The 2021 Secular Day of the Dead / Día de los Muertos Secular
A Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular event is a celebration of life. Nontheist Hispanic/Latin people and others view the Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular as a perfect way to remember the legacy of dead loved ones that does not require prayer, church, or religious dogma. To nontheists, our legacies are our afterlife.
The Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular event will include many redesigned and religion-free Hispanic/Latin traditions and rituals that celebrate our one and only life, legacies, and cultural heritage.
More and more people are abandoning their religious upbringing but still want to celebrate the beauty of the Hispanic/Latin culture. This is why a Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular was created. The 2021 Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular will be presented as a Zoom event on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 with special attention to Spanish speaking participants. The 2021 Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular is cosponsored by The Freethought Society, Hispanic American Freethinkers, American Atheists, Center for Inquiry, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Secular Student Alliance, Secular Coalition for America, and Atheists United.
3:45 PM (PST)/6:45 PM (EST) Pre-Event Social
Entertainment and chatting opportunities with like-minded individuals will take place during this 15-minute time slot, featuring a mini-concert by John Davidson – a Hollywood legend and musical stage star who lived in Mexico and speaks Spanish.
4:00 (PST)/7:00 PM (EST) Welcome
Bilingual welcome by organizers and cosponsors Robyn Blumner, Victoria de la Torre, Margaret Downey, Nick Fish, Annie Laurie Gaylor, Dan Barker, David Tamayo, Kevin Bolling-Hey, Debbie Allen, and Sergio Ortega-Rodriguez. Cosponsors and organizers will each light a candle to honor a “Secular Saint” of historic significance. A Spanish Speakers Zoom Room and an English Speakers Zoom Room will be offered to participants at this time. A musical interlude will be provided by cellist Rich Rodriquez as people divide into their preferred language Zoom Rooms.
4:30 PM (PST)/7:30 PM (EST) Guest Speakers
Julia Sweeney Interviews Jon Huertas
“From Heartsick and Holy to Happy Heathen”
5:00 PM (PST)/8:00 PM (EST) Honoring Ceremony
Reservations are being taken for speakers who want to celebrate the life of a dead loved one. Reserve a 3-5-minute time slot by emailing SecularDayoftheDead@FtSociety.org
The Honoring Ceremony will open with dedications from author Fernando Alcántar, Ethical Culture Leader Hugh Taft-Morales, activist and president of Atheists United Christina Magallanes-Jones, educator Consuelo Cortes-Fleming, and photographer John Jones-Cortes.
The musical interlude will feature Margarita Reyna and James Nunnelley performing a Cumbia dance.
After the reserved speaking spots conclude, the Zoom spotlighting function will be available for anyone who would like to participate. The screen share function will be enabled so that speakers can display photos of the person being honored. The honoring of a pet is also welcomed.
Prizes will be awarded and mailed to participants who the cosponsors determine to have the best Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular themed clothing, Zoom setting, face painting, face mask, and hair adornment.
See photos of the prizes and find additional information on Facebook!
The end time of this event is unknown. Anyone who would like to honor a dead loved one will have an opportunity to do so before we conclude with a mini-concert by Gary Stockdale and Abraham Steve Mackey.
To see what was done last year, see our YouTube recordings of the 2020 celebration!
English Room
Spanish Room
