CHICAGO -- Luis Alejandro Calvo Velasquez meticulously wrapped silver wire around itself, winding pieces together until a small figurine slowly took shape. What starts as wire in his hands will end as a white calavera, a small skeleton figurine used during the holiday Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, to honor deceased loved ones.

His movements were mirrored across the other desks in Pilsen’s Benito Juarez Community Academy’s art room, where students further along in their projects wrapped their wires in tape and papier-mache, drew facial features onto their figurines, and painted them stark white.

Come October, some calaveras will be in a new home, peering out from shop windows on 18th Street as part of the Pilsen Chamber of Commerce’s competition, which will select around 25 to 30 figurines to showcase in the storefronts of local businesses.

Constructing the calaveras, which can represent those who have passed, from family members, famous figures or pets, is a long-standing tradition during Hispanic Heritage Month that celebrates the culture that is woven throughout the high school and the neighborhood. Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated across the United States from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and includes holidays from various cultures, including Mexican Independence Day and Día de los Muertos.

In front of Velasquez, 17, a completed calavera sat as a model, but he didn’t need it as a reference. He looked at it fondly before gesturing to it, describing it as “muy bonita” in Spanish — “very beautiful.” For Velasquez, the project, which comes with a series of instructional videos and steps, is fun and natural.

“I didn’t need the video for directions. I know everything, the process,” Velasquez said. “For me, it’s easy, but for others (just) starting, it’s difficult.”

Around the room, students carefully worked on their projects as visual arts teacher Steve Vidal moved around, assisting and adjusting figurines and explaining best practices with paint.

Vidal’s classes have been constructing the calaveras for over two decades but only recently partnered with the Pilsen Chamber of Commerce to display them, which culminated in the neighborhood’s first Día de los Muertos Window Walk last year. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement incidents, however, weighed on the community during the usually celebratory season in 2025. While the calaveras were displayed in windows along 18th Street, the strong ICE presence in the neighborhood during Operation Midway Blitz meant fewer community members saw them.

“They held us back from having a stronger presence and families coming out and feeling comfortable to walk along 18th Street,” Vidal said. “This year, however, we feel more positive and comfortable, and so we’re eager, and more students are going to produce.”

The project and competition help keep the traditions and culture surrounding Hispanic Heritage Month alive while also connecting students to community, according to the chamber’s co-founder, Javier Yañez.

“Events like these … reengage the ability for us to stay educated on where we come from, but also be able to showcase to the world, to the community that even in our schools we’re fighting for representation,” Yañez said. “The connection to the community through these window displays, I think, is a testament to that, especially in the climate that we’re in.”

Ayleen Martinez, 14, went the celebrity route for her calavera. Her figurine aims to resemble and honor entertainer Michael Jackson, with one foot kicked up to mimic his iconic moonwalk. Jackson’s music remains a staple of her childhood and brings Martinez and her uncle together. Immortalizing Jackson as a calavera nods to that impact, she said.

“It reminds me of just how important it is to remember those that were a huge part in our lives, and just not to forget them,” Martinez said. “It’s one thing to say that they’re a big part, and it’s another thing to show it, and I think showing it is way more (important) because, to me, actions are more important than words.”

Despite the competition, Martinez’s motivation is celebratory. “I’m mostly doing this just because it’s fun to do, and it’s nice to honor and do this about something that I care about,” she said.

For Crystal Garcia, 14, the project is also personal. Her calavera honors her late father, who died when she was 8 years old. She remembers him always making her smile and providing for herself and her siblings.

“It makes me feel really happy because many people probably think I forgot about him since I was a really young kid,” Garcia said. “It’s just something that I’ll never be able to forget, that connection with my dad.”

Her calavera’s pose also commemorates a major memory she holds onto: The figure is her father sitting down, watching a soccer game, drinking Coke and eating a torta, she said.

“That was just his favorite thing to do, and I think it’s just very special to capture those moments,” Garcia said. “… I feel like it’s really nice because it shows how the school really cares about our traditions and our backgrounds. Even though we all might be different, it still shows our traditions, our culture.”

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