Kayla Palisoc is a first-generation Filipino American with deep roots in philanthropic advocacy, fostering and cultivating a community centered on love, and self-spiritual discovery through movement and art. When she isn’t tending to her dreams of the future, she can be found surfing the waves of the Pacific Coast or the Philippines, hosting sabaw (“soup” in Tagalog) supper club nights at her generational home, and taking the next adventure with her partner, Tim.
“Gathered in prayer for nine days, surrounded by Filipino food and photos of late grandparents—a ritual called novena in the Filipino Catholic tradition—I was immersed at a young age in caretaking in home health, grief gatherings, and ritual that bridged my late ancestors to the next life. When my grandmothers transitioned in 2019, I found myself navigating my own grief through online grief circles, literature, and the outdoors. With an understanding that caretaking was ancestral and familiar, I began taking strides toward deathcare.”
Kayla has been trained in hospice support and grew up in home health environments. Her willingness to continue learning more about the deathcare sector led her to her current position as an educator assistant with INELDA.