This article initially appeared in a print issue of the Monitor published 31 Oct. 2025.

It’s officially the end of October which means the spooky season is upon us. Street decor is littered with witches, ghouls and, of course, ghosts, but this is all just decoration… right? There has been a prolonged debate throughout history about whether ghosts exist or are simply figments of people’s imagination. Ancient texts suggest that ghost stories have been told since the time of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, where there was a belief that spirits lived after death and moved on to the afterlife. In Greece and Rome there are letters that suggest some people believed in ghosts as spirits that stayed in their resting place after death. 

Moving to the present day, society typically understands ghosts through pop culture references. Movies, such as “The Conjuring” and “Beetlejuice”, depict ghosts as spirits that either have unfinished business or are seeking revenge. The plots of these stories follow the same general message, where ghosts are something that should be continuously feared. However, I believe the historical examples of ghosts are more accurate to what these spirits, if they do indeed surround us, are like.

I have mixed feelings about ghosts. If ghosts do indeed exist, my idea of them doesn’t necessarily align with the pop-culture ghost. I would hope that they more resemble spirits of past loved ones looking over their living relatives. A few religions, such as Christianity, see ghosts as almost a guide throughout everyday life. In Christianity the Holy Ghost is meant to steer people down the path of righteousness and lead them out of the dark. I think this image of spirits and ghosts is beautiful because it depicts them as guides and caregivers. There are passed members of my family that I miss, and there is something comforting about the idea of them looking over me in spirit. This, to me, paints a more realistic picture of what ghosts are meant to be: spirits who protect and guide the living. 

Now, this description of ghosts probably isn’t what you were thinking when you decided to break out your jack-o-lanterns and costumes, but I feel it gives meaning behind the symbol we see so often around Halloween. The idea of a ghost doesn’t have to be an image that strikes fear into kids and horror movie fans alike; instead it can be a reminder of loved ones lost. The Day of the Dead, or Dia De Los Muertos, is a holiday celebrated across Latin America where the living reunite with the dead. Through offerings and decorated altars, family members can encourage those who have passed to come visit them in the land of the living. This belief that spirits come back and can see their loved ones, even for just a night, is a twist on how modern horror culture views spirits. 

At the end of the day, I don’t know if ghosts are real and I don’t think I’ll ever truly find out. However, what I do know is that if ghosts are more like our loved ones and less likeThe Conjuring’s Bathsheba, it makes my Halloween a little less terrifying.

Nov. 1 marks the ten year anniversary of the Dia de Los Muertos celebration at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Because of COVID-19, the museum has decided to host a virtual Dia de Los Muertos celebration this year, which can be found on the Nelson-Atkins website.

The virtual installation features five sections that the viewer can explore. 

The first section, entitled “Dia de Los Muertos Traditions,” gives a brief account of the nature of Dia de los Muertos and how the holiday is celebrated in Kansas City, particularly at the Nelson-Atkins. The section also features a video wherein Jenny Mendez, director of cultural arts at the Mattie Rhodes Center, details the importance of certain symbols during the Day of the Dead. 

In particular, Mendez describes the ofrendas – altars which are used to connect with the spirits of dead loved one through offerings of things which the loved ones enjoyed in their lives. Furthermore, the altar is an opportunity to connect with the four elements: water, fire, earth and air. The altar, and Dia de Los Muertos in general, is an important piece of pre-Columbian Hispanic cultural heritage. 

The second section of the installation is entitled “Making Memories.” This section features pictures of past Day of the Dead celebrations at the Nelson-Atkins, dating back to the first celebration ten years ago.

This section also talks about important collaborations between the Nelson-Atkins and several organizations to create these Dia de Los Muertos celebrations. The 2020 virtual celebration was created in collaboration with the Central Avenue Dia de los Muertos Celebration, The Guadalupe Center, the Kansas City museum, the Mattie Rhodes Art Center, Telemundo Kansas City and the Mexican Consulate in Kansas City. This section has speakers from the Mattie Rhodes Art Center talk about their experience in collaborating with the Nelson-Atkins. 

Finally, this section has an interview with Catrina, a famous symbol that is a part of Dia de Los Muertos celebrations. The Catrina interview is a collaboration with the Mexican Consulate in Kansas City, artist Jessica Carillo, Telemundo KC and the Nelson-Atkins.

