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September 1996

The Director - Features

Death Unites Mexican-American Community

With the number of Mexican-Americans in the U.S. at an all-time high funeral directors need to educate themselves on the cultural differences

The number of Mexican-Americans in the United States is at an all-time high. To keep up with the pace, funeral directors need to educate themselves on the cultural differences. Death Unites Mexican-American Community, written by Madeline Crespo, director of community relations for the western region of the central division of Stewart Enterprises Inc., reveals how Mexican-Americans incorporate their culture and religion in funerals and rituals associated with death. The way Mexican-Americans perceive death may be surprising to those who are unfamiliar with the culture. The story focuses on how death is celebrated in the Mexican-American culture and is seen as a continuum of life. In order to truly serve the Mexican-American population in his or her area, a funeral director needs to have a heightened awareness of the culture and learn how to comfort those cultural needs.