A Death Cafe at Crows Coffee in Waldo brings Kansas Citians together to talk openly about death.
Why it matters: As anxiety about aging, longevity and end-of-life care grows, these conversations are part of a broader effort to make death less taboo and easier to talk about.
Catch up quick: According to the organization’s website, Death Cafe began in East London in 2011, and the tea, coffee and snacks have helped keep conversations grounded.
- Today, groups meet around the world, with more than 11,000 Death Cafes listed in the United States.
Zoom in: Kansas City’s Death Cafe has been hosted by Kalista Schwartz at Crows Coffee since 2023.
- Schwartz told Axios she began hosting after attending Death Cafes while caring for her grandmother at home near the end of her life.
- “Death Cafe gives a container for this deep and important conversation,” she tells Axios. “I found the in-person gathering and insights from real people about death and dying so helpful and encouraging.”
How it works: Participants introduce themselves and share what brought them to the table. Topics can range from mortality to burial and cremation options.
- Schwartz says Death Cafe is not a grief group, a counseling session or a place to push religious or spiritual agendas.
💠Abbey’s thought bubble: It’s not light conversation, but it is honest. That’s rare…