How to Build an Altar

Freedom Church of the Poor, Iglesia del Pueblo and Union de Vecinos

Día de los Muertos and All Saints’ Day are sacred times to remember ancestors and those lost to unjust systems. Building an ofrenda—an altar with marigolds, food, water, and mementos—welcomes their spirits and honors their lives. In the Freedom Church tradition, we embrace these rituals in relationship with the communities that practice them, lifting them up as acts of healing, resistance, and commitment to a world where everyone has what they need to live.

Día de los Muertos: How to Build an Altar

Freedom Church of the Poor and La Iglesia del Pueblo

Tips for Impact

The Freedom Church tradition does not seek to appropriate culturally specific rituals, but in relationship with communities who practice particular rituals, seeks to learn about and incorporate rituals like Día de los Muertos and All Saints’ Day into multicultural movements for change.

The Freedom Church of the Poor and Iglesia del Pueblo created this guide for building an ofrenda—an altar—as part of a multicultural movement for justice. It is an invitation to reclaim and reimagine ritual practices that help our communities remember the lives, struggles, and enduring legacies of our ancestors. In learning how to build this collective altar, we gain a deeper appreciation for cultural traditions that nurture continuity, purpose, and resistance. These rituals remind us that our fight for justice is part of a larger, living story—one that honors the past, empowers the present, and inspires the future.