Community deathcare organization Wake has joined forces with Barro y Luna Media, Arts & Community Care, to unveil the debut of Legados de Luisiana (Louisiana Legacies) podcast, featuring oral histories of Louisiana’s Latin American elders. The event, hosted by Puentes New Orleans, takes place Wednesday, May 15, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Beanlandia (3300 Royal Street New Orleans, LA 70117).
Legados de Luisiana is a groundbreaking oral history series aimed at preserving and raising awareness of the rich experiences of Louisiana’s Latin American elders. The series will debut publicly as a podcast, accompanied by a live listening event with Q&A and refreshments.
The project is spearheaded by Carolina Murriel of Barro y Luna, a trauma-trained immigration journalist and death doula originally from Peru, and Wake, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to meaningful, affordable, and environmentally sustainable deathcare.
“It’s important to me to highlight that people of Latin American heritage have been in Louisiana for generations,” said Murriel, “because I don’t see us represented in the narratives about our state. We have been here, contributing to our communities for decades, and in many cases have completely assimilated, or have remained otherwise invisible. I hope our elders’ stories can instill pride in our community, and inspire cross-cultural solidarity.”
The oral histories featured in the Legados podcast also serve as narrative legacy projects, ensuring that relatives stay connected to their ancestry and family stories for generations to come.
“Legacy projects are a powerful tool for bringing peace and acceptance to people who are at the end of their life,” says Executive Director, Liz Dunnebacke. “And they are equally powerful for the family and friends of an older person, who are often hungry for stories, particularly in their loved one’s voice, long after that person has died. Banking these narratives in life is a tremendous gift to children, grandchildren, and future generations, and is associated with a deep sense of satisfaction on the part of the participants.”
The Legados de Luisiana Oral History Project aims to preserve the legacies of Louisiana’s Latin American elders and contribute their experiences to the public domain, destigmatizing discussions about death and dying in the process.
For more information about the event, visit the Legados event page here.
