The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology at The University of New Mexico will host an online event with award-winning Chicana artists and educators Ofelia Esparza and Rosanna Esparza Ahrens this week. The presentation, Remembering in Community: A Chat with Ofelia Esparza & Rosanna Esparza Ahrens, is in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, October 20, at 4 p.m.

Doña Ofelia Esparza has been creating Day of the Dead altars for decades. She has been covered by the Los Angeles Times, awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts as a National Heritage Fellow, and has received the prestigious United States Artist fellowship.

Rosanna Esparza Ahrens is a Chicana artist with 15 years of experience in graphic design and production art. Ahrens, along with her mother and other community members of East Los Angeles, is a co-founder of the creative wellness center, Tonalli Studio. This venue is the first female-owned wellness/art space in East Los Angeles.

Together, Ofelia and Rosanna are widely recognized for sharing with the public the healing power of commemoration in many diverse spaces. For instance, both currently teach prisoners through altar-making, as part of the Arts in Corrections program of the non-profit organization, Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

After an introduction by museum staff, the Esparzas will talk about their healing practices, creative process, and social justice work. Participants will then have a chance to ask questions. The event will be recorded and later shared in the future via the Maxwell museum website.

Participants must register in advance for this event. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Zoom meeting. The event is free and family friendly.

This event is made possible with the generous support of the Peaceful World Foundation, Latin American and Iberian Institute, El Centro de la Raza, the UNM Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies, and the Mellon Foundation.

The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology at UNM works toward greater understandings of the fullness of human experiences in the Southwest and the world. Its staff is committed to reconciling injustices, restoring voices, and realizing community.