"How can we integrate in life if we can't integrate in death?"

Greetings Deathlings, 

How are you all doing? 

Have you plundered the depths of Netflix? Created a new Instagram dedicated to the 173 loaves of bread you've baked? Is napping your new hobby?

I joke. I know that many of you are essential workers and are going out there everyday to make our lives safer and healthier. So thank you – I hope you are well, safe, and that somebody gifts you some bread. 

For the record, we shot today's video way before COVID-19 overtook our lives. Watching this footage, especially at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Baltimore, feels SO LONG AGO (it was the beginning of February). 

Look at us, just STANDING WITHIN SIX FEET OF EACH OTHER. Look at our MASKLESS FACES. I'm sure I was touching my face like it was my job all day long. 

Ahh, the good ol' days of early February...

I want to thank Dr. Kami Fletcher (who just published a book! – Till Death Do Us Part: American Ethnic Cemeteries as Borders Uncrossed) for working with us on this video. This is such a huge, potentially fraught topic and she helped us navigate it with such energy, insight, and compassion. 

I have to say, that after researching how cemeteries and funeral homes impacted Black lives, walking through Mount Auburn with Dr. Fletcher was humbling. I keep thinking about what Dr. Fletcher said, "The cemetery made thousands of Black landowners. How magical is that?" The humanity reclaimed in that cemetery is staggering. 

I hope you find this video thought provoking. If you're interested in reading more about Black funeral homes, cemeteries, and their connection to civil rights, do check out the selected sources in the video credits – there are some great books and articles as well as more of Dr. Fletcher's writing. 

We have more videos on deck for you in the coming weeks – keep an eye on our social media for releases and updates! 

Also, if you missed it, we released a new article this week by Ask a Mortician producer/writer, Louise Hung. In "Life, Death, and the Anxiety In-Between" Louise talks about her experience living a death positive life while dealing with anxiety and compulsions. 

Stay safe out there deathlings! 

From at least six-feet away, 

Caitlin 

*A quick, but important clarification: If you clicked on this post from your email, the subject probably read, "Caitlin Doughty's new patron-only video". This is not a patron-only video; this is a video that was released to the public. When we release patron-only videos we will explicitly state in the video info and in the video post that it is a "Patron Exclusive" video. Patreon recently changed the way Patrons-only video posts (i.e. these nifty messages that are delivered to your inbox) are released via email – automatically adding that "patron-only video" line to the subject, even if that's not the case. But that's not how we (and a lot of other creators) do things. So, sorry for the confusion! I hope this cleared things up! We're working on fixing this with Patreon.