End of Life Conversations

Now you can find our new video episodes on YouTube! We encourage you to do so and to like and subscribe to our channel. And it really helps our statistics if you listen all the way to the end where we include a bonus conversation!

https://www.youtube.com/@EndofLifeConversationsPodcast

We post a monthly newsletter on Substack. It contains announcements about end-of-life classes and events, previews of our upcoming episodes, and many resources for planning and learning. Articles and POETRY, of course.

You can subscribe to our Substack here: https://endoflifeconvos.substack.com

We will also be asking our readers (that’s YOU!) for articles, poetry, or event listings.

If you would like to be added to our list (can cancel anytime), please contact us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com

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The Reverent Mother Annalouiza Armendariz and Reverend Wakil David Matthews offer classes on end-of-life planning, grief counseling, and interfaith (or no faith!) spiritual direction. If you are interested in any of these, please don't hesitate to contact us via email at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

In this podcast, we'll share people’s experiences with end-of-life. We have reached out to experts in the field, front-line workers, as well as friends, neighbors, and the community, to have conversations about their experiences with death, dying, grief, and loss. We invite wonderful people to sit with us and share their stories.

Our goal is to provide you with information and resources that can help us all navigate and better understand this important subject.

Our mission/ministry is to normalize and destigmatize conversations about death, dying, grief, and loss.

You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. Additionally, we would appreciate your financial support, and you can subscribe by clicking the Subscribe button. Subscribers will be sent a dynamically updated end-of-life planning checklist and resources document. They will have access to premium video podcasts on many end-of-life planning and support subjects. Subscribers at $8/month or higher will be invited to a special live, online conversation with Annalouiza and Wakil and are eligible for a free initial session of grief counseling or interfaith spiritual direction.

We would love to hear your feedback and stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

We want to thank Wakil and his wife's children for the wonderful song that begins our programs. And we want to thank our excellent editor, Sam Zemkee. We also acknowledge that we live and work on unceded indigenous peoples' lands. We thank them for their generations of stewardship, which continues to this day, and honor them by doing all we can to create a sustainable planet and support the flourishing of all life, both human and more-than-human.

All Episodes

End of Life Conversations

Biodiversity Loss and The Secret Role of Art as a Way to Cope with Ecological Despair

December 16, 2025 • Rev Annalouiza Armendariz & Rev Wakil David Matthews & Asher Smith • Season 5 • Episode 13

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You can now view this episode on YouTube! Please do so, like, and subscribe. And, it really helps our statistics if you listen all the way to the end, where we include a bonus conversation!

In this conversation, Asher Smith discusses their journey as a queer farmer and artist, exploring themes of ecological consciousness, grief, and the role of art in addressing environmental issues. They reflect on their master's thesis on the American chestnut, a species that symbolizes loss and hope amid biodiversity decline. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of community engagement, Indigenous perspectives, and finding joy in nature as a means of coping with ecological despair.

Asher's Thesis

Support the show

You can find us on SubStack, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.