together in grief

this zine, originally titled ‘together in grief,’ began as a senior project in my undergrad program at the california institute of integral studies (presentation posted below). i spent a lot of time digging into 'death as a rite of passage.' the reality of experiencing death (even if that death is spiritual or symbolic in some way), impacts and changes a sense of self. rites of passage that go unacknowledged or unintegrated amplifies a sense of aloneness & incompletion. i believe that ritual & community are the remedy to this collective wounding.

the first year was very diy as i collected mostly physical submissions from folks and then scanned it all together. year two i was able to put it into print which brought a whole new level to the project. the following couple years i was finishing my graduate program which made it a bit more challenging to stay on top of the zine and do anything beyond the basics.

in 2025 i decided to expand the project into something bigger. i began the ‘grief notes’ newsletter, offering 1:1s, facilitating creative circles focused on grief, & even started an instagram lol. it was an exciting expansion that led to reaching more people than ever for volume iv.

each year i return in the fall to open the submission window, and it seems as though it simultaneously opens the doors to growing this beyond what i had ever originally imagined. this year i started to explore and research grants to support the project. as i learned more, i realized that shifting together in sacred grief from an llc (as it stands currently) to a 501(c)(3) non-profit structure would create a lot more access for facilitating this creation and for the community at large. this will take a bit of time to sort and build, but it is the current growth spurt right now. i am so excited to nourish this project into a more sustaining offering to others who are navigating loss & grief.

the creative process with art & expression of grief allows something to open in us. there is an inherent interaction with the world around us when we create. sharing our creations along side one another into a compilation feels like a form of ritualizing that can be done asynchronously. there is an arc. a beginning, process, & end. a completion. by offering this every year, i hope it can be a ritual we can tap in and out of as needed. a touchstone, if so desired.

i want this zine to be a salve for the wounds our collective holds around death. i want to facilitate conversation, connection, community, & containment for this rite of passage practically every human being encounters on planet earth. especially right now, with humanity facing blatant genocides, climate crisis, & daily devastation... there is a lot to grieve about. maybe in connection, there can be catalyst for substantial & meaningful change.

in the meantime, i am here with you. i am forever grateful to those who engage with this form of care. i see you, thank you.

with love & magic,

​kp