The March 28 Potluck & Poison Ivy event will tackle a subject most people don’t like to talk about — death, passing away, going to a better place. Trudy James, an interfaith chaplain, thinks about death and all its associated euphemisms often. It’s part of her job.
James came to understand death and grief from her work directing an AIDS CareTeam program in Arkansas from 1989 to 1997 that served over 500 men and women CarePartners with AIDS.
“I can’t tell you how many people’s lives she impacted and in many cases saved,” says John Gaudin, ACANSA board president. “Her work led to deep conversations between the gay and religious communities. At one point we had over 40 teams of caregivers in churches and synagogues in Arkansas. They took care of over 500 Arkansans living with and dying of AIDS.”
James was honored by President Clinton at the White House for her work with AIDS patients. When she retired, she created a small business called Heartwork. In 2008, she began a series of community-based, end-of-life planning sessions called “A Gift for Yourself and Your Loved Ones.” The film “Speaking of Dying” grew out of her experiences with more than 60 of those groups and from her desire to ensure that everyone knows a peaceful ending is possible.
James will take the stage at the March 28 Potluck & Poison Ivy at the Joint in Argenta. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7, and tickets include dinner and the show. To grab your ticket today, head to the Potluck & Poison Ivy website.