Shantell Riley Consulting

Grief doesn’t pause for work.

And yet… many people are expected to keep showing up, meeting deadlines, responding to emails, and performing as if nothing has shifted.

The truth is grieving while working is a real and often invisible experience.

Some days, it looks like:
• Moving a little slower
• Communicating only what feels manageable
• Setting quiet boundaries
• Taking moments to pause and breathe between tasks

Not because someone isn’t capable, but because they’re carrying something heavy.

As workplaces continue to talk about wellness, we have to make room for the full human experience, including grief.

Not just bereavement leave.
Not just policies.
But culture, compassion, and flexibility in real time.

If you are working and grieving, I hope you give yourself permission to move gently.

And for leaders and organizations, this is your opportunity to create spaces where people don’t have to choose between being human and being professional.

History:
In many African cultures, becoming an ancestor was a revered status.
It was often reserved for adults who had children and received proper funeral rites, allowing them to watch over, guide, and remain in relationship with their families.

Present:
In Western culture, the dead are rarely spoken of as guides or protectors.
Death is treated as an ending rather than a transition into responsibility, wisdom, and continued care for the living and ritual is often rushed or minimized.

What would it mean to see our dead as still caring for us?

Behind the scenes of the Black History Month Death & Grief Series.
History shaped how we, as a culture, view death. It also disconnected us from practices that serve purpose.

Can’t wait to share our connection to what is and our disconnection to what was!

Research, reflection, ancestral wisdom, and a dog who refuses to let me work alone.
Thank you, Eban💕

💙💗 October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage.
Every year in the U.S., about 21,000 babies are stillborn.
Nearly 19,000 infants die before their first birthday.

These aren’t just numbers, they are beloved children, grieving parents, and families carrying stories often left unspoken.

Today, we break the silence.
We speak their names. We honor their lives. We hold space for those navigating unimaginable grief.

Let’s talk about pregnancy loss, infant death, and stillbirth; because no one should carry this alone.