Grief Witness Community Meet-Up

Grief can be overwhelming, but you don't have to be alone with it.

Join us for a gathering where you can connect with others who understand your journey. This in-person meet-up is a safe space where you can have your grief acknowledged and honoured. Whether you’re new to grief or have been walking this path for a while, you’re welcome here.

We believe grief does not need to be solved — it needs to be witnessed. We offer space for silence, storytelling, shared presence, and meditation, allowing each person’s experience to be held without judgment or expectation.

Who Is This For?

Men/male youth 16+ who have experienced loss of any kind, including:

Death of a loved one

Family or relationship loss

Loss of identity, health, or future plans

Long-held or unspoken grief

You do not need to know how to talk about your grief to attend.

This Space Is For:

Being seen, heard, and accepted

Speaking honestly, without pressure

Sitting with grief as it is

Storytelling

Connection building

Meditation

Light refreshments will be provided.

This Is Not A Space For:

Fixing or solving grief

Being told how to feel

Comparing losses

Comparing grief is really saying your grief isn't witnessed enough. - David Kessler

Facilitated by Kwesi Jamaal (@kwesi_jamaal), holistic wellness activator, community facilitator, and founder of Grief Witness. This work is grounded in lived experience with complex grief and the belief that no one should carry loss alone. In loving memory of his beloved Aunt Marion 'Tanty' Telesford (April 22, 1953 - August 12, 2025).

In partnership with Bodhi Mental Care & Wellness (@bodhicare2025), a not-for-profit organization founded on a deep commitment to making mental wellness accessible to individuals living in high-priority and underserved communities.

In space with Malvern Family Resource Centre Youth Hub (@malvernfrc @mfrcyouth), an essential and trusted community hub that connects, engages, and takes collaborative action in supporting our communities to thrive.

Media supported by HipHop Healing Global (@hiphop.healing), a non-profit organization that leverages hip-hop as a culturally responsive approach for community healing, providing live events, community workshops, and media.

Grief Therapy is accessible through Corner Counsellor (@cornercounsellor), offering personalized one-on-one sessions, community courses, and group workshops, with a focus on affordability and accessibility in underserved neighbourhoods.

Kindly follow Grief Witness @griefwitness for updates.

Info: Join Facilitator Kwesi Jamaal for a warm welcome, as he sets the stage for a transformative experience, guides you through our group agreements, and leads an empowering icebreaker activity to help ground and connect us all.

Info: Each person is invited to share their loss, with the option to pass, as we explore: What brought you here today, a loss that's present for you, or simply how you're arriving in this moment. Share from the heart, and speak only what feels right for you.

Info: Take a moment to nourish your body with light refreshments provided during our intermission.

Info: Experience the powerful storytelling of our facilitator or special guest speaker, as they take us on a journey through one of the five stages of grief (Denial, Bargaining, Anger, Depression, Acceptance) using the art of spoken word, poetry, singing, rapping, or visual art. Join us in discussion as we explore the art, the topic, and the emotions that arise.

Info: Join in on a BodhiCare ultrasonic Yinnergy meditation to close out on a positive note. The benefits of this meditation are: Promotes deep internal stability and grounding, allows meditation to occur without a sense of 'doing', reduces anxiety without reliance on mental control strategies, supports subconscious emotional integration, suitable for trauma-sensitive applications.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

1321 Neilson Rd, 1321 Neilson Road, Toronto, Canada

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Get App