Aquí Estoy (Here I Am): Supporting Youth Through Grief Awareness in Chelsea
This September, The Children’s Room partnered with Youth Elemento, a youth center in Chelsea, MA, to host a grief awareness workshop for teens. The evening marked two milestones: it was the first School and Community-based program of TCR’s 2025– 26 year and the first workshop delivered entirely in Spanish. Both are important steps in TCR’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, making sure that language never stands in the way of care.
Inside the Workshop
The workshop, led by TCR’s Program Coordinator Corina Garcia-Reyes LMHC, invited teens into an interactive mix of movement, conversation, video, and art. Together, they explored how grief can appear in daily life and discussed practical ways to support peers who are grieving.
Many participants spoke about how supporting a grieving friend doesn’t always require the “right” words. Instead, it can be as simple as sending a quick text, lending a hand with everyday tasks, or putting together a small self-care basket. Teens also reflected on the weight of language—recognizing the difference between words that bring comfort and those that can feel dismissive or unhelpful.
The Power of Community
The session underscored the strength that comes from connection. The staff at Youth Elemento noted how well the session kept teens engaged while creating space for a sensitive and meaningful conversation. Corina shared her appreciation for the group’s openness and creativity. By the end of the session, the poster teens had created together stood as a symbol of solidarity and a reminder that grief is not something anyone has to carry alone.
Why This Matters
Chelsea is home to a vibrant and diverse community, with nearly two-thirds of residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). For many families, Spanish is the language spoken at home. Offering this workshop in Spanish was not simply about translation, it was about creating a space that felt natural, affirming, and truly accessible.
Workshops like this one are part of a larger effort to ensure that grief support meets young people where they are: in their schools, communities, and in the languages that feel most comfortable to them.
Moving Forward Together
We are deeply grateful to Youth Elemento for welcoming TCR and to the teens for their honesty, openness and engagement.
If you are part of a school, community center, or youth-serving organization interested in grief awareness workshops or partnerships, we’d love to connect. Please reach out to us at info@childrensroom.org to start the conversation.
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References
U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Chelsea, MA. In Data USA. Retrieved from https://datausa.io/profile/geo/chelsea-ma