The third section is entitled “In the Artist’s Words.” This section features an interview with Mexican artist Betasabeé Romero, known for creating art installations featuring cars and automobile-related materials. In this interview, Romero discusses an installation that she made for the Nelson-Atkins in 2012, as well as the inspiration for her artwork. 

The fourth section is entitled “Activity,” and includes instructions on making “papel picado,” or punched paper. Papel picado is decoratively etched tissue paper strung around streets, homes and altars during the Day of the Dead. Papel picado is important, as it symbolizes air, one of the four elements, which is important to emphasizing our earthly connection to the world during the Day of the Dead. 

The fifth and final section is entitled “68 Voices, 68 Hearts.” This section showcases the work done by HOLA COMBO, a Mexican cinema and television group that created a project wherein different stories are told in the 68 indigenous languages of Mexico. The Nelson-Atkins website features the story of “How did the Rabbit Get to the Moon” told in the Huasteco language and accompanied by artwork of the seven graphic designers of HOLA COMBO. 

It may be that the Nelson-Atkins is unable to host an in-person exhibition for Dia de Los Muertos. That’s not to say that the celebrative spirit does not live on. In fact, this Dia de Los Muertos affords us with the unique opportunity to celebrate life. In particular, we can celebrate the lives of essential workers– nurses, teachers, food service workers, sanitizing crews– who have died as a result of COVID-19. While we may all be apart, we can nevertheless collectively remember the lives of those who have died for a greater cause.

This year, National Hispanic Heritage Month began Sept. 15 and ended Oct. 15. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates Hispanic and Latin American culture and the positive impact they have had on the development of the United States. 

But what is it like to be Hispanic in the United States during Heritage month?

As someone who is from Mexico, I thought I might take the liberty to make some comments concerning what it is to be Hispanic in general in the United States and how this month, in particular, affects my life here in Missouri. 

I moved to the United States when I was around four years old because my father received a job offer in Florida. I’ve since lived in Florida, Texas and, now, Missouri. I would say that I am probably slightly estranged from my mother culture, but I think that I nonetheless live in a way that is different from the average person in the US. 

Particularly around the months of October and November, I find myself often reminiscing about my memories of Mexico. This is because around this time is when the celebration of the Day of the Dead takes place (specifically, the Day of the Dead begins on Oct. 31-Nov. 2). Especially now that I am at William Jewell College and can see the preparations Mi Gente takes to celebrate this holiday, I find myself missing my house in San Luis Potosi and my family.  

It has been about six years since I last visited! I think I am long overdue for a trip back to my home. And this yearning within me manifests itself in my drawings of altars in preparation for the Day of the Dead, in my searching for vegetarian recipes for pan de muertos, in my constant stream of WhatsApp messages with my family back home. ¡México, te extraño! 

Here is an example of a sketch I was entertaining for an altar for my great-grandmother. She died a few years back, and I think about her often. She once crocheted me a cute little bear doll, which I have now sadly lost. She always had the wackiest stories to tell me about my grandfather’s childhood in Mexico. 

I really like National Hispanic Heritage Month. I get extraordinarily excited to see the events Mi Gente has planned. I am looking forward to perusing the virtual Day of the Dead event that the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art has on their website. Even though I am so far away from my culture, these little events serve to bring a piece of home back to me. 

I think that I especially appreciate having something like National Hispanic Heritage Month because things have been so crazy with COVID-19. The daily news about Mexico is disheartening, to say the least. 

In 2020 alone, 2,240 women were killed in Mexico. The rate of femicides (that is, the murder of a woman or girl, often by a man on account of her gender) in Mexico has increased by 3.1 percent. As a result, women have taken to protesting, particularly in Mexico City. 

I find myself constantly worried about my family in Mexico, particularly my grandmother, who works with the Supreme Court and deals directly with cases of femicide. I often have conversations with her concerning the difficulties surrounding her job because of COVID-19. 

I was planning on visiting my family in Mexico over the summer this year, but the uncertainty surrounding last year’s spring break and the switch to online classes really threw a wrench in my plans. 

Thus, I am glad that there is something like National Hispanic Heritage Month to remind me of the things I love most about my culture.