Memory is Social Justice in Día de Los Muertos - 10/7/24

Conversation Overview

What is uniquely powerful about remembering those who died in the context of inequity and violence, such as the victims of racism, chauvinism, bigotry, homophobia, xenophobia, and/or religious intolerance? Join Rosa Garza-Mourino in conversation with Consuelo Flores, fellow faculty who is the renowned multidisciplinary artist and scholar specialized in the traditional and contemporary history of the Día de Los Muertos Celebration.

An LA based culture bearer, multidisciplinary artist and writer, Consuelo G. Flores has worked in the cultural, literary, media, and visual arts sectors since the early 1980s. Renowned for her Day of the Dead work, her installations of altars/ofrendas have been exhibited at the Craft Contemporary Museum, Irvine Fine Art Center, Self Help Graphics, Gloria Molina Grand Park, and several Film Festivals in LA. Aside from her installations, her Day of the Dead work includes literary altars, fashions, and cultural tours for the Metro Transit Authority. Consuelo also teaches academic courses, conducts workshops and provides lectures for schools, cultural centers, and businesses on the traditional and contemporary celebration of the Day of the Dead with a specific emphasis on the structure and meaning of the altar/ofrenda. She’s been interviewed for her Day of the Dead work by scholars from Rutgers University and Fordham University as well as several media outlets such as Good Morning, America, NPR, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Medium, and all Los Angeles local news stations. She continues to curate altar installations and visual art for the celebration at prominent organizations, galleries and museums. 

Rosa Garza-Mourino MA, Media and Cultural Studies, Mexico City, serves the Undergraduate Studies program in LA as a transdisciplinary educator, scholar and academic administrator driven by curiosity and difference. Uses a social justice lens to teach cultural analysis methods and immersive learning pedagogies applicable to the fields of film, media, arts-based activism, and cities, especially Los Angeles as a learning context. As Director of External Academic Partnerships is in charge of the Internship Program, community engagement initiatives, and articulation liaison with 2 year local colleges. Volunteers as co-chair of the AULA Diversity Inclusion committee, and as a member of the Messy Conversations planning team.