Cultures colliding and a reminder of what it means to be alive in this great country is the best way I know how to describe the annual All Souls Procession in Tucson, Ariz.

There is celebration in the air and a sense of harmony among the masses. With influences from all over the world, including traditions from Dia de los Muertos, All Souls is a unique experience that more than 12,000 members of the community show up to participate in, according to Technical Director Paul Weir.

Even behind the lens of my camera, glued to my face for nearly four hours, and 508 photographs later, the experience is one I hope all Tucsonans take part in at least once.

Walking with the crowd of people honoring everything from the death of a fiancé like Dick Dixon, who now performs in the procession to a group of friends who come together to honor “sweetness” by walking as bees and bee keepers and handing out spoonfuls of honey onto the tiny honey-drenched fingers of children watching the procession.

And then there are the comedians who show up like the men walking for disco.

“Because God knows it should be dead,” they hollered as they walked by us.

And as the procession comes to an end, the performers, the fire and the excitement begins.

I was raised around the arts, as a child I sat in rehearsals and watched my parents put on theatrical productions and I too participated. I am an advocate for the arts in any community as a means of a life line to heal and grow, experience and imagine. I truly believe nothing better defines the United States and what it means to be an American quite like the blending and collision of many cultures, artistic expression and the coming together to celebrate life.

And that’s what All Souls is…simply put: A celebration of life.