Death Cafe profile for Cat Kent
Location: United States
About Cat Kent:
I am a death midwife, home funeral guide, and funeral celebrant. I work for a local hospice, and I firmly believe that the end-of-life work I do is the most meaningful work I have ever done. I aspire to live each day with gratitude, joy, and kindness.
What brings you to Death Cafe?
Through my work in end-of-life care, I have sat with people who have so much to say about their understanding of death but have never had the opportunity to voice their ideas or concerns. Death Cafe gives a forum for people to discuss and share in a safe place. I am grateful for the opportunity to listen to and learn from others. Plus, who doesn't like tea and cake!
What would you like your legacy to be?
I would like my work with those at the end of their lives to be my legacy-- an example of caring and kindness for others to follow. I would also like to be remembered as an educator and advocate for the highest good of all.
Thoughts for sharing:
Stephen Jenkinson is one of the greatest voices on death and dying today. One of my favorite quotes by him is "Grief is the midwife of your capacity to be immensely grateful for being born."
I also love the Ram Dass quote, "We are all just walking each other home."
Contact Cat Kent
Cat Kent's posts on the Death Cafe website
Death Cafe write up: Online Death Cafe Oxnard PST
Posted by Cat Kent on Feb. 2, 2021, 8:52 p.m.
The November 1 Death Café Oxnard had three attendees. The main topic of discussion was death by overdose, as two of the attendees had recent losses of this sort. It was a very uplifting Café as one of the attendees was getting back the loved one's ashes later that day and shared ideas for celebrating the loved ones life.
With Robin “Cat” Kent
Feb. 21, 2021, 2.00 p.m. - 3.30 p.m. (PST)
Free
Please join us on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84887232638?pwd=ZEFKUnhIV1ppSlFkbzRQWkZOZm1wQT09
With Robin Kent
Nov. 1, 2020, 2.00 p.m. - 3.30 p.m. (PST)
Free
Death Cafe write up: Online Death Cafe Oxnard PST
Posted by Cat Kent on Aug. 30, 2020, 12:16 p.m.
Success! Seven people, including my husband and myself, attended the online Death Café Oxnard yesterday. One person was from NJ, one from Northern CA, the rest from here in SoCal. Topics had to do with the pandemic, living wills, and gratitude. The conversation was slow at first and then became more lively. It ended up being a very thoughtful and authentic experience. I look to hosting another online cafe soon.
Death Cafe write up: Online Death Cafe Oxnard PST
Posted by Cat Kent on Aug. 13, 2020, 11:23 p.m. 1 comment
Unfortunately no one attended this online event. In retrospect, I believe the email address I gave was not working at the time. This problem has since been fixed, and we look forward to hosting online in late August.
With Cat Kent
Aug. 29, 2020, 2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m. (PST)
Free
With Cat Kent
May 28, 2020, 6.30 p.m. - 8.00 p.m. (PST)
Free
Now, perhaps more than ever, death has become prevalent in our minds. And yet, we as a society adamantly continue to avoid talking about it.
Death Café Oxnard looks forward ...
With Robin Fontana Kent
May 28, 2020, 6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. (Pacific)
Accepts donations
Anam Cara End-of-Life Services sponsors this event
With Robin Fontana Kent
March 26, 2020, 6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. (Pacific)
Accepts donations
Anam Cara End-of-Life Services sponsors this event.
With Robin Fontana Kent
Jan. 23, 2020, 6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. (Pacific)
Accepts donations
Death Cafe Oxnard is sponsored by Anam Cara End-of-Life-Services.
Press: “LET’S TALK ABOUT DEATH” | DEMYSTIFYING DEATH OVER TEA AND CAKE AT THE DEATH CAFÉ
Posted by Cat Kent on Oct. 31, 2019, 3:38 p.m.
Huge thank you to the VC Reporter and Kimberly Rivers for the cover article on Death Cafes in Ventura County, CA.
VC Reporter, October 31, 2019: https://vcreporter.com/2019/10/lets-talk-about-death-demystifying-death-over-tea-and-cake-at-the-death-cafe/
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Oxnard
Posted by Cat Kent on Oct. 11, 2019, 5:29 p.m.
Oxnard's 3rd Death Cafe had seven people in attendance. Three had never attended a DC before. Participants discussed the fear of miscarriage and the sort of grief that lingers even after a healthy birth. Participants also talked about sudden, violent death, such as a murder, and how such a death is similar to, yet very different from, more "natural" sorts of deaths. The conversation was very interesting and informative, and a few attendees stayed late to finish discussing their thoughts.
With Robin Fontana Kent
Nov. 2, 2019, 6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. (Pacific)
Accepts donations
Death Cafe Oxnard is hosted in The Henry Levy House. Built in 1914, this beautiful Craftsman home is a landmark in Oxnard's historic district.
With Robin Fontana Kent
Aug. 22, 2019, 6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. (PST)
Accepts donations
I started hosting Death Café as a way to normalize death and conversations about it. Hosting allows me to give back to my community and to meet like-minded people. Every ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Oxnard
Posted by Cat Kent on May 25, 2019, 8 p.m.
Oxnard’s second Death Café was well attended, with 14 participants. It was the first Death Café experience for seven of them. Topics discussed included pet deaths, disposition alternatives, children and death, and being a caregiver to the dying. Tea and two cakes were offered, and one person brought a Death Café cookie of doom. There was much more laughter than tears at this Café, and many stayed to talk after the official end.
With Robin Fontana Kent
May 23, 2019, 6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. (Pacific)
Accepts donations
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Oxnard
Posted by Cat Kent on March 29, 2019, 4:53 p.m.
Oxnard's first (that we know of) Death Cafe drew people from as far away as Thousand Oaks and Santa Barbara. It was well-attended with 13 people from all age groups. We ate cake and cookies, drank tea, and talked about subjects like grief, alternatives to traditional dispositions, and visits from deceased loved ones. The attendees enthusiastically agreed we should host again, and soon! I won't be surprised to see Camarillo and Thousand Oaks Death Cafes soon as well.
With Robin Fontana Kent
March 27, 2019, 6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. (Pacific)
Accepts donations
I don't believe my hometown of Oxnard has ever had a Death Cafe. Since my husband and I have a big old house, we decided it would be helpful ...