on the steps of Todd Hall with a parade guided with prayer.

The parade will move from Todd Hall to the Ensminger Pavilion, where the remainder of the celebration will take place. The festivities will include presentations, face painting, decorating sugar skulls, piñatas, and loteria, or Mexican bingo. There will also be a free dinner of rice, beans, and a choice between birria or pollo a la crema, Salmerón said.

“The walk is ceremonial and silent the whole way to honor passed ones,” said Unidas Paloma Jimenez, president of Mujeres.

There will also be performances demonstrating the Mexican/Latin American style of dancing. The evening will finish with a large dance featuring DJ Ricky Frezko.

Salmerón, Berrueta-Trejo and Jimenez described this celebration as communal and an all-campus event. Their main goal is to share Latin American culture with WSU and have students indulge.

“At first, maybe you don’t expect very many people,” said Berrueta-Trejo. “It’s really nice and impactful to see many people show up to the event.”

The Day of the Dead celebration will occur on Nov. 1. The ceremonial walk will begin on Todd Hall’s steps at 6 p.m. The event will move to Ensminger Pavilion at 6:30 p.m.