Editor’s Note: Cortes Currents asked Margaret Verschuur, Lead Steward of the Cortes DeathCaring Collective, for her reflections on this past year and thoughts as we enter 2023. This is an edited transcript of what she said.

By Margaret Verschuur 

When you asked me about doing an interview, Roy, I hesitated. But then I thought of Jennifer Stevens, and her courage, and thought: I can do this. Jen was someone who really showed up in community, and she let the DeathCaring Collective be a part of her experience. 

Of course, confidentiality is something important in everything we do in the DeathCaring Collective, but Jennifer was always very open and her daughter Darshan has been generous and eloquent in sharing her experience with her mom and has given us permission to talk about Jen as well.