The Death Comadre Curriculum
There are many titles for those who facilitate end-of-life transitions, such as a Death Doula, Death Midwife, or Death Comadre. Because the work of the Collective spans womb to tomb, some refer to themselves as Womb to Tomb Comadres. Regardless of the phase of transition that you are called to support, in the training, individuals have the opportunity to receive a certificate to facilitate different aspects of grief and loss.
Our training is available for anyone interested in being better educated in preparing for death and supporting others, whether as a family member or a professional. Broken up into two major sections, Sacred Transitions and The Business of Death, this training reviews both Indigenous and Western teachings regarding end-of-life transitions to the legalities and logistical considerations of death and post-death arrangements.
New 2025 Cohort!
May 31st - June 28th (5 Saturdays)
9 am - 3:30 pm
Virtual (Recordings will be available if you miss a session)
The Cihuapactli Collective is honored to offer a second cohort of the Death Comadre Curriculum from Saturday, May 31st, to Saturday, June 28th. Those who complete all parts of the training will receive Death Comadre certification through the Cihuapactli Collective.
The Cihuapactli Collective strives to be inclusive of our community. We hope to offer an English in-person training in August 2025, and a Spanish version of this training will be available toward the end of 2025.
Schedule
Sacred Transitions
May 31st (9am-2:30pm)
9am-10:30am -What is a Death Comadre?
An introduction to death comadre work with Enjolie Lafaurie and Maria Parra Cano. Be introduced to the concept of a death binder as a way to prepare for end of life.
10:45am-11:45am -The Stages of Dying
A training led by Dr. Gerardo Vazquez that includes the stages that a human body undergoes during a transition to the end of life.
12:30pm - 2:25pm - Pregnancy and Infant Loss
A training led by Maria Parra Cano and Enjolie Lafaurie on how to identify, prevent potential pregnancy loss while learning to support families experiencing this type of transition.
June 7th (9am-3:30pm)
9am-11:00am - What about the Babies?
During this training, Enjolie Lafaurie, Liz Ricario and Yolehua Parra Cano will share about grief from the perspective of the unborn child through adolescence.
11:15am-12:30pm - The Last Ecstatic Days
View the movie screening of the film, The Last Ecstatic Days. Watch the journey of Ethan Sisser who uniquely filmed his cancer journey and end of life transition.
1:30pm - 3:30pm - Navigating Suicide & Unexpected Loss
Enjolie Lafaurie will facilitate a conversation around unexpected and tragic transitions and the complexities that this type of grief can hold.
The Business of Death
June 14th (9am - 3:30pm)
9am - 3:30pm - Estate Planning
Be introduced to various legal options to ensure smooth estate transfer with attorney Suzanne Diaz.
11:15am - 12:15pm - Life Insurance
Be introduced to the basics of life insurance and mainstream funeral services.
1:00pm - 3:20pm - Pregnancy Release & After Care Support
Learn to support individuals experiencing abnormal & unintended pregnancy from a clinical perspective with Dr. DeShawn Taylor.
June 21 (9am - 3:30pm)
9am - 11:10am - Funeral Services
11:30am - 3:00pm - Alternative Body Disposition
June 28th (9am-3:30pm)
9am - 11:00am - Hospicing Organizations
11:00am - 12:30pm - Death Binder
Complete a Death Binder with your family and learn how to help others in order to be better prepared for inevitable life transitions.
1:00 - 3:30pm - Celebrating Your Ancestor
“I greatly appreciated the wisdom and ancestral knowledge shared within the Cihuapactli Collective’s Death Comadre curriculum. It was administered with intentionality, sensitivity, and reverence. This is a course you want to take if you desire a personal transformation that better equips you to be a vessel of service to your community.”
Pricing: $500
(Valued at $2,000) Payment plan option avaible. See registration link for info.
When available, the Cihuapactli Collective strives to offer free and or low-cost services to the community. In these changing times, the Collective has been forced to consider new ways of sustaining itself. The virtual training is valued at over $2,000 per person, but for the second cohort, it will be offered at $500 per person. Payments can be split up into two installments or paid all at once. Future in-person trainings will be offered at $650 to cover the cost of food.
Death Comadre History
In the fall of 2023, we piloted our first training with over 120 registrants to support our community with education and resources about death. From various experts and experienced individuals, participants learned how to be a thoughtful caregiver to someone experiencing the end of their life, or tools to provide support to someone who has lost a loved one. We held sessions around prenatal & infant loss, suicide, alternative body disposition, and conversations around grief with our family and children.
Testimonials
Presenters
Many of our Black and Indigenous presenters have experienced various types of grief and loss and have supported community members during end-of-life transitions. Presenters include mental health providers, physicians, community and spiritual leaders, and our children.
About our Presenters
Dr. Enjolie Lafaurie
Enjolie is a grandmother, mom, sister, comadre, psychologist, hypnotherapist, womb-to-tomb comadre, and business owner of Inspired Therapies, LLC. Originally from Southern California, she is Afro-Cuban (Taino/Arawak) and Guatemalan (Maya). Her role as a Death Comadre surfaced as early as childhood. One of the most impactful experiences was upon losing both her father and husband a day apart from one another in 2009. Upon deciding to become certified as a death midwife, her family's response was, “don’t we do this already?” The Collective has been taught by our elders, ways to support families with ceremony in times of birth and death. Enjolie and many others feel privileged to support the community through those sacred transitions and to support in practical and logistical areas associated with the business of death.
