Grief is the natural response to loss of all kinds, but we are rarely given space in our everyday lives to acknowledge it. As human beings with intersectional identities living in a grief-illiterate society, how do we make space for grief, individually and in community?

​In this interactive talk with Chinese-American grief coach and author Charlene Lam, we will debunk myths about grief, and address cultural taboos about talking about grief, death and dying. Together, we will name what we’ve been carrying and create opportunities to engage with grief through personal reflection and community witnessing.

​All participatory elements are optional. We will have time for Q&A and open discussion. A pop-up installation by The Grief Gallery will be on display. Attendees are invited to bring an object that represents who or what you’re grieving – for instance, a memento of a person, pet, place, identity, or anything else you’re mourning – to add to the collective display.

​About Charlene:

Charlene Lam is a certified grief coach, speaker, and the author of Curating Grief: A Creative Guide to Choosing What to Keep After a Loved One Dies.

​After her mother died suddenly in 2013, she started presenting exhibitions with her mother’s belongings, which became the foundation for her Curating Grief® framework. As curator of The Grief Gallery®, she presents international exhibitions featuring the belongings of loved ones lost, including installations in Los Angeles, Toronto, and London.

​Her TEDx talk, “What Grief and Soy Sauce Taught Me About Life After Loss,” has been viewed more than 20,000 times.

​A proud Chinese-American New Yorker like her late mother, Charlene is based in Lisbon, Portugal. She works with clients worldwide (and really wants you to ask her about the soy sauce in her mother’s kitchen.)