A 29-year-old woman from Hartford has lost more than 30 people in her life before turning 30. The deep sorrow she experienced inspired her to launch a podcast about grief.
Mimi Gonzalez has lost 36 people in her life. Her father being one of the first, her best friend, grandfather and most recently, her aunt.
“I’m dealing with fresh grief in real time and my aunt's name was Gethzayda Cruz and it’s been really hard on my family so everything I do, I am just doing it for her, and I hope she is proud of me,” Founder Mimi Gonzalez said.
Experiencing unimaginable heartbreak after heartbreak, Gonzalez sought out professional help, but she knew it wasn’t enough.
“So, I have gone to therapy but in conjunction with therapy, I always thought it was good to have creative outlets, whether that's the gym, whether that's being creative, having a creative hobby,” Gonzalez said.
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The Hartford native decided to create a community where people could express their grief and connect over their experiences. She launched the podcast titled "griefsense" in 2023.
“Really the podcast is a mix of me just kind of airing out my grief and raising awareness about the people that died in my life,” Gonzalez said.
Growing up, the 29-year-old said she didn’t know how to describe what she was feeling, but later realized the word she was looking for was griefsense.
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“I created a word for this feeling for how I can experience so much loss and still have the wherewithal and the momentum to keep creating and to keep showing up so that is what I call griefsense, this unwavering faith, unwavering belief that life is a privilege,” she said.
Gonzalez has touched on several topics in her podcast, including becoming a young widow and becoming an orphan before 30. Tonight at 8 p.m., she is talking to afro-indigenous activist and model Kara Roselle about the passing of her mom, Alma Gordan, who was the chief of the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag tribe on Noepe.
“So, we are getting to talk about all of that and her experience of losing her mother while she has become this nationalist activist,” Gonzalez said.
You can listen to the podcast on YouTube, Spotify or Apple.
Gonzalez has also participated in countless public speaking events to raise awareness, including sharing the stage with former President Barack Obama.
“I feel like all of these experiences have happened, I always say my loss, or my grief has been a blessing and a curse because of all of the pain, but a blessing because I have been able to have wild serendipitous experiences that I can’t explain like public speaking,” Gonzalez said.
This year, Gonzalez is hoping to host the first-ever Grief Sala Fest and Conference. The event will include panel discussions, performances dedicated to loved ones and much more. She hopes the festival will bring together the community she has built online, in real life together.
“To host a festival and a conference for young creatives that are grieving in Connecticut just because I think it’s so important and there needs to be a safe space for this,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is currently fundraising for the event and looking for sponsors. You can contact Gonzalez at info@griefsense.com.