Enjolie is the lead facilitator and lead creator of the Death Comadre Curriculum.
Dr. Gerardo Vazquez
Dr. Vazquez is a licensed Naturopathic physician in the state of Arizona. He earned his pre-med Bachelor of Science degree at Arizona State University and obtained his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. Dr. Vazquez utilizes alternative healthcare treatments to address numerous health conditions utilizing herbs, nutrients, and lifestyle modifications. His passion for Naturopathic medicine began while searching for alternative treatments for his childhood asthma. This passion now grows in helping others achieve their health goals through education and empowerment to take charge of their own health. He takes the time to understand the patient’s concerns and address the root cause. Dr. Vazquez specializes in general health with an emphasis on sports injuries, GI health, endocrine disorders, acute and chronic diseases.
In his free time, Dr. Vazquez dedicates time to technical skills training for youth basketball. He is a fine artist with an emphasis on Indigenous imagery and culture. He also loves to be physically active in the outdoors including basketball, hiking, and kayaking.
link to full bio
Gerardo is a facilitator, educator and will provide tech support.
Maria Parra Cano
Maria or Carmen as many know her is the mother that put out a call to her community for support. She is co-founder & Executive Director of the Cihuapactli Collective, now in its 9th year. Maria is a Xicana Indigena born in Phoenix, Arizona with her lineages stemming from the Acolhuan People from Texcoco, Mexico & Raramuri People from Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. Maria was raised in Barrio Garfield, along with her 7 siblings. Maria is a community organizer and activist at heart.
Maria is a facilitator and educator.
Liz Ricario
Liz was born in Durango Mexico, the land of the Tepehuanes people. Her maternal lineage stems from harvesting the land and political advocacy. Liz migrated to San Jose, California with her two siblings and parents. Liz’s family moved to Maryvale in Phoenix, Arizona where Liz was able to become engaged in local non profit organizations and pursue her education in Elementary Education.
Facilitator, educator & tech support
Yolehua Parra Cano
Storyteller & Facilitator
Dr. Deshawn Taylor
DeShawn Taylor, MD MSc (she/hers) is an award winning Gynecologist, Family Planning Specialist, Gender Affirming Care Provider, Reproductive Justice Activist, and Author whose work advances reproductive health care access through direct services, education and training, advocacy, and leadership. Dr. Taylor solo operates Desert Star Family Planning, an independent abortion clinic founded in 2013. The non-profit Desert Star Institute for Family Planning that Dr. Taylor founded in 2017, houses coalition work and community programs advancing access to reproductive healthcare for multiply marginalized communities.
Facilitator & educator
Jessyca Hernandez
Jessyca is a Licensed Funeral Director & Embalmer in the state of Arizona. Any job I've taken, I do it with integrity. I’m a firm believer in holding respect within the work environment. I have 3 degrees. Bachelor's in small business, master’s in business administration, and an associate’s in Mortuary science. I am an embalmer, but I have worked in makeup artistry as well, allowing me to transfer my skill sets from the living to the dead. One of my strongest achievements with any job I've done. I have always given a great representation for any product or company.
Facilitator & educator
Mayra Alvarado
Mayra is Maya K’iche’ born in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and has lived in Arizona for most of her life. She earned her B.S. in Family and Human Development and her master’s in social work with a Latino Cultural Competency Graduate Certificate from Arizona State University. Before pursuing her master’s degree, she worked as an educator with first-generation, low-income high school students.
Facilitator, educator & tech support
What to Expect & FAQ’s
1. Do I have to attend every training date?
Yes. 100% participation is expected. The virtual training will be recorded and shared for those who miss the training. We will also have weekly accountability questions for all participants.
2. What type of certification will I receive?
Participants who complete the training will receive a Death Comadre Certificate from the Cihuapactli Collective. If you choose, you will also be included in our directory of providers.
3. Is childcare available?
No. This will be an online offered course. No childcare will be provided.
4. Are the trainings offered in Spanish?
Trainings in Spanish will take place in the fall of 2025. Future dates will be announced soon.
5. Why is the CC charging a fee?
Like so many non-profits, available grants have dramatically changed in 2025. We make every effort to provide free services when grant support is available. Your fee will help the CC become more sustainable and less grant-dependent. This training is valued at $2000. Comparable trainings range from $800 to $2000.
6. Will the trainings be recorded?
Yes. The trainings for this live virtual presentation will be recorded. The purpose of the recordings will be to use these in further trainings and for individuals to watch in order to make up missed days. Recordings will be paused for participant questions and comments.
7. Will food and drinks be offered?
No foods and drinks will not be offered.
8. Will the CC hold an altar for this training?
Yes. COVID-19 taught us ways to create sacred space in virtual space. We will hold a main altar, and participants are encouraged to utilize their medicines in their own space.
9. Who can attend the trainings?
Everyone needs healing. This training is open to all. Workshops will be taught from an Indigenous and BIPOC perspective. Those experiences will be centered but all are welcome to participate.
10. What is a Death Comadre?
A Death Comadre supports the individual, family, or community through the extensive process of transition, grief, and loss. A death midwife, or death doula, is a person who assists in the dying process, much like a midwife or doula does with the birthing process. They may provide holistic, non-medical, emotional, spiritual, and practical support for the dying and their families.
Other Questions
For questions please write to both Liz@cihuapactlicollective.org and Enjolie@cihuapactlicollective.org