A suburban teacher’s journey to healing

Kera Sanchez of Palatine is a high school Spanish teacher at Round Lake High School, a wife and a mother of two, and is now adding a new title to her resume: editor-in-chief. Kera is launching Get Griefy Magazine, a magazine for those living with loss, and actually living.

Sanchez published her guided journal, “Legacy Letters,” last April, after the unexpected loss of her mother, Laura Jacobson, a beloved family and consumer science teacher at Cary-Grove High School, in 2022. With the success of her journals, she was also able to connect and network with other people who were grieving all types of losses in their lives, yet still finding profound purpose in their pain.

“It’s remarkable how healing our creative passions can be, and how many people turn to these outlets as a way to process and work through their loss. It is truly inspiring, and not enough light is shining on that aspect of the grief process,” Sanchez said, while explaining her inspiration for the project.

Now that niche of grief has a stage. Get Griefy Magazine aims to illuminate the path to healing and hope for those navigating the difficult journey of loss, dedicated to creating a compassionate and empowering space where individuals living with grief can find solace, inspiration and a sense of community.

Sanchez also shared that before the loss of her mom, she was a bright and vibrant person, and that grief overshadowed the colors of her life for a bit. She attributes the magazine as a way to take back her power in a situation that left her feeling powerless.

The first issue, which highlights musicians, artists, authors, quilters, photographers, bloggers, creators and more, was released virtually on Feb. 1. Each quarterly issue also will include a community section, where everyday grievers have an outlet to express their grief through poetry, narratives, opinion pieces and more.

“Get Griefy Magazine is more than a publication,” Sanchez said. “It is a lifeline for those on the path of healing. Join us as we navigate grief together, fostering a community that celebrates life, resilience and the enduring spirit that emerges from the depths of loss.”

Get Griefy Magazine is available for free on ISSUU, and on its website, getgriefymagazine.com.