Britany Robinson

I’m a journalist who covers the environment, health, and human-interest stories. I also write obituaries, eulogies, and life stories. If you are interested in having me write something about yourself or a loved one, it might be helpful to know a little more about me!

I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember. I’m also a mom, an outdoor-lover, an environmentalist, a runner, a baker, and lots of other things, depending on the day.

I spent the better part of a decade traveling and moving around the country, meeting lots of people and trying to find a place that felt like home. I love the meditation and spontaneity found on long road trips, and once drove from London to Ulaanbataar, Mongolia in a Fiat Panda that was entirely unfit for the crumbling desert roads we encountered. Travel energizes me, but so does a cozy home that reflects my tastes and values. My current decade has been spent mostly in Portland, Oregon, where I now live in the kind of home I was always looking for, with my partner, our baby girl, a sensitive dog, and a mischievous cat.

At home and on the road, one thing has been consistent throughout my life and that is the pursuit of stories: finding them, trying to make sense of them, and sharing them. When COVID first hit and journalism work stalled, I started writing for people who had recently lost a loved one, through obituaries and eulogy writing. It was scary at first. Grief can be scary. But I quickly found that conversations with people who have recently lost someone often spark joy in the act of reflection and sharing. There is frequently laughter and sometimes there are tears. Maybe there is even some anger and regret—the kind that is helpful to verbalize. These conversations are complicated and beautiful. Sometimes, they are simple and straightforward. In having them I have discovered great joy and fulfillment. Helping people tell the story of someone they have lost has been the greatest honor of my writing career, and I feel lucky to have found this work.