Women Who Rock Reflection

At the Womxn Who Rock conference I got to see a lot of different alters and ofrendas in many different forms including art and dance. I enjoyed the dance from Giavonna White at the beginning and hearing about her dance background. As a dancer myself, this reminded me of my first time in a dance group when I was in elementary school. It was called Drummers and Dancers that practiced rhythms and dances from traditional African heritage. I also really liked a lot of things that Dona and Rosanna had to say in regard to their sharing of different types of alters including mobile ones that I had not seen before. There were a few things in particular that the mother said that sparked thought and a different perspective in my mind. I believe it was Dona who talked about the loss of her mother and how she was gone but “left a legacy of culture” of spiritual practices, food, and other aspects. I think this is a new way for me to think about the loss of people in my life, how our ancestors live on through our lives and daily practices that we might not always be consciously aware of. I also liked their description of alters being interactive which is something myself, as well as many others I’m sure, do not think of when they hear of or see alters. Overall, the conference brought new perspectives, beautiful art, and great artifacts for remembrance to light that I very much enjoyed.