Collective Grief in the Wake of Epstein Coverage
Last week, we hosted a special support group for survivors to process what is coming up for us in light of the recent Epstein coverage. As twenty-one women gathered together to bear witness to one another, it reminded me that the power of safe spaces- where survivors are seen and believed- cannot be underestimated.
Monique Calderon, our incredible Care Manager, guided us through powerful moments of naming the needs of our hearts, voicing our pain and cries for justice, sharing lament, and grounding ourselves again in safety.
Each woman had an opportunity to create a justice statement...voicing what she wished she could say to her exploiter if she had her day in court, or naming the wounds this case is stirring.
After each woman spoke, we all said something every survivor needs to hear:
We see you and we honor you.
These seven words- and the validation they carry- poured over our pain like a healing balm.
I am honored to bear witness to my survivor sisters. I am honored by the work we get to do together every day. And I am deeply honored that Treasures was birthed out of my own story. I write this with tears of gratitude.
If you too, have been impacted by all that is surfacing in recent weeks, I leave you with an invitation to read the powerful statement Monique wrote for this special group. It is an invitation to be seen, and to share in our collective grief and hope.
COLLECTIVELY GRIEVING
Survivor’s Lament
We mourn the innocence that was stolen from us.
We grieve the trust that was broken, the protection we were denied.
We rage at the injustice that allowed exploitation to happen.
We honor our anger, our grief, and our sorrow as truth.
We recognize the bodies that endured pain and the hearts that carried trauma.
We witness the lives interrupted, the futures stolen, and the voices silenced.
Even in our suffering, we survived. Even in our pain, we hold ourselves as sacred.
We release what we cannot carry alone and reclaim what is ours — our story, our voice, our agency.
We plant seeds of hope, resilience, and healing, even as we grieve.
What happened to you matters.
You deserved protection then. You deserve peace now.
We believe you. Fully.
It makes sense if this brings up rage.
It makes sense if this brings up deep sadness.
There is room here for your anger. There is room here for your grief.
You don’t have to minimize what you feel.
It’s not ok that you had experiences stolen from you.
Our grief is valid. Our pain is acknowledged. Our resilience is honored
As we leave this space, we carry only what we choose to carry, and we leave the rest behind for now.
- Harmony Dust
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