Roselle Resident Yolanda-Elise Price Hosts 'When Women Grieve' Panel

On Saturday, Roselle resident and certified grief coach Yolanda-Elise Price hosted "When Women Grieve" at the Anthony Amalfe Community Center. The event, part of Mayor Donald Shaw's Wellness Campaign, brought together women who have experienced the loss of loved ones to share their stories and healing journeys. Union County Life reports on the gathering and Price's work supporting grief.

A panel of women addressed a room of community members, sharing stories of their grief and the paths they took toward healing. Their voices created what Price had intended from the start: a safe space where women could acknowledge loss without judgment.

Price's Own Journey

Price recently became a certified grief counselor after struggling to deal with the loss of her mother in February 2024. Her own experience of loss drove her path to supporting others.

"I did not know what to do with those feelings," she said. "I was looking for an outlet or trying to find help to understand what I was feeling, and I could not find it."

She turned to grief classes and decided to become a certified grief coach to understand what she was going through. But as she healed, she recognized that others in her community were likely facing similar pain in silence.

"I thought maybe other people are feeling the same thing. Surely other women are, because we get up every day and you got to keep going. I still had to go to work. Bills did not stop coming. I had a daughter that was graduating high school and getting ready for college. I did not have time to really grieve. I thought other women were probably feeling the same way, but no one is saying anything."

Creating Safe Space

Price emphasized the importance of community gathering around grief. She spoke to a cultural conditioning that affects many women: the expectation to care for others while minimizing their own pain.

"As women, you are always taught to nurture and to be strong and to show up for everyone else. You put yourself on the back burner. No one ever taught us that it is okay to not be okay. It is okay to admit and acknowledge this hurt me. I lost this, I miss this," she explained.

She views the "When Women Grieve" event and similar gatherings as necessary and transformative—not only for those currently grieving, but for younger generations watching women model vulnerability and self-care.

"These spaces are definitely needed and a necessity because it teaches us as women right now that it is okay to acknowledge it. It is also teaching the generations to come that they can say they are not okay, and it is okay to hold space for themselves."

Price offered a final reflection on the coexistence of grief and joy, of loss and life continuing: "Grief can coexist beside joy, and all grief is the price for having loved deeply."

Find more Roselle events, wellness programs, and community news on Union County Life.

FAQ

Q: What was the 'When Women Grieve' event?
A: It was a community panel discussion hosted by certified grief coach Yolanda-Elise Price at the Anthony Amalfe Community Center. Women who had experienced loss shared their stories and healing journeys with community members.

Q: Who is Yolanda-Elise Price?
A: She is a Roselle resident and certified grief coach who became passionate about supporting others after losing her mother in February 2024. She pursued grief counselor certification to better understand her own experience and help others.

Q: Why did Price create this event?
A: Price recognized that many women in her community were experiencing grief in silence while managing daily responsibilities like work, bills, and family obligations. She wanted to create a safe space where women could acknowledge their loss without judgment.

Q: Who participated in the panel?
A: The panel featured women from the Roselle community who had experienced the loss of loved ones. They shared their personal stories of grief and the paths they took toward healing.

Q: Why is this event important for women?
A: Price highlighted that women are often conditioned to be strong and nurturing for others while suppressing their own pain. The event aimed to teach women that it is okay to acknowledge grief and hold space for themselves.

Q: What is part of Mayor Shaw's Wellness Campaign?
A: The "When Women Grieve" event was part of the Mayor's broader wellness initiative supporting community health and well-being.

Q: What is Price's perspective on grief?
A: Price believes that grief can coexist with joy, and that "all grief is the price for having loved deeply." She emphasizes creating safe spaces for women to process loss and model healthy emotional expression for future generations.