Fireside Friday: Goblins, Ghouls & Grandma?!? (A Dia de los Muertos Celebration)
Is there a better place to hear a ghost story than around a campfire at Allerton Park? Join us for Fireside Fridays: Goblins, Ghouls & Grandma?!? (A Dia de los Muertos Celebration) from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 in the Meadow Picnic Area to learn about the traditions of Dia de los Muertos and the ghost story of La Llorona — the “weeping woman” — from the University of Illinois’ Dr. Emma Velez.
Attendees will create their own papel picado (punched paper) art, a decorative Mexican folk art commonly displayed for both secular and religious occasions such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
A cash bar will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. and s’mores will be served. Please bring your own lawn chairs.
$5/person (children 5 and under free). Register here. All sales are final.
This event is part of our Halloween Spooktacular! View a complete list of activities here.
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email Sarah Putman at sputman2@illinois.edu.
About Dr. Velez
Dr. Emma Velez is an assistant professor at the U of I, working in both the Department of Gender and Women Studies and the Department of Latina/Latino Studies.
Dr. Velez’ research interests include Latina and Latinx decolonial feminisms, critical theory, feminist theory, and critical philosophy of race. Their work stages dialogues across disciplines and traditions in order to consider Latina and Latinx feminist contributions to decolonial theory as well as questions of identity, cross-cultural communication, and political marginalization particularly as they intersect with issues of race, gender, and sexuality.
The professor has published in The Journal of Speculative Philosophy and has co-edited special issues on the topic of decolonial feminisms in Hypatia and Critical Philosophy of Race. They are also currently working on a book project tentatively titled, Orienting Historias: Unraveling the Coloniality of Gender through Las Tres Madres.
