In her post, Miranda Rivera shares her experience at Grand Park’s Dia de Los Muertos celebration. Miranda highlights the cultural significance of Dia de Los Muertos as a moment of grieving, commemoration, and celebration for our loved ones’ passing to a new stage of their life. Like Miranda experienced, I felt uneasy when I saw people from non-Latino/a heritage painting their faces and emulating some of the practices without no understanding of its cultural significance. Although I experienced a sense of discomfort, I took a step back and considered that people who have no understanding of its cultural and spiritual meaning taking part in the celebration weren't doing it with bad intentions. Undoubtedly, Dia de Los Muertos is becoming part of mainstream celebrations that might be a result of misappropriations by entertainment industries or people just trying to take a cool picture. I find that events like Grand Parks’ that take part in spiritual and cultural practice must make it a priority to educate its public and be aware of community diversity. It is crucial for all people to understand and appreciate other communities’ cultural practices, but that it must be done in a respectful and conscious manner. People should be open to learning before taking part in any action and then reflect on how that may affect themselves and others; just so that you don't end up with a Halloween costume as a Dia de Los Muertos ceremony. Dia de Los Muertos is one example on how a community's culture can be detrimentally appropriated, but it also serves as a cautionary example for myself to reexamine the celebration that I take part in.
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