84. Awakened by Death: Naila Francis

The Death Dialogues Project Podcast

Naila Francis is a certified death midwife and From Grief to Gratitude™ coach, as well as a wedding officiant, interfaith minister, poet and accomplished writer. Writing in fact was her first love, which led her to a career in print journalism for many years. Over the course of her career, she profiled artists and entertainers such as Yoko Ono, Sara Bareilles, India.Arie, Seal, James Earl Jones, k.d. lang, Pink and “Eat, Pray, Love” author Elizabeth Gilbert. For many years, she also had her own column Life in LaLa Land, where she shared her personal journey, including grieving the loss of her mom’s partner and her own father, with readers. Her words have also appeared in greeting cards and publications such as Mystic Pop and Opera Philadelphia’s festival guides. Raised on the Caribbean islands of St. Lucia, Barbados and Antigua, Naila is an island girl at heart. She considers herself an ardent joy enthusiast, which some find an unlikely trait for someone who serves others in the realm of grief and dying. But she also deeply appreciates holding sacred space for people at life’s threshold moments, whether that’s entering a marriage, experiencing a deep loss or preparing for life’s final passage. Among her other passions is traveling to Tanzania, where she loves spending time with “her kids” at the orphanage she helps to support.