BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For many women, healing after loss can feel isolating. But two Bakersfield women say community can make all the difference.
That belief is behind the Women’s Healing Brunch, an event designed to bring together women navigating grief, trauma and personal hardship.
One of the organizers, Shameka Robinson, says the idea grew from her own experience with loss.
“My experience with grief — last year my granddaughter passed away in a car accident,” Robinson said. “She was only one month, and it was sudden. It just happened.”
Robinson said the loss of her granddaughter, Le'Anna Sterling, changed everything. As she tried to support her son through the tragedy, she began learning more about grief and how families cope.
Just two months later, tragedy struck close to home again.
Stephanie Soerjono, who helped organize the event, lost her 8-year-old son, Xxavien Hernandez, after a drunk driver crashed into him late last year.
“She was one of the first calls that I made after the incident happened,” Soerjono said of Robinson.
The two women say sharing their experiences deepened their friendship and inspired them to create something meaningful for others facing similar loss.
“You just want someone to be there,” Robinson said. “You don’t want to ask them — you just want them to be there.”
That idea of simply showing up for one another is at the heart of the Women’s Healing Brunch.
Organizers say the event will feature therapists, life coaches, community resources and speakers who will share their personal stories of grief and resilience.
“With loss, it’s a little bit different,” Soerjono said. “It’s a lot different than any other kind of trauma or grief that you can go through.”
The organizers say professional help is important, but connecting with people who truly understand the pain can also play a key role in healing.
“We create this place for people that actually experience this so we could all come together, talk about it, get resources and understand each other,” Robinson said.
Through workshops, conversations and shared experiences, the women say they hope attendees leave knowing they are not alone in their healing journey.
“It’s okay to still be broken. It’s okay to still be hurt. It’s okay to still be confused,” Soerjono said. “Sometimes you just want an ear. That’s it.”
The Women’s Healing Brunch will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mill Creek Church in Bakersfield. For more details, click here.
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