Posted on WTTW by Eunice Alpasan | September 12, 2024

Paris Jackson was reminded of her late father when she purchased her first condo two years ago in the South Loop.

“What most people would celebrate as a milestone was really one of the saddest days of my life,” said Jackson, whose father was killed in 1997 when she was six years old.

Jackson was approaching 33 years old, the same age her father was when he died.

Upon reflecting on her experiences with grief throughout her life, she sought to create a supportive space for others navigating the complexities of grief and parental loss, a topic she said doesn’t get talked about enough.

Jackson created the nonprofit Remember Him Remember Her at the start of this year to provide that supportive space.

The organization is now partnering with Nave Wellness Center in south suburban Frankfort to provide a free monthly grief support group for youth and adults experiencing parental loss. Sessions are led by an on-site licensed mental health professional.

“Grief is stigmatized, and I want to destigmatize it because most of us experience it, especially growing up in Chicago,” Jackson said. “It’s truly unfortunate just how many funerals I went to in my life and how many people I’ve known who’ve lost their parent … just knowing how many people it affects and how many people don’t even realize that they are actually grieving.”

In offering a free grief support group, Jackson said she wanted to address financial barriers people might face when seeking mental health services. The monthly sessions, held at Nave Wellness Center, are also offered virtually for those unable to make it in person.

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