Hi, I'm Lexi Silver, and I am on the Youth Advisory Board here at GRIEF SUCKS, and am the teen author who wrote the grief poem book, The Girl Behind Grief's Shadow. I recently created Meet My Grief (meetmygrief.com), an online community filled with poetry, support for grievers, and words of encouragement. 

Why do I have so much to say about grief? I'm kind of an expert, unfortunately - I lost my mom on Christmas four years ago due to an accidental suicide, and my dad nine months later due to sepsis. So I've had more than my share of grief and all that comes with it.

My number one goal in creating this community is for my story and poetry to be heard. I focus on grieving out loud and not letting the non-grief-informed society define me by what I have lost. I want people to know that my life is not a sob story...I'm a real human being who has experienced deep loss.

And the best thing to come out of it is creating something that helps others - I'm so proud when people who visit my site tell me that I have helped them while grieving. I hope you'll check it out and find support there too.

by Janiyah, age 18

Why we're lovin' it: The entertaining series "Ginny and Georgia" on Netflix follows Georgia Miller, a dynamic single mother with a rough past, and her teenage daughter, Ginny, as they seek a fresh start in a new town.

While the premise may invite comparisons to mama-daughter shows like "Gilmore Girls," I'd say that "Ginny & Georgia" sets itself apart with its exploration of darker themes. Grief is a central theme of the series, and as somone who experienced the death of my dad, I can say here are some of the positive ways the show handles it.

Georgia’s past: Flashbacks reveal Georgia’s traumatic childhood, including abuse and loss.

Ginny’s struggles: Ginny grapples with anxiety, depression, and self-harm as she uncovers family secrets and confronts her own identity.

Generational trauma: The show examines how unresolved grief and trauma can be passed down, emphasizing the need for open communication and healing within families.

Being real about vulnerability: The series encourages being honest and vulnerable in order to heal and build loving relationships, which Ginny and Georgia often struggle. 

I'm really excited about Season 3 airing this month but definitely check out the first two seasons first if you haven't seen them.

by Riya, age 15

Why we’re lovin’ it: I lost my dad to adrenal cancer when I was just two years old.  This song is about losing a parent, specifically a mom. Even though I didn’t lose my mom, “Birthday cake” talks about how your loved one would want you to live your life to its fullest, even if they are not physically there to share it with you.  

I especially love the lyrics: “It’s hard to know what she would say, but I think she’d want you to live like the world’s on fire, want you to love like hearts don’t break, never look down when you walk the wire. Like she made it to 48, still made your birthday cake.”

These words make me think of my dad because he died at 29, which is obviously also a very young age. Another set of lyrics that I feel is relatable to me and my story is “all the pictures on the same walls, looks like she just went to the store, and when you look into the mirror, does it make you miss her more?”

These specific words are important to me because my sister looks exactly like my younger sister, who was just 11 months old when my dad passed away.  Whenever my mom or I look at my sister, we see my dad in her face, and that is a very special part of our lives.

Why we love it: How many times do people say cringey or downright awful things to you to "make you feel better" when you're grieiving?

Maybe they give you awful grief advice like, "It's been three months since your person died. You should try to get over it." Or, maybe they try to comfort you with something like, "Oh, I know how you feel about your sadness because my gerbil died last year and it was awful" or "we didn't invite you to hang out because we thought you'd need time with your family since your sister died."

People are really trying, and often, their attempts are well...just not cutting it.

That's why we love this "Get Better Soon: I know you're not sick, I just think you could do better" card from Andaz Press Store. We're not necessarily suggesting you send it to anyone; just put it somewhere in your room that will make you laugh.