Ep. 36: Why Facing Grief is the Beginning of Our Healing Journey with Tida & Soyeon
Dr. Renee and Dr. Cristina welcome Tida Beattie, a 1st generation Thai-American end-of-life doula, community educator, and grief activist; and Soyeon Davis is a 1.5 generation Korean-American end of life doula. Tida and Soyeon are the co-founders of MESO, which provides advocacy, assistance, and support to immigrant families dealing with chronic illness and/or aging.
Much of Tida and Soyeon’s work at Meso is a product of their lived experience. Having lost many family members of their own and discovering the lack of support for underserved and marginalized communities, the two were inspired to fill this shocking gap in American society by creating an exclusive space for their people.
Those in minority communities are culture bearers. It’s so easy for Asian-American to become disconnected from their cultural roots, especially because of systemic silencing alongside the fact that they often lack role models. Tida shares why it is vital to reclaim one’s rituals, practices, and beliefs that their ancestors have held onto before them.
Soyeon talks liminal space and shares her complex (but common) experience of being othered not just in America but in her native Korea as well. It is our responsibility, she says, to accept and embrace this grief, but then to reconcile with it in order to not pass it on to the next generation.
Finally, Tida and Soyeon explain their day-to-day work as life doulas and why they believe they serve as role models to the people they work with.
Ultimately, as life doulas to the underserved and marginalized, Tida and Soyeon are role models to the individuals they serve. They encourage us not to suppress or hide from our grief, but to address it head-on. By destigmatizing these conversations, we rediscover our heritage and kickstart the process of healing not just for ourselves, but for the future generations.
Connect with Las Doctoras:
Visit their website: www.lasdoctoras.net
Follow them on Instagram: www.instagram.com/las.doctoras
Connect with MESO:
Follow MESO on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mesocommunity
