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The Story of MiAltar - Part 2
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As co-founders of the first virtual altar platform for Day of the Dead, we've embarked on a journey that has deepened our understanding of cultural preservation in the digital age. Our backgrounds - from Mexico, and from India - have given us a unique perspective on where tradition meets innovation. We both grew up in California, in immigrant families, distanced from our original countries, but deeply connected to our culture and roots and traditions, while forming our identities as we assimilated to a different culture than the one our parents knew.
This experience of straddling multiple worlds, of forging our own identities while honoring our heritage, has shaped our approach to this project. Through building this platform and interviewing friends, family, and others, we've learned valuable lessons about how much we yearn to reconnect with what we have given up along the way. We've found that our journey reflects the experiences of many who, like us, have found ways to keep traditions alive while embracing new cultural contexts.
Bridging Gaps Across Miles: We've seen how virtual altars can connect families spread across the globe. As one interviewee told us, "It's like bringing a piece of home to wherever I am." Our digital platform allows people to engage with Day of the Dead traditions, no matter where they are, fostering a sense of unity and shared celebration.
Ancestral Stories Reimagined: Through our interviews, we've learned that every ofrenda carries stories of ancestors - stories that deserve to be told and retold. Our virtual altars empower users to honor these narratives in new ways, curating digital spaces with photographs, representations of traditional foods, and meaningful objects. As one user shared, "I want to bring my grandparents' stories to life for my children."
