Episodes
Friday Nov 22, 2019
#1 Callsuma - We are more than labels
Friday Nov 22, 2019
Friday Nov 22, 2019
Welcome to the Bereavement Room. A podcast for our community, faith and culture, featuring representative voices from across the U.K. A safe space for people to tell their stories of grief and loss. So often ignored or silenced by society because they are not told from a white perspective that fits into a neat and tidy box. Our experiences very rarely covered by mainstream channels and platforms. We discuss how grief effects us culturally, the discrimination that happens, inequality and the lack of understanding about how grief might manifest itself within the diaspora and the challenges along the way.
We are more than the label that is BAME. Grief is universal the narrative around bereavement is not.
Stories and experiences shared by our POC, BLACK, ASIAN, BME, BEM, BAME, MINORITISED, GLOBAL MAJORITY and OTHER communities on our peer to peer support platform. (Lost in all the labels, which one are we)? Don't blame me, blame the system. We are clearly NOT all the same. I love you all. You are welcome here!
I am your host, Callsuma Ali. (Sharing my own story and lived experiences at the end of the season)
Tuesday Dec 03, 2019
#3 Tasneem - Grieving teenager.
Tuesday Dec 03, 2019
Tuesday Dec 03, 2019
Tasneem Choudhury born and bred in East London, joins Callsuma in the Bereavement Room to talk about what it was like to be bereaved as a teenager. Tasneem's mother died of breast cancer when she was 15 years old.
Sunday Dec 08, 2019
#4 Lekhani - Fatherless daughter and identity.
Sunday Dec 08, 2019
Sunday Dec 08, 2019
Lekhani Chirwa is in the Bereavement Room to talk about her father who sadly died when she was in Malawi in 2016. We discuss all things grief, identity and her one woman show, Can I touch your hair?
Tuesday Dec 31, 2019
Tuesday Dec 31, 2019
Lydia Okoibhole is in the Bereavement Room talking to Callsuma about her father who sadly died unexpectedly when she was a teenager in the summer she received her GCSE results. In this episode we also discuss how culture can sometimes get in the way of respect and do charities do enough to let communities know what support is available when grieving?
Saturday Jan 11, 2020
#7 Vaishnavi - Grandfather loss and racism in Scotland.
Saturday Jan 11, 2020
Saturday Jan 11, 2020
This week Callsuma is in Scotland speaking with 3rd year English Lit student Vai Ramu about her grandfather who sadly died when she was 12 years old. We also talk about racism in Scotland and what it's like growing up on the borders.
Wednesday Feb 05, 2020
#8 Henna - Child Bereavement and Charities so white.
Wednesday Feb 05, 2020
Wednesday Feb 05, 2020
It's time to talk and today's guest is Henna Shah from #CharitySoWhite @CharitySoWhite
Henna talks to Callsuma Ali about child bereavement and what it was like when her mother sadly died when Henna was 10 years old. Originally from the "Endz" that is the wonderful Hounslow to all the way to Oxford University. This is Henna's #TimeToTalk
Saturday Feb 15, 2020
#9 Amira - Friendship and Suicide.
Saturday Feb 15, 2020
Saturday Feb 15, 2020
Algerian born and East London bred, this is Oxford University Student, Amira. Amira joins host Callsuma Ali in the Bereavement Room to share her harrowing experience of what it was like to find her best friend had died by suicide at a house party when they were both teenagers.
Monday Mar 30, 2020
Monday Mar 30, 2020
After an extended break we return to the @BereavementRoom for more intimate conversations about death and grief. Due to the unexpected death of Callsuma's father she reunites with old friend Siddharth Nigam over a decade later sharing experiences that have bought them closer together.
Siddharth talks to us about the recent death of his Grandfather (2019). The importance of medical professionals demonstrating empathy and not letting compassion fatigue get the better of them and the surge people have before they die.
Siddharth puts it so eloquently that death can reflect in all areas of our life, this episode is dedicated to our Grandfathers and Fathers.
We would like to thank everyone that has subscribed downloaded, listened, rated and reviewed. We reached over 1000k downloads because of your support.
Sincerely from the bottom of our heart, thank you for listening.
Your host
Callsuma Ali
@BereavementRoom
Thursday Apr 16, 2020
#11 Amar Mehta - Sudden death and mental health.
Thursday Apr 16, 2020
Thursday Apr 16, 2020
This week we are joined by Journalist Amar Mehta, Amar is talking to Callsuma Ali in the Bereavement Room about his father who sadly lost his life in a tragic car accident in 2008. A story of living the American dream and then adjusting to sudden life changes. Amar opens up about mental health from the perspective of a Indian male, the triggers of loss and the inner sadness of reaching milestones without his Father.
This episode of Bereavement Room is dedicated to our Grandfathers and Fathers.
Thanks for listening.
You can reach us on twitter @BereavementRoom
You can reach Amar Mehta on twitter @TheLawyerAmar
Thursday May 07, 2020
#12 Kalwinder Singh Dhindsa - Suicide language and hometown Derby.
Thursday May 07, 2020
Thursday May 07, 2020
Sikh Derby man Kalwinder joins Callsuma in the Bereavement Room to talk about his father who died by suicide in 2006. We reflect on his experiences of being impacted by suicide, poetry as a source of expression and support and the triggers of loss following the recent global pandemic, COVID-19. In this episode we also talk openly about the challenges faced working with mainstream charities and what this means in trying to reach wider communities.
You can reach out to Kal on twitter - @khalsir
This episode is dedicated to our Grandfathers and Fathers. Thank you for listening.