ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. October 16, 2025: The Before I Die New Mexico Festival and Death is Not a Dirty Word Resource Fair drew an enthusiastic crowd of more than 200 attendees on Monday, October 13, 2025, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Albuquerque. An additional 60 participants joined virtually via Zoom for three panel discussions exploring everything from psychedelic therapy for grief to practical end-of-life options in New Mexico.
Festival organizer Gail Rubin, CT, known as The Doyenne of Death®, said attendees expressed heartfelt appreciation for the depth and breadth of the day's programming. "So many people came up to thank me for organizing such a comprehensive and inspiring event," Rubin said. "Our goal is to make it easier—and even uplifting—for people to talk about death, plan ahead, and live more fully in the meantime."
The Death is Not a Dirty Word Resource Fair gave festival sponsors and community partners the opportunity to connect with motivated attendees eager to learn about everything from green burial and hospice to estate planning and death doulas.
Other activities included a Death Café discussion, screenings of episodes of the Mortality Movies TV series, and Wind Phones, unconnected old fashioned phones which allow people to speak to their deceased loved ones "across the wind."
While rain cut short the ABQ Skeleton Crew's outdoor concert after six songs, Rubin noted, "It's hard to complain about rain in New Mexico, though the weather gods clearly have no regard for electronic equipment!"
Festival co-organizers Jane Westbrook and Ramsey Lofton, along with fair coordinators and death doulas Danielle Slupesky, Brooke Nutting, Nikki Neuen, and Kelly Saindon, were recognized for their efforts in making the event a success. Rubin also extended thanks to the festival's generous sponsors: A Good Goodbye; Albuquerque Center for Spiritual Living; Bosque Trails Hospice; End of Life Options New Mexico; First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque; French Funerals & Cremations; Keeper Memorials; and Passages International.
Recordings of the three featured panels, on plant medicine and psychedelic assisted therapy, dying in New Mexico, and the workings of the Office of the Medical Investigator and Bernalillo County's Indigent Program, will be posted online in the coming weeks.
With such a strong response, discussions are already underway for a bigger and even more dynamic Before I Die New Mexico Festival in 2026.
About Before I Die Festivals
Before I Die Festivals are designed to spark meaningful conversations about mortality, encouraging participants to plan ahead for a good goodbye. Through film, panels, art, and humor, these events transform a traditionally taboo topic into one of connection and celebration. Learn more at www.BeforeIDieFestivals.com.
Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die and The Before I Die Festival in a Box™.
Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.
Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival and author of a guide to holding such festivals. Her podcast is also called The Doyenne of Death®. She produces videos about the funeral business and related topics. Her YouTube Channel features hundreds of videos!
Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.
Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.
Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.