Live Blog 2 - Chloe Rabinowitz

During the panel session of the event, something really beautiful happened. These powerful women who are recognized for their different accomplishments within their own communities in terms of spirituality and empowerment came together. In this coming together, they shared a lot of different aspects of their cultures and how each culture responds to a death or the loss of a loved one - or even the hardships that they’re going through. Hearing these different voices that come from different backgrounds with distinct cultural practices and traditions embodies the idea that Sandoval described as forming affinities within difference. They deliberately are coming together (convivencia) to create a discourse around the ofrenda and how the ofrenda is translated into their respective cultures. This made me think about my own family’s form of grieving and remembrance, encouraging me to look further into the traditions of my community.