Everybody dies sooner or later. They always have and they always will. Our current culture is not always as good at going through the process as people once were in the past, and even today different cultures view death differently. When it comes to delivering end of life care, it is important to be aware of and to honor the cultural background of the people we serve.
Two of the experts who will be speaking at IDLM;s Tree of Life Conference in November are particularly focused on end of life and grief care from their own cultural point of view. Alex Casas is an innovator who created Cool Cubes Inc. and founded the company Pale Hearse, an end-of-life and funeral care collective and marketplace. From her bio:
With over 12 years of diverse experience in the field, Alex’s expertise spans from high-volume care centers, medical examiner offices, funeral homes of various denominations, and cemeteries. Her journey includes a profound understanding of home funerals and natural burials, reflecting a deep-seated belief in the power of authentic, empowering, and ceremonial experiences for families.
Growing up in the border town of El Paso with deep family roots in Mexico, Alex learned the importance of caring for elders, honoring ancestors, and embracing cultural traditions surrounding death and remembrance. From an early age, she participated in her family’s end-of-life care practices, leading her to express an interest in caring for the dead at just eight years old. This upbringing deeply influenced her path. While working in Austin, TX, Alex became a bilingual translator to ensure families received the care they needed, regardless of language barriers. Her diverse background and experiences have given her a profound understanding of cultural sensitivity in deathcare.
Tony Lynch is a mental care and grief professional whose area of interest is men’s grief:
Tony is the Founder of the non-profit Memories of Us LTD. Grief support for men, The Global Grief Network, a resource for the bereaved. He is also the host of the podcast Grief Let’s Talk About It. He is also a Certified Suicide Interventionalist, Peer Recovery Coach, Mental Health First Aider and a Men’s Grief Coach.
Both of these individuals saw groups that were being underserved and chose to focus on finding ways to bring them the education and guidance that they needed, and both of them will be speaking about the journey they have been through at our Tree of Life conference. When you hear what they have to say, it may give you better insights into working with bilingual clients, or how to approach male clients in a different way from how you might approach female clients. The wisdom Alex and Tony have to share might give you ideas for how to serve your own unique community.
We are honored and excited to have Alex and Tony joining us.
