A Guided Tour of Arizona’s Day of the Dead

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, has become a major public fiesta throughout Arizona. Celebrations of the holiday give communities, families, and individuals an opportunity to honor their dearly departed, confront mortality, and collectively carry the burden of grief. Day of the Dead also allows Arizonans from all walks of life to experience a beautiful and colorful outpouring of Latin American music, dance, art, and cultural heritage. Join award-winning professor and storyteller, Dr. Mathew Sandoval, for a journey into understanding the history and significance of Día de los Muertos. His multimedia presentation is filled with sights and sounds from holiday celebrations across Arizona. He’ll illustrate the different ways this cultural tradition is observed across the state, and he’ll explain what makes Day of the Dead celebrations in Arizona distinct from other fiestas in the US Southwest and Mexico. Dr. Mathew Sandoval is an award-winning cultural historian and professor at ASU, where he serves as an expert on Mexican-American and Latino art & culture. He’s the author of Día de los Muertos: A Chicano Arts Legacy, and his scholarship on Day of the Dead has been published in numerous books, journals, magazines, and art catalogs. Sandoval is a recipient of the National Endowment for the Humanities “Public Scholar” prize, and his work has been featured on NBC Today Show, PBS, NPR, Washington Post, LA Times, and the Arizona Republic. He also maintains a professional career as a storyteller, poet, filmmaker, and public speaker. Visit mathewsandoval.com