La Posada is a cultural event occurring on Dec. 13, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the cafeteria, organized by EMLAC (Emerging Multilingual Learners Advisory Committee). The organizers include the director of EMLAC, Gloria Rodriguez, alongside other parents contributing to the event.
La Posada is a Catholic holiday to commemorate the travel that Mary and Joseph had made between Nazareth and Bethlehem, after being denied shelter throughout the region of Judea.
Although this story is commonly re-enacted by Catholic families to celebrate La Posada, the EMLAC’s celebration of La Posada will not include the same religious practices and will instead have different activities.
The event will consist of many activities including photos with Santa Claus, a live performance from a band, raffles, dancing, and a potluck dinner. Additionally, there will be an arts and crafts section for any younger children and dance performances from DPHS students.
“We’re going to have two different [groups of students] … that are going to perform Mexican culture dance,” Rodriguez said. “We’re also going to have [the band] that came to Dia Los Muertos.”
The organizers of La Posada have changed the planning process for the event, based on issues that occurred at the Día De Los Muertos event earlier this year. Some of the changes include the starting time of the event, the amount of seating, and an extended closure to the event.
“[People] were showing up and delivering the food late so we had other presentations where some students were going to talk about the meaning of the other world cultures,” Rodriguez said. “But they weren’t able to do that because by the time we got all the food together … [the food] was already late like six times. So then it was like everything, threw us off.”
EMLAC encourages all families to participate in the event but to also contribute through the potluck which can be done through the QR codes found on the official flyers for the event.
“I know some families couldn’t make it for Dia De Los Muertos because they had other things going on or they didn’t celebrate that holiday,” Rodriguez said. “So we understood that, but they did say if you make a Posada we will come to the Posada. So we’re hoping that different people, and more people will come so that it could be a bigger community.”
