Event planner, loving wife and friend

Cambi Evers-Everette died in her mother’s arms on Tuesday, January 23 in Oakland, California, after a long struggle with breast cancer. She was 34 years old.

The phrase “Life Is Beautiful,” painted in large black letters on a white brick wall, was Cambi’s last Facebook entry, posted only days before she died. Family, friends and colleagues will always remember her as a strong, positive and upbeat person who brought joy and laughter into everyone’s life.

Cambi was born on June 4, 1983 in Takoma Park, Maryland, to Reena Evers-Everette and Charles Everette. She was the first granddaughter of civil rights leaders, Medgar Wiley Evers and Myrlie Evers-Williams. The family moved from Washington, DC to Los Angeles in 1984, then to Claremont in 1989.

Cambi’s education began at Marcus Garvey Academy in Los Angeles. She then attended Mountain View Elementary School, El Roble Intermediate and Claremont High School, where she was an active member of the award-winning band and show team.

After graduating from high school in 2001, Ms. Evers-Everette attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where she earned a degree in political science and economics in 2005. She pursued a career in public relations and event planning, working with companies on both the east and west coasts, managing events for the film, music and tech industries, including red carpet and charitable events.  In 2016, she began work at what she identified enthusiastically as her “best job ever,” as an event manager for Streamline Events in Emeryville, California. 

Her colleagues at Streamline agree that Ms. Evers-Everette brought amazing skills and a larger-than-life personality to the close-knit team with which she worked. She traveled extensively with friends and work colleagues, especially enjoying her visits to Argentina, Hong Kong, Paris, Japan, Spain, Italy and Hawaii.

After sharing a beautiful wedding with Ben Coe in October of 2015, Ms. Evers-Everette fought her battle with cancer during their entire married life. However, she remained strong and hopeful. When she felt well enough, she and Ben traveled together to his family home in Canada, and recently enjoyed Christmas in Nashville, Tennessee with family.

“My memories of Cambi are soothing: a friend to laugh with at a party, a quiet but dynamic talent on the dance floor, a level-headed and incredible listener when you needed her,” shared Michelle Perrott, a friend from Vassar. “I don’t think Cambi even knew how to be anything but grace and positivity.” 

Other friends and family will always remember her love of bright colors, great music, the beach, fun parties with lots of laughter and her strong connection with her beloved dog, Scooter.

Ms. Evers-Everette is loved and survived by her husband, Ben Coe; her mother Reena Evers-Everette; her father, Charles D. Everette; her brothers Vernando, Keith and Daniel; her sister Nicole; her maternal grandmother, Myrlie Evers-Williams of Claremont; her uncle Van and aunts Mimi and Carol; and her first cousins Keanan, Alex and Nolan.

She is also survived by her mother in-law Debra Kalb; countless friends and supportive family members and of course, her Baby Pup, Scooter.