Bury Me In NJ

As someone with family ties to Italian roots, I’ve long been familiar with the often contentious pride that centers around Columbus Day. While some Italian Americans see this time as a much-deserved recognition for our contributions to this country, others see it as upholding a violent colonial narrative, in addition to being an inaccurate representation of the Italian contribution to our society.We spoke about this topic at great length during my interview with Steve Cerulli, a PhD student at Fordham University whose work focuses on the Italian diaspora to the United States. His research dives into themes like assimilation, settler colonialism, and Italy’s role in supporting colonialism abroad. In addition to his doctoral work, Steve is a researcher at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and teaches at Haas’s Community College of the City University of New York. In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day, we decided to create a mini episode focused on this specific topic that arose during our conversation, to give people a chance to hear more information about why, for many Italian Americans like me, Columbus does not feel like the essential representation of our people or our culture.Also, I’d like to announce an initiative taking place in New Jersey that more accurately celebrates the radical traditions of our culture in hopes of establishing inclusive community for all. Welcoming the Ancestors: Tomato Pie, Percussion, and Petitions—a Mama Leeds Collective event—is and an intimate gathering of food, music, and ancestral connection hosted by Bury Me in New Jersey. Learn more and grab your spot ➜About Steve CerulliSteve Cerulli is working on a PhD at Fordham University in the Modern History track. He is a researcher at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College/CUNY. He sits on the board of the American Italian Cultural Roundtable, Italian Enclaves Historical Society, Casa Lago Press, and the Giovanni Schiavo Series. He is interested in the development of historic and international Italian identities, transatlantic fascism and anti-fascism, and anarchist and socialist thought and movements within the Italian diaspora.Follow Steve on Instagram ➜Learn more about this episode’s (song) title and listen to Stornelli D’esilio ➜Credits + GratitudeBury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, with the help of our sound guy Nick Rumaczyk, head mensch and husband Bradley Nussbaum, and operations chief Katel LeDu.Our theme music is Grief on Repeat by New Harm—you’re getting an exclusive first listen here, and their debut EP is coming soon!Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our Kickstarter backers who made this season possible: Anjanette R., Sergey K., Molly E., Kim H., Erin and Bill H., Fluffy Farms, Lauren L., Fairacres Organic Produce, Holly, Stacy G., Sam J., Kerrie, and Colleen C. We are endlessly grateful for your support.If you’d like to keep up to date with the other work we’re doing to support Bury Me, please consider subscribing to our Substack at burymeinnj.com. It’s absolutely free to read our content, though we do offer paid membership options which help us to continue producing more grief content. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

One of my favorite aspects of the show is the opportunity to learn more from individuals based on their grief experiences. And while I absolutely love meeting and speaking with new people who have insights to share on these topics, I’m especially honored when I can connect with longtime friends who share parts of their stories that I might never have otherwise known.I had this exact opportunity with today’s guest, Josh Moorhead. Josh is someone I’ve grown up with–literally miles apart on the same road. I was fortunate enough to reconnect with him in our early adult years, and thanks to social media, we’ve had the chance to build on our childhood friendship through our shared perspectives on the world and the ways we hope to help change it for the better.After reconnecting with Josh to work on some new merch for Bury Me through his design company, Scope Creep, we had the chance to connect more deeply about the project and some of Josh’s grief experiences. It became clear pretty quickly that this was a conversation worth sharing with a larger audience, especially since it touched on so many topics that others have most likely experienced–navigating relationships affected by substance use disorder, the grief that comes from family estrangement, and trying to find closure when the circumstances don’t necessarily foster that on their own.In this deeply personal conversation, Josh reflects on the complexities of navigating a relationship with a parent whose presence was often fleeting. “Our relationship was like a big house with lots of rooms, but we only ever got to look at a few of them,” he says, capturing the emotional distance and unanswered questions that defined their connection. Through stories of familial estrangement, forgiveness, and his evolving role as both son and father, Josh explores what it means to hold space for imperfection while still showing up with care. He shares how he’s raising his own children with emotional honesty—preparing them for life’s inevitable losses and the difficult truths that often come with loving others.CONTENT NOTE: In addition to discussing estranged family relationships, this episode includes discussion relating to substance use disorder.About Josh MoorheadJosh Moorhead is an experienced artist, designer, creative strategist, and brand builder who brings attention to small businesses and start-ups through a broad range of creative marketing solutions, including brand identity, web design, digital, and print. Learn more about Josh’s creative work and follow Scope Creep on Instagram.Listen to Elastic Heart by Sia ➜ Credits + GratitudeBury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, with the help of our sound guy Nick Rumaczyk, head mensch and husband Bradley Nussbaum, and operations chief Katel LeDu.Our theme music is Grief on Repeat by New Harm—you’re getting an exclusive first listen here, and their debut EP is coming soon!Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our Kickstarter backers who made this season possible: Anjanette R., Sergey K., Molly E., Kim H., Erin and Bill H., Fluffy Farms, Lauren L., Fairacres Organic Produce, Holly, Stacy G., Sam J., Kerrie, and Colleen C. We are endlessly grateful for your support.If you’d like to keep up to date with the other work we’re doing to support Bury Me, please consider subscribing to our Substack at burymeinnj.com. It’s absolutely free to read our content, though we do offer paid membership options which help us to continue producing more grief content. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

