The Department of Hispanic Studies and the Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies (CLACS)

are excited to invite you to our 2023 Día de los Muertos StorySLAM & Celebration

on Friday, November 3, 2023 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Department of Hispanic Studies (84, Prospect Street)

(Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)

The event will be outside, so we highly recommend bringing a blanket or something to sit on.

Here’s what you need to know:

Performances: Throughout the night, our StorySLAM will be accompanied by performances from Mariachi de Brown and Mezcla Latin Dance Company.

Altar: Along with the performances, there will also be a traditional Mexican ofrenda, or altar, courtesy of MEChA at Brown. All guests are invited to bring picture(s) of late family members and/or friends to honor their memories and celebrate their lives. These will remain on display at the altar, should you wish, for a week following the event. The altar can be found at the entrance of the Department of Hispanic Studies, which is located at 84 Prospect Street. 

Food + Refreshments: We will be providing complimentary pan de muertos, or Mexican bread of the dead, a traditional item which accompanies Día de Los Muertos celebrations in Mexican culture as well as hot chocolate for all attendees. 

Face Painting: We will have a face painting station open throughout the event where you can don iconic Mexican face paint, a cherished tradition of this celebration. Our talented artists from MEChA at Brown will transform your face into a canvas of artistic expression, honoring loved ones and embracing life and death. Join us and be a part of this beautiful Mexican custom!

Storytelling: Each participant will have a 5-minute window to share their most compelling story related to the theme of Death/La muerte, Las muertas, Los muertos.

Please note that we are only accepting stories based on real-life experiences. Fiction stories will not be considered. Sign up here.

Language: We encourage participants to tell their stories in either Spanish or Spanglish.

Preparation: While no notes or reading are allowed during your performance, we highly recommend that you prepare your story in advance.

This preparation will help you craft a more impactful narrative.

Respect for Diversity: VERY IMPORTANT: Do not mimic accents from other cultures or ethnic groups, as this often proves ineffective and, at times, can be offensive.

Additionally, your story should not contain any remarks that promote or express racism, homophobia, misogyny, or any other form of incitement to discrimination or hatred.

Event Details: Sign up when you arrive if you didn’t sign up online before the event.

If you’d like to share your story, please arrive at least 10 minutes early to sign up.

We will randomly select storytellers through a raffle and call your name (depending on the number of participants who signed up to tell a story).

Each storyteller is allotted a maximum of 5 minutes for their performance.

At the 4-minute mark, a bell will ring to remind you to wrap up your story. Please ensure that your story does not exceed the 5-minute limit.

Raffle: All StorySLAM participants will be entered into a raffle for a prize. The raffle will take place once all stories have been presented. 

 

Thank you for being part of our 2023 Día de los Muertos. 

We look forward to hearing your stories and celebrating the art of storytelling and a wonderful Día de los Muertos together.