Big Sister - Little Sister Dialogues - Mentoring Program

Purpose:

The Big Sister Little Sister Dialogues Mentoring Program is made up of 11th and 12th grade young women from the Buffalo Public Schools. Every year, each high school is invited to choose two female scholar representatives for its school. BPS has partnered with the Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research & Education on Women, Inc. to develop this program, which aims to empower young women of color through activities that will help them to identify and clarify educational goals, develop network opportunities with experienced women, nurture aspirations, expand information on current issues, and engage in soft skills enhancement. Young women in the program are paired with successful women from the WNY area to serve as mentors. Activities include guest speakers, writing and art workshops, cultural excursions and events, theater performances and a culminating project.

2021 