Today Sara is joined by Steve Cerulli, a PhD student at Fordham University, whose work focuses on the Italian diaspora to the United States. His research dives into themes like assimilation, settler colonialism, and Italy’s role in supporting colonialism abroad. In addition to his doctoral work, Steve is a researcher at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and teaches at Hostos Community College of The City University of New York.* A brief note that Steve mistakenly mentions Jessica Barbata Jackson in relation to the book, Whom We Shall Welcome, but the author is Danielle Battisti. More about this episode in a personal note from Sara:I first came across Steve’s work while doing my own deep dive into this subject—trying to make sense of the stories I was raised with, and why certain versions of history always seemed to rise to the surface while others stayed buried. The more I learned—especially about Italy’s anti-fascist and anarchist movements—the more I realized how much had been left out.Steve’s work helped fill in those gaps. He sheds light on the progressive and leftist roots of Italian American identity—histories often erased or overshadowed by a dominant narrative of conservatism and white nationalism.In our conversation, we talk about the ways Italian-American history has been manipulated to serve political and economic agendas, where Christopher Columbus fits into that narrative, and, as Steve powerfully puts it, why “Italian Americans went from a group that was being lynched to a group that did the lynchings.”This was an incredibly informative and thought-provoking conversation for me—and as you’ll see from our extensive show notes, Steve brought all his receipts.Our conversation pushed me to think more deeply about my own cultural roots—and left me with a renewed commitment to examine the stories I’ve inherited, especially the ones I’ve never thought to question.And even if Italian-American identity isn’t your own, I hope this episode offers you a moment to reflect; to ask yourself:What have I been taught about who I am?Why do I believe what I believe?And who does that story really serve?A heartfelt thank you to Steve Cerulli for joining us on today’s episode.About Steve CerulliSteve Cerulli is working on a PhD at Fordham University in the Modern History track. He is a researcher at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College/CUNY. He sits on the board of the American Italian Cultural Roundtable, Italian Enclaves Historical Society, Casa Lago Press, and the Giovanni Schiavo Series. He is interested in the development of historic and international Italian identities, transatlantic fascism and anti-fascism, and anarchist and socialist thought and movements within the Italian diaspora.Follow Steve on Instagram ➜ Learn more about this episode’s (song) title and listen to Stornelli D’esilio ➜ Final Call! Contribute to The Mourning PapersSubmissions are now open for The Mourning Papers, our new quarterly print publication centered on community, care, and connection. It’s inspired by our core themes—grief, joy, resistance, and New Jersey—and we’re looking for contributions from writers, artists, organizers, and anyone with a story to tell.While we’re prioritizing voices from New Jersey, we also welcome submissions from beyond the state that resonate with our mission.The first issue drops on the autumn equinox—September 22, and submissions are due by July 24. All the details are at burymeinnj.com.And if you’re someone who’s been questioning the power of your voice—your ability to create meaningful work—or even just the desire to make anything at all in a time that feels so heavy with grief and noise...Join Us Live! And Write for Your Life We invite you to a space that honors that feeling, and gently makes room for something new. Join us for a one-day creative retreat in South Jersey, led by our beloved Operations Chief, Katel LeDu, founder of the creative consulting practice Liminal Bloom.This retreat is designed for anyone looking to restore their creativity during times of resistance—a space to reconnect with yourself, your voice, and the collective power we hold when we choose to create, even in the midst of chaos.We’ll gather on Saturday, September 13th, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, for a day rooted in meditation, writing practice, and community care.Morning refreshments and lunch are included, and we’re offering sliding scale tickets and two scholarship seats to help make this space accessible for all who need it.If your creative spark feels dim—or if you’re simply longing for solid ground while carrying your grief—we’d be honored to hold that space with you.Spots are limited, and you’re hearing about it here first! Learn more about the retreat and secure your spot ➜Credits + GratitudeBury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, with the help of our sound guy Nick Rumaczyk, head mensch and husband Bradley Nussbaum, and operations chief Katel LeDu.Our theme music is Grief on Repeat by New Harm—you’re getting an exclusive first listen here, and their debut EP is coming soon!Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our Kickstarter backers who made this season possible: Anjanette R., Sergey K., Molly E., Kim H., Erin and Bill H., Fluffy Farms, Lauren L., Fairacres Organic Produce, Holly, Stacy G., Sam J., Kerrie, and Colleen C. We are endlessly grateful for your support.If you’d like to keep up to date with the other work we’re doing to support Bury Me, please consider subscribing to our Substack at burymeinnj.com. It’s absolutely free to read our content, though we do offer paid membership options which help us to continue producing more grief content.Bibliography courtesy Steve CerulliAntonucci, Ryan. “Building a New (Deal) Identity The Evolution of Italian-American Political Culture and Ideology, 1910–1940.” Theses and Dissertations, July 2021, https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/6462.Battisti, Danielle, et al. Hidden Histories of Unauthorized Migrations from Europe to the United States. University of Illinois Press, 2025.Whom We Shall Welcome: Italian Americans and Immigration Reform, 1945-1965. Fordham University Press, 2019.Bencivenni, Marcella. Italian Immigrant Radical Culture: The Idealism of the Sovversivi in the United States, 1890-1940. NYU Press, 2011.Cannistraro, Philip V. Blackshirts in Little Italy: Italian-Americans and Facism 1921-1929. Bordighera Press, 1999.Carnevale, Nancy C. “Italian American and African American Encounters in the City and in the Suburb.” Journal of Urban History, vol. 40, no. 3, May 2014, pp. 536–62, https://doi.org/10.1177/0096144213516080.Carnevale, Nancy C. “White Ethnicity in the Urban Crisis: Newark’s Italian Americans.” Journal of Social History, vol. 55, no. 4, June 2022, pp. 1001–30, https://doi.org/10.1093/jsh/shab075.Cerulli, Stephen. “Italian/Americans and the American Racial System: Contadini to Settler Colonists?” Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects, May 2019, https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3178.Cohn, Samuel K. Popular Protest and Ideals of Democracy in Late Renaissance Italy. Oxford University Press, 2022.Connell, William J. Anti-Italianism: Essays on a Prejudice. Edited by Fred Gardaphé, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.DiBello, Anthony. One Ethnicity, Under Columbus, Divided: Christopher Columbus’s Evolving Role in the Formation of Italian-American Identity and the Celebration of Italian-American Heritage. 2022. Thesis, https://doi.org/10.7302/6434.Diggins, John Patrick. Mussolini and Fascism: The View from America. Princeton University Press, 1972.Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne. Not “A Nation of Immigrants”: Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion. Beacon Press, 2021.Femminella, Francis X. Power and Class the Italian American Experience Today. The American Italian Historical Association.Gabaccia, Donna R., and Fraser M. Ottanelli. Italian Workers of the World: Labor Migration and the Formation of Multiethnic States. University of Illinois Press, 2001.Gesualdi, Louis John. “The Religious Acculturation of the Italian-American Catholics: Cultural and Socio-Economic Factors.” ETD Collection for Fordham University, Jan. 1987, pp. 1–174, https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8809469.Guglielmo, Jennifer. Living the Revolution: Italian Women’s Resistance and Radicalism in New York City, 1880-1945. The University of North Carolina Press, 2010.Guglielmo, Jennifer, and Salvatore Salerno, editors. Are Italians White?: How Race Is Made in America. Routledge, 2012.Horodowich, Elizabeth, and Lia Markey, editors. The New World in Early Modern Italy, 1492–1750. Cambridge University Press, 2017.“IBOPE ZOGBY INTERNATIONAL RELEASES SOCIAL VALUES STUDY OF ITALIAN AMERICANS.” The National Italian American Foundation, https://www.niaf.org/niaf_event/ibope-zogby-international-releases-social-values-study-of-italian-americans/. Accessed 3 July 2025.Jackson, Jessica Barbata. Dixie’s Italians: Sicilians, Race, and Citizenship in the Jim Crow Gulf South. LSU Press, 2020.Jacobson, Matthew Frye. Roots Too: White Ethnic Revival in Post–Civil Rights America. Harvard University Press, 2009.Killinger, Charles. Gaetano Salvemini: A Biography. Praeger, 2002.Kinna, Ruth. The Government of No One: The Theory and Practice of Anarchism. Pelican, 2020.Kubal, T. Cultural Movements and Collective Memory: Christopher Columbus and the Rewriting of the National Origin Myth. Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.Luconi, Stefano. “Italian Americans and the New Deal Coalition.” Transatlantica. Revue d’études américaines. American Studies Journal, no. 1, Jan. 2006, https://doi.org/10.4000/transatlantica.212.Mendola, Louis, and Jacqueline Alio. The Peoples of Sicily: A Multicultural Legacy. Trinacria Editions LLC, 2013.Moss, Richard. Creating the New Right Ethnic in 1970s America: The Intersection of Anger and Nostalgia. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2017.O’Rourke, Lawrence M. Geno: The Life and Mission of Geno Baroni. Paulist

