Find out why it matters that we serve girls and how our Big and Little Sisters are staying connected virtually. No images? Click here JULY 2020 ISSUE From the President & CEODear friends, Over the years, when talking about our organization, people have often responded by asking why girls? I have been told that Big Sister should merge with an organization serving boys, even though we have been successfully focused on girls in Greater Boston for nearly 70 years. I can answer the question why girls? in many different ways, but right now I want to address who the girls are that we serve. Our Little Sisters are 90% girls of color. 75% live in the neighborhoods of Boston, the majority in Dorchester and Roxbury. Nearly 90% of the girls we serve live in low-income households. This data might conjure up certain images or ideas about our Little Sisters, especially if you do not share their lived experiences. Yet, at Big Sister, we don’t say at-risk girls, or inner city girls, or marginalized girls, or disadvantaged girls. Once we label girls, we 'other' them; we see them as their circumstances, not as their true selves. Girls are at a disadvantage when we don’t believe in them and question the validity of addressing their unique developmental needs. Girls are at-risk of not realizing their potential when we put negative labels on them, pressure them to conform to a certain standard, or impose our unconscious bias upon them. At Big Sister, with your support, we are focused on creating pathways to power for our Little Sisters: through mentorship, leadership development, skill-building, access and opportunity. We are focused on making their trajectory one of being labelled Big Sister, Board member, or CEO instead. And that, is why girls. In gratitude, Check out a short clip from the hour-long session with writer Sarah Watson. Hear what author Anna Nyakana has to say about being a heroine on the page and in real life. BY THE BOOKAmong our Little Sisters we have more than a few aspiring writers and many avid readers. We’ve continued supporting our Little Sisters’ interests with virtual activities that not only keep them engaged during a time of isolation, but also get them up close and personal with women who make their careers as writers!On July 6, our Big for a Day volunteers and Little Sisters who are waiting to be matched with a Big Sister enjoyed the culmination of the virtual book club we’ve been hosting with them—a video chat with Sarah Watson, author of Most Likely and creator of the TV series The Bold Type. Sarah answered questions about developing positive female characters and relationships in her writing, the importance of mentorship as a writer, and how to break into the field, which was of particular interest to Little Sister Cassie who is an aspiring playwright. Only July 11, we hosted the first of two virtual activities for our Big and Little Sisters ages 7-10 with award-winning author, speaker, and entrepreneur Anna Nyakana. Anna wrote the children's book "Niyah Zuri and The Pharaoh's Throne," which follows self-assured heroine Niyah Zuri as she and her best friends, Miguel and Hugo Gonzales, travel through time with the use of a mystical map. Her passion and message behind the book is to bring representation to children's books and diversity to the classroom; to instill self-love while kids gain knowledge of other world cultures through time-bending exploration. Anna will be doing a writing workshop with Big Sisters and Little Sisters ages 11-14 on Saturday. Workplace Mentoring Closes Out the Year VirtuallyGoing virtual didn’t put a stop our Workplace Mentoring Big and Little Sister relationships. When our partner companies went to a work from home format and the Little Sisters' schools closed, our staff took our Workplace Mentoring program online. “We had to pivot quickly to make sure our Big and Little Sister matches in this program, which typically meet at the Big Sister’s workplace, could continue connecting virtually.” said Melissa Nystedt, Vice President of Programs. “We created a virtual toolkit and resources for our matches, who also kept their relationships thriving through letters, video chats, or phone calls. We were delighted to see the resiliency and creativity of all involved!” Big Sisters responded to the transition with enthusiasm that they could continue these meaningful relationships:
At the end of June, the Big and Little Sisters at Allen & Gerritsen, Alexion, Fidelity Investments, John Hancock, and Wayfair attended virtual year-end celebrations hosted by our staff so that they could head into the summer break with positive closure. Mark Your CalendarNOW THROUGH JULY 30 JULY 27 Want to learn more about becoming a Big Sister or know a woman who does? Register today for our virtual info session and find out how you can be a part of something...even when we're apart. NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 26 This year's Rodman Ride for Kids has gone virtual and that means the possibilities are endless as a member of Team Big Sister! Walk, run, or ride around your neighborhood to raise funds or create your own activity. We're here to help you with fundraising tips and tricks that you need to succeed. Register to be a part of Team Big Sister today. |