PBS, NPR and local perspective for western Mass.
The Fabulous 413

Oct 30th: All things in flux

Museum Director Megan Seiler (right) with Monte Belmonte in front of the restored Tiffany peacock window at the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke.
Kaliis Smith

Change is in the air.

We’re helping people make room for loss. Out in the Berkshires, Latinas 413 have teamed up with both Hot Plate Brewing Company and the Berkshire Historical Society to bring Dia de los Muertos celebrations to Pittsfield. We speak with Liliana Atanacio, America Lopez, Tanya Romero, and Laura Cabrera of the newly minted non-profit, as well as head brewer at Hot Plate, Sarah Real, about transferring the traditions they’ve known to the place they’ve made home.

We’re also adjusting people’s perspectives of community spaces. We head to Holyoke, where The Wistariahurst Museum is about to end its spooky season programming and prepare its own Dia de los Muertos ofrenda. Director Megan Seiler takes us through the history of the building, and manages to show us some of what it will present in the future. And we attempt a little ghost hunting, as ‘tis the season.

And we’re discovering the places that allow us a little rest. The news has been overwhelming as of late, and Mr. Universe, Hampshire College professor Salman Hameed finds some solace in the grandness of space and science, some of which is portrayed in a short film. Perhaps the cosmos could be key in making humanity more humane? We can certainly hope so.

Christopher “Monte'' Belmonte is host and executive producer of NEPM's The Fabulous 413. He was born and raised in Massachusetts and has been a radio host in western Massachusetts for the last 20 years — the last 17 of them as host of Mornings with Monte on The River 93.9/WRSI.
Kaliis Smith is a radio host and producer for NEPM's The Fabulous 413. She was most recently host and producer at The River 93.9/WRSI where she appeared on Mornings with Monte for the Nerdwatch segment and hosted weekday evenings.
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