💌 Dear Friends of the California Grief Center,

Some people don’t wait for permission to build a better world. They simply begin.

Otelia Cromwell was one of those people.

Born in 1874 in Washington, D.C., she stepped into responsibility early—raising five siblings after her mother’s death. She studied hard, worked harder, and refused to let racism or gender bias define her path. She became the first African-American graduate of Smith College, then taught Latin, German, and English in segregated schools—quietly educating a generation others tried to ignore.

She didn’t shout to demand change. She lived it.
A scholar fluent in four languages, a professor, civil rights advocate, and lifelong NAACP member, she boycotted injustice with quiet conviction—refusing to ride transit that excluded Black drivers or shop where Black customers were mistreated.

She studied Lucretia Mott. Then she lived like her.

Otelia believed in the long arc of learning, the power of language, and the strength of steady courage. She lived to 98—rooted in dignity, equity, and moral clarity.

To Otelia—and to all who lead with integrity rather than applause—we say thank you. 💛

💔 Upcoming Events (Live & Online)

Brian Stefan, LCSW
Founder, California Grief Center

Emma You
Senior Grief Counselor & Certified Death Doula

🪑 The Empty Chairs of Love

Virtual Catharsis Theater for Grief, Loss & Meaning
“Grief is the price we pay for love.” — Queen Elizabeth II

Grief doesn’t always weep aloud. Sometimes it lingers like smoke, a shadow where light once lived—a song you can’t finish.

This gathering is for anyone mourning a soul, a story, a place, or a version of themselves now gone.

🗓 Saturday, May 24
🕐 1:30–4:00 PM PT / 4:30–7:00 PM ET
💻 Zoom | Sliding Scale (Green Bottle Model)
✨ Facilitators: Brian Stefan, LCSW & Emma You

🌍 We'll also honor May’s quiet sorrows—Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Mental Health Awareness, and AAPI Heritage Month.

👉 Register Here – Come as you are.

😰 Breathless

In-Person Catharsis Theater for Anxiety & Fear
“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.” — Søren Kierkegaard

This event is for anyone caught in the fog—looping thoughts, tight chests, or the quiet dread that won’t name itself.

We’ll meet anxiety’s many voices through story, motion, and soft, optional ways to take part.

🗓 Sunday, June 1
🕐 1:30–4:00 PM PT
📍 Blue Door Theater, Downtown Culver City
💵 Sliding Scale | Adults 21+
☕️ Light refreshments provided
✨ Facilitators: Brian Stefan, LCSW & Emma You

👉 Register Here – You belong here.

💫 Hope on the Horizon

🌿 HOPE Group: Healing Ourselves through the Present Experience

Spotlight on Suicide (SOS)
with Dr. Jamie Gamboa & Brian Stefan, LCSW

Since 2020, HOPE Group has been a quiet harbor for sorrow—a place where silence is sacred and presence is enough.

This month, we gather not to escape grief, but to meet it—through breath, honesty, and care.

🗓 Saturday, May 31
🕐 10:00–11:30 AM PT / 1:00–2:30 PM ET
💻 Zoom | Donation-Based | Open to All

🕯️ No grief too sharp. No breath too shallow.
👉 Register Here

🌊 About the California Grief Center

Grief isn’t a puzzle to solve—it’s a presence to honor. Like the ocean, it swells and recedes. We don’t resist the wave. We carry the light.

Through individual support, group healing, and the power of Catharsis Theater, we help people find ground again—right where they stand.

🌀 Learn more at www.caligrief.com

With heart,
Brian Stefan, LCSW
Founder, California Grief Center