Our commitment to education and equity spans more than a month, a long-time match graduates, and Little Sisters enjoy a winter wonderland! No images? Click here FEBRUARY 2022 ISSUE Dear friends,Heritage months, such as Black History Month in February, are a time to celebrate the history and achievements of groups in our country who have been underrepresented and marginalized. They not only give us the opportunity to learn about the achievements of a particular group, they also give us the chance to assess and reassess our own place in that history, today. I have often, perhaps cynically, thought that these months gave companies the chance to check off a box by simply putting up a banner celebrating a particular cause, or posting a platitude on their social media or making a statement on their website, and then moving on. What I know for sure is that there is only one way to move on: with knowledge of a group’s history, an understanding of why folks are marginalized, and how to change the paradigm that created the need for heritage months in the first place. The path forward begins with equity. As the head of an organization serving girls, a majority of whom are Black, Black History Month is a time to look at my personal investment in advancing equity for Black girls, as well as Big Sister, as an organization. We do this in many ways throughout the organization. Part of our new employee orientation is to review the history of race in Boston, starting with the integration of the public school system. Staff learn how busing children from one section of the city to another still reverberates through access to our healthcare system, healthy outdoor environments, and public education. We also talk about our City’s Black leaders who have helped shaped today’s Boston: people from activist Mel King to Reverend Gloria White-Hammond. We look at our organizational practices, and what we need to change internally to be sure we are living our values. And, we equip our volunteers with a Racial Sensitivity Guide to ensure their own understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the role they play in a Big and Little Sister relationship. If we want to create a future for Black girls to be financially independent, to have equity in education and employment, then it was imperative for us to look at pathways and possibilities for our staff now. We created a strategic equity plan that holds leaders accountable for inclusion, with clear goals on recruitment, hiring, retention, fundraising, and board participation. We also eliminated the need to negotiate salaries by paying our staff a fair and equitable wage. While learning how to negotiate is a critical skill, it should not be necessary when it comes to salaries. Employees should know that they are being paid fairly, taking into account their skills, and life experiences. We did check a box for Black History Month; it’s a check towards equity. In gratitude, Deborah Re Evelyn & Blasmiry: 11 Years of Fun and Friendship Click on the video below to view the story of Big Sister Evelyn and Little Sister Blasmiry, who graduated from our program this month when Blasmiry turned 20. "We have moved into the adult stage of our sisterhood and we have both embraced that with gusto," said Evelyn. Black History Month @ Big Sister: Celebrate, Educate & Engage As you read in Deb’s letter above, our commitment to equity is one that is ongoing and year-round. Heritage months provide an opportunity to uplift the history and present-day achievements and struggles of groups that have been marginalized or underrepresented. Throughout the year we will celebrate, educate, and engage with our community to continue our collective learning journey. During Black History Month we chose to focus on two aspects: Boston’s Black history, especially as it pertains to women and youth, since the 1950s and the women who are bringing their #blackgirlmagic to our City today. The purpose is to elevate history that might not be widely known and those who have shaped or are shaping it, paving the way for progress and helping us learn from the past. Learn more about these women and events on our website. Join us next month as we focus in on women’s history. Sisters in the Snow! How did our Big for a Day volunteers and Little Sisters on our wait list spend Galentine’s Day on February 13? Learning and laughing together! These matches made the most out of the snowfall with a trip to the Mass Audubon Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary in Mattapan. During the outdoor walking tour, they learned about native winter animals and plant species...and made a snow angel or two! MARK YOUR CALENDARProject Role Model Boston's role models, including our Big and Little Sisters, hit the runway in the latest fashions from up-and-coming local designers. Join us at our first in-person event of 2022 for an evening of fashion, fun, and fundraising in support of Big Sister Boston's mission! Give & GetShop Global, Give LocalAmazonSmile customers can support Big Sister Association of Greater Boston in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations.
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