Mexico’s Day of the Dead

We are always thrilled to bring you new movies, but our latest—Day of the Dead—was a particular labor of love for BrainPOP’s Latino employees. Through the years, teachers have asked us for resources to teach this important Mexican holiday. The challenge was how to present a living tradition in a way that was as informative, vital, and real for those students who know it well as it was for those just learning about it for the first time. 

Then last fall, BrainPOP Español’s Dana Mendizabal, who works in our Mexico City office, pitched a list of topics to expand BrainPOP’s Latino representation. We shared  her ideas with our Certified BrainPOP Educators community. The clear winner: Día de los Muertos—or Día de Muertos, as it’s known in Mexico. Our small editorial team had also recently expanded to include a scriptwriter with Mexican ancestry. Day of the Dead was a go!  

Out came our usual stacks of reference books, website bookmarks, and lists of academic experts. (Yes, there is a university researcher who specifically studies and writes about Aztec holidays. Who knew?) But when it came time to add texture to modern day Día de Muertos celebrations, a whole new crew of experts took over–folks for whom Día de Muertos is simply part of the calendar. BrainPoppers across the company weighed in, along with our friends in the Southwest and California, primas in Mexico City, a Latinx influencer or two, and, of course, our amazing CBEs.

With everyone’s help, we believe we’ve woven together  a portrait of the holiday that spans from its Aztec origins to its modern, global form. Enjoy Day of the Dead and please provide feedback and let us know what you think!