The Youth Programs team invites teens to join museum educators on the third Friday of every month to be inspired by the museum’s exhibitions and screenings, explore the museum, hang out, and get creative.

We will be joined by Self Help Graphics & Art in creating small personal altars and ofrendas/offerings inspired by the film La Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead (1989) by documentarian Lourdes Portillo. La Ofrenda is a personal account of the annual Día de los Muertos holiday and its traditions including altar making in both filmmaker Portillo’s native Mexico and within various Chicano neighborhoods in the United States. The Día de los Muertos holiday is a celebration and remembrance of the dead.

The small altars we will make will be in remembrance of loved ones no longer with us. Please bring a photo or small item that represents your loved one to include in a 5x7 inch altar.

Meet us Friday, May 19 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm in the Shirley Temple Education Studio on the museum’s Lower Level. Workshops are designed for teens ages 14 and up. Snacks will be provided.

The work of Lourdes Portillo is featured in our gallery Significant Movies and Moviemakers, on Level 2, part of our Stories of Cinema exhibition. The gallery highlights Portillo’s life and career as a filmmaker, artist, journalist, and activist. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and raised in Los Angeles, Portillo’s documentaries focus on themes of identity and social justice in the US and Latin America.

We will also be screening Lourdes Portillo’s films throughout the month of May including her film La Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead on Saturday May 13 at 4pm.

Self Help Graphics & Art
Self Help Graphics & Art fosters the creation and advancement of new art works by Chicana/o and Latinx artists through experimental and innovative printmaking techniques and other visual art forms. They are an organization rooted in community; and since 1973, have been at the intersection of arts and social justice, providing a home that fosters the creativity and development of local artists. Self Help Graphics & Art establish international collaborations and partnerships nation-wide and create world-wide cultural exchanges. They are known for their popular and culturally relevant events such as the longest running (45+ years) and free annual Día de los Muertos celebration, which draws over 10,000 people to its festivities.

All workshops are free with museum admission and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Museum admission is free for youth ages 17 and under with advance reservation.

Check back soon for upcoming workshop themes.

If you have any questions, or need assistance planning your visit, please email museumeducation@oscars.org.