Today Sara is joined by Lupe Diaz, an end-of-life care specialist and death doula based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Lupe moved to the Midwest in 2022 to gain a new perspective on how different communities face death, grief, and healing. Lupe brings a deeply intentional approach to death care—shaped by her experiences in close-knit Indigenous communities, and a belief that living true to our values helps reduce suffering for ourselves and for others.In our conversation, we talk about what it means to build community with people from different cultural backgrounds, how living in alignment with your values sometimes means going against the grain, and why Lupe believes that accepting death can help us live more intentionally. Lupe's insights on life, death, and community offer a powerful reminder that the way we live is deeply connected to the way we face the end and that authenticity is the key to building true community. Listen to Bad Bunny’s DtFM ➜ Follow Lupe on Instagram ➜About Lupe DiazBorn in Mexico City, Lupe (She/Her) has a strong cultural connection to death and dying. Receiving her education from Going With Grace, studying under the renowned death doula, Alua Arthur, Lupe aspires to help not only with the dying process, but also with grieving and the deep psychological aftermath of loss and death. In February of 2019, Doula Damn Thing was founded. An organization committed to serving the BBIPOC, LGBTQ+, lower income, and other marginalized communities with all of their end of life care needs.About This ShowBury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, with the help of sound guy Nick Rumaczyk, head mensch and husband Bradley Nussbaum, and operations chief Katel LeDu. Our theme music is Grief on Repeat by New Harm. You’re getting an exclusive first listen to their material–their debut EP will be coming out soon!Drop us a line at hello@burymeinnj.com if you’d like to share feedback or ideas for an upcoming episode!A special shoutout to Anjanette R., Sergey K., Molly E., and Kim H, Erin and Bill H, Fluffy Farms, Lauren L., Fairacres Organic Produce, Katel, Holly, Stacy G., Sam J, Anjanette R, Kerrie, and Colleen C. We’re back on the air because of Kickstarter contributions like yours, and we’re deeply grateful for your support.If you’d like to keep up to date with the other work we’re doing to support Bury Me, please consider subscribing to our Substack at burymeinnj.com. It’s absolutely free to read our content, though we do offer paid membership options which help us to continue producing more grief content.Visit our website, burymeinnj.com, to learn about all the ways you can support the show. Thanks. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode, we talk to historian Gabe Christy and musician Young Sam James, the duo behind The Labor Jawn podcast, which blends history, storytelling, and music to shine a light on labor movements rooted in Philly and beyond. During this conversation, they shed light on a labor movement with Jersey roots, the 1913 Paterson Silk Strike; discuss the power of solidarity among working folks through collective action; and explore the role music has played in uniting and energizing workers through labor songs. If you’d like to hear more about what Gabe and Sam are doing, visit their website, laborjawn.com. Their site includes links to their podcast on various platforms, in addition to their YouTube and Discord channels and social media pages.Music things we talked about* Mill Mother’s Lament, lyrics written by Ella May Wiggins and performed by Pete Seeger* I am a Union Woman, lyrics by Aunt Molly Jackson and performed by Bobbie McGee* The Red Flag, anthem of the British Labour Party* The 8-Hour Day, Pete Seeger* Little Red songbook, published by The Industrial Workers of the World, illustrated by Jeannette Gysbers, and printed by Red Sun Press* Review of the musical Pins and Needles\Strike and labor rights-related things we talked about* The General Strike and partners * Strike for Our Rights* Shawn Fain, Labor Daddy* May Day 2028 - (May 1) when all UAW contracts are going up* The 3.5% Rule - when demanding change from a government, success is reached when 3.5% or more of a population join together to strike.About Sam and Gabe + Labor JawnHistorian Gabe Christy and musician Young Sam James explore the who, what, when, where, and whys of the labor movement of Philadelphia and the surrounding world.Labor Jawn is a podcast and research project covering the working class history of Philadelphia and the surrounding world.Co-hosted by longtime friends, Gabe Christy and Sam James, Labor Jawn has recorded over 100 podcast episodes, hosted several live events, and disseminated working class history and music to tens of thousands of listeners since 2021.In November 2022, Labor Jawn hosted In Story & Song at the Philadelphia Folksong Society. The event also featured the release of Labor Jawn, an album of music that Sam recorded for the podcast.In 2024, Gabe opened the Digital Lyceum in order to preserve the heritage of the labor movement, share original research, and promote discussion on impact, tactics, and strategies.In February 2025, Sam released the second album of songs from the podcast.About This ShowBury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, with the help of sound guy Nick Rumaczyk, head mensch and husband Bradley Nussbaum, and operations chief Katel LeDu. Our theme music is Grief on Repeat by New Harm. You’re getting an exclusive first listen to their material–their debut EP will be coming out soon!Drop us a line at hello@burymeinnj.com if you’d like to share feedback or ideas for an upcoming episode!A special shoutout to Anjanette R., Sergey K., Molly E., and Kim H, Erin and Bill H, Fluffy Farms, Lauren L., Fairacres Organic Produce, Katel, Holly, Stacy G., Sam J, Anjanette R, Kerrie, and Colleen C. We’re back on the air because of Kickstarter contributions like yours, and we’re deeply grateful for your support.If you’d like to keep up to date with the other work we’re doing to support Bury Me, please consider subscribing to our Substack at burymeinnj.com. It’s absolutely free to read our content, though we do offer paid membership options which help us to continue producing more grief content.Visit our website, burymeinnj.com, to learn about all the ways you can support the show. Thanks. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

Today, Sara speaks with Norwegian artist, storyteller, and influencer Kim Diaz Holm. Known online under the handle Den Unge Herr Holm, Kim has built a passionate following by sharing videos of the creation process behind their striking ink monsters while discussing topics ranging from mythology and music to mental health and politics.In this episode, Sara and Kim discuss Kim’s portrait project, where they offered free custom paintings to followers as a way to practice their craft and connect more personally with their community; the decision to make more than 4 GB of their artwork freely available for individuals to use without being limited by cost or copyright; and the collective grief currently being felt on a global scale.You can hear the song Kim talks about, Til Ungdommen, via YouTube:* A version sung at the memorial of the Utøya massacre in 2011: video link* A rock version from danish artist Kim Larsen from 1979: video linkAnd explore an English translation of the song lyrics using a rhyming scheme. About KimKim Diaz Holm is an artist from Bergen, Norway, creating art for free use. With ink and in video they tell stories and draws dark art delving into topics of mythology, horror, mental health, politics, and humor. Support Kim’s art by following them (@denungeherrholm) on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok—and by subscribing to Patreon.About This ShowBury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, with the help of sound guy Nick Rumaczyk, head mensch and husband Bradley Nussbaum, and operations chief Katel LeDu. Our theme music is Grief on Repeat by New Harm. You’re getting an exclusive first listen to their material–their debut EP will be coming out soon!Drop us a line at hello@burymeinnj.com if you’d like to share feedback or ideas for an upcoming episode!A special shoutout to Anjanette R., Sergey K., Molly E., and Kim H, Erin and Bill H, Fluffy Farms, Lauren L., Fairacres Organic Produce, Katel, Holly, Stacy G., Sam J, Anjanette R, Kerrie, and Colleen C. We’re back on the air because of Kickstarter contributions like yours, and we’re deeply grateful for your support.If you’d like to keep up to date with the other work we’re doing to support Bury Me, please consider subscribing to our Substack at burymeinnj.com. It’s absolutely free to read our content, though we do offer paid membership options which help us to continue producing more grief content.Visit our website, burymeinnj.com, to learn about all the ways you can support the show. Thanks. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

Today, we’re sharing our conversation with Kara Perez—founder of Bravely Go, a financial education company—and author of the newly released book Money For Change: Reduce Waste, Build Wealth, and Build a Better Future for All. Kara’s work explores personal finance through the lenses of environmental sustainability and community, offering actionable steps to not only improve your financial health, but also create a more equitable, planet-friendly future.In this episode, Kara opens up about her personal journey to becoming debt-free, the key lessons she learned along the way, and how those insights continue to shape her life and work. We also explore the emotional weight of financial insecurity—especially how it disproportionately affects vulnerable communities—and discuss tangible ways we can organize and advocate for meaningful change.About KaraKara Perez is the founder of Bravely Go, a sustainability focused financial education company. Bravely focuses on bringing actionable, intersectional and accessible financial education to people who never learned the language of money. She is the author of the book, Money For Change. Kara has been featured in the New York Times, Good Morning America, Forbes, NPR, Glamour, ABC Nightline News, and US News and World Report as a financial expert. Additionally, for two years Kara cohosted the award winning podcast The Fairer Cents, which has been named the top money podcast for women by Forbes and The Balance.You can find Kara on Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok—and you can (and should!) buy her book, Money for Change: How to Reduce Waste, Build Wealth, and Create a Better Future for All.About This ShowBury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, with the help of sound guy Nick Rumaczyk, head mensch and husband Bradley Nussbaum, and operations chief Katel LeDu. Our theme music is Grief on Repeat by New Harm. You’re getting an exclusive first listen to their material–their debut EP will be coming out soon!Drop us a line at hello@burymeinnj.com if you’d like to share feedback or ideas for an upcoming episode!A special shoutout to Anjanette R., Sergey K., Molly E., and Kim H, Erin and Bill H, Fluffy Farms, Lauren L., Fairacres Organic Produce, Katel, Holly, Stacy G., Sam J, Anjanette R, Kerrie, and Colleen C. We’re back on the air because of Kickstarter contributions like yours, and we’re deeply grateful for your support.If you’d like to keep up to date with the other work we’re doing to support Bury Me, please consider subscribing to our Substack at burymeinnj.com. It’s absolutely free to read our content, though we do offer paid membership options which help us to continue producing more grief content.Visit our website, burymeinnj.com, to learn about all the ways you can support the show. Thanks. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

After a very, very long hiatus, we're happy to welcome you back to a new episode of Bury Me in New Jersey! This podcast is still a space for exploring grief, but we’ve spent some time reflecting on how we want to show up in these conversations—and that’s led us to a new focus, summed up in our new tagline: Grief. Resistance. Joy. New Jersey.This season, we’ll explore the ways that people are navigating grief in all its forms—whether it’s tied to injustice, economic hardship, and the ways the systems fail to support us. It’s also a chance to acknowledge that while some grief is inevitable, some of it isn’t—and that’s where the “resistance” part of our tagline comes in. We’ll explore how people are pushing back, challenging what’s broken, and finding ways to reclaim agency in the face of pain. We’ll also look at the historical roots of these struggles, and highlight the ways communities have come together across generations to grieve, resist, and rise.While I’ll be returning to the host seat for our future episodes, our first conversation features Bradley Nussbaum as our guest host. As a hospice social worker and Bright Dawn Buddhist lay minister, Bradley is very familiar with navigating difficult conversations relating to grief, and finding ways to evolve these conversations into deeper reflections on life. Bury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, with the help of sound guy Nick Rumaczyk, head mensch and husband Bradley Nussbaum, and operations chef Katel LeDu. Our theme music is Grief on Repeat by New Harm. You’re getting an exclusive first listen to their material–their debut EP will be coming out soon!If you'd like to provide us feedback directly or have ideas for an upcoming episode, please reach out at hello@burymeinnj.comA special shoutout to Anjanette R., Sergey K., Molly E., and Kim H, Erin and Bill H, Fluffy Farms, Lauren L., Fairacres Organic Produce, Katel, Holly, Stacy G., Sam J, Anjanette R, Kerrie, and Colleen C. We’re back on the air because of Kickstarter contributions like yours, and we’re deeply grateful for your support.Visit our website,burymeinnj.com to learn about ways you can support the show. Thanks. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

Reach out to us at hello@burymeinnj.com.Music by New Harm. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

This week, I’ll be sharing my interview with my long-time friend Kristen Fowler as we both speak candidly about our shared grief experience in a topic not often discussed: the grief that comes after divorce.During our conversation, we discuss some of the complicated aspects of loss related to divorce that go beyond the dissolution of the marriage, including the other relationships that become collateral damage during the split; attempting to navigate blindly into a new normal, and reconciling with the fact that so many life decisions are based on a script we’re following without fully understanding the implications of that script. Bury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, and is produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Our theme music is P to the A, by Anonymous Novels. Check out their page on SoundCloud to hear more of their work.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe to Bury Me in New Jersey on your favorite podcasting app. And while you're there, please consider leaving us a review to let us know how we're doing!  If you'd like to provide us feedback directly or have ideas for an upcoming episode, please reach out at sara@burymeinnj.com.Visit our website, burymeinnj.com to learn how you can support the show.  Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

This week, I’ll be sharing my interview with Laura Smothers-Chu, CEO & Founder of Befriended Heart, who speaks candidly about her fertility journey. During our conversation, which was recorded in October during National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, we explore the various situations she and her husband have navigated in their desire to become parents, including numerous invasive procedures and miscarriage, and the subsequent grief that followed. We discuss how the perceptions (and misconceptions) surrounding pregnancy can contribute to challenges that individuals face when trying to conceive. Bury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, and is produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Our theme music is P to the A, by Anonymous Novels. Check out their page on SoundCloud to hear more of their work. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

This week, I’ll be sharing my interview with my long-time friend, Joyce DeStasio. During our conversation, she shares her experience giving birth to her baby girl, Alaina, at 27 weeks, and the subsequent 104 days Alaina spent in the NICU before passing away the following February.Joyce shares how her initial documentation of her daughter’s medical care soon evolved into writing about her experience from a more personal point of view, and later enrolled in a memoir class to further develop these writings. Beyond her own personal creative expression, we talk at length about the ways that she and Alaina's father used music as a cathartic outlet during the time she was hospitalized and after she passed.Bury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, and is produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Our theme music is P to the A, by Anonymous Novels. Check out their page on SoundCloud to hear more of their work.Visit  burymeinnj.com to learn about ways you can support the show.  Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

This week, I’ll be sharing my interview with Jillian Ryan, my long-time friend, and fellow S. Jerseyean where we discuss her experience with losing her daughter, Isabelle, during her 8th month of pregnancy. During this discussion, Jill talks about how she handled her grief in the weeks and months immediately following the loss of her daughter; how the experience has shaped her as a mother; and the ways she’s dealt with her loss in the subsequent years since losing Izzy. Although we’ve been planning this conversation for the past several months, the timing worked for our interview to align with National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, which is in October, and Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, October 15th.Please note that in addition to discussing stillbirth, we also briefly discuss miscarriage.Bury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, and is produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Our theme music is P to the A, by Anonymous Novels. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

This week's episode features Effie Anolik, founder of Afterword, an online funeral planning service offering virtual and in-person memorials, as well as a combination of the two. Effie garnered inspiration for Afterword after experiencing the sudden loss of her own father, and realizing that the funeral industry offered no convenient ways to funeral plan online. Using her extensive background in eCommerce as her guide, Effie mapped out a way for families to experience personalized funeral planning from the comfort of their homes.Although this interview was recorded last November, the topics still felt relevant and insightful to share, especially as Effie helped me think about grief from a different perspective than my usual emotions-first approach.  This conversation has also led to a nearly year-long exchange as different songs come to mind that relate to grief. While Effie initially notes she doesn’t really have any “grief songs,” as you’ll hear in our interview, she shared the song that we used for this week’s episode title, “In Case You Don’t Live Forever,” by Ben Platt during one of these follow-up discussions. Bury Me in New Jersey is recorded in Hammonton, NJ, and is produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Our theme music is P to the A, by Anonymous Novels. Check out their page on SoundCloud to hear more of their work.  Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

This week, we're sharing our conversation with Lori LoCicero and Lisa Pahl, creators of The Death Deck, a game and conversation tool consisting of 112 cards, allowing friends and family to share thoughts, stories, and preferences about life and death in a relaxed way.Lori and Lisa first met when Lori’s husband, Joe, was on hospice and Lisa was their hospice nurse. The two felt an immediate connection during that time, and after Joe’s passing, their healing sessions continued for more than 2 years, exceeding the typical timeframe of hospice aftercare. Beyond working through Lori’s own grief, their conversations grew to include their frustrations about how death was viewed as a “taboo” topic in our culture and how important it is to not only have these conversations but to have them early. From these discussions, the idea for The Death Deck was born.  For anyone who might be interested in checking this out for themselves, Lori and Lisa have been kind enough to offer $5 off your purchase of the game when you buy through their website, www.thedeathdeck.com, when you use the code BuryMe5, now until October 31st. Produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Theme music: "P to the A" by Anonymous Novels.  Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

For our Season 4 release, we spoke with Emma Payne, founder and CEO of Grief Coach, a text message-based platform that provides personalized grief support to the bereaved and people in their inner circle throughout the year.  During our conversation, we discuss the personal experiences that drew Emma to developing this service, the difficulties many grieving individuals face after a loved one dies, and how Grief Coach helps to provide tools to make it easier for these people and their loved ones to navigate this space. Be sure to listen ‘til the end of our episode, since we’ll be sharing a special discount code to give the first 50 listeners who sign up $20 off a full year subscription! Produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Theme music is P to the A, by Anonymous Novels. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

In our final episode for this season, we speak with Penny Smtih, a hospice nurse who's gained a viral following on TikTok for helping to normalize conversations about death and dying. During our conversation, we talk about what led her to pursue work as a hospice nurse, the ways helps people navigate their death experiences, and what inspired her to share her stories through social media.Produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Theme music: "P to the A," by Anonymous Novels. Season 3 is brought to you in part by Keeper (mykeeper.com), which offers online tribute pages and virtual memorial services.   Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

This week we speak with Co-Founder & CEO of GatheringUs, Noha Waibsnaider. Based on her own experiences of organizing memorials and funerals as part of a large family, Noha was determined to help other families honor their loved ones in a way that was easy and convenient. With the onset of COVID-19, and the global travel restrictions set in its wake, the need for alternative and virtual gathering options in times of mourning is even more essential. During our conversation, we discuss the initial inspiration behind GatheringUs, the way that the platform has grown and evolved to meet clients' needs, and the lessons Noha has learned while helping grieving families during such unprecedented times.Produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Theme music: "P to the A" by Anonymous Novels. Season 3 is brought to you in part by Keeper (mykeeper.com), which offers online tribute pages and virtual memorial services.  Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

Today's conversation is with pioneer and established thought-leader of pet death care, Coleen A. Ellis. She uses her decades of experience to assist those mourning the loss of a beloved animal companion and bring much-needed continuing education to the veterinary industry to help better guide clients through the loss of a pet. Produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Theme music "P to the A" by Anonymous Novels. Season 3 is brought to you in part by Keeper (mykeeper.com ), which offers online tribute pages and virtual memorial services. Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe

Today's episode features UK-based cartoonist and illustrator Gary Andrews (@garyscribbler). While a daily doodle was a way for him to record the general happenings of life, the project took on new meaning after the sudden passing of his wife, Joy. Through this project, Gary chronicled his grief journey, providing insights into the pain,  reflections, and perseverance that he and his two young children experienced  in the days, weeks, months, and years since Joy's death. A collection of these illustrations are now available in the book, Finding Joy.  Produced by Nick Rumaczyk. Theme music: "P to the A" by Anonymous Novels. Special thanks to our season-long sponser, Keeper (mykeeper.com). Get full access to Bury Me in New Jersey at www.burymeinnj.com/subscribe