The Oak Park Public Library has created an ofrenda for the community to honor their loved ones for Dia De Los Muertos.Community members are invited to share images of their loved ones who have passed away and are on display in the Idea Box located just inside the entrance of the main library at the Oak Park Public Library. The ofrendas are on display until Nov 4.An ofrenda is an altar, built to honor lost loved ones. Offerings are put on the ofrenda to help people to remember, learn about, and honor the lives of those who have passed away. The main purpose of the Idea Box, according to the Oak Park Public Library is designed both for and with the community to empower voices and to provide historically, intentionally, and traditionally marginalized people groups a unique public space to create, to inform, to build, to share, and to be.Oak Park’s Public Library Latine Language and Culture Librarian Nora Sanchez served as the leader for the community ofrenda.
National Hispanic Heritage Month lasts from Sept 15 to Oct. 15, and Oak Park residents celebrated its first official Hispanic Heritage Month with the community. Oak Park’s history of systemic oppression, redlining and segregation with people of color has often created conditions that made people of color in the community feel unwelcome. However, officials in Oak Park said they have been working on turning this around to make a more inclusive community.This celebration will now be an annual tradition and feature many events in which community members can reflect on Hispanic culture. Danielle Walker, diversity, equity and inclusion officer, reached out to Hispanic community members to ask them to participate in planning the celebration.Maya Puestes, a Broker Associate for Baird & Warner, Oak Park’s Public Library Latine Language and Culture Librarian Nora Sanchez; and Kribi’s Coffee vice president of business development Juan Muñoz served on the committee. Quetzali’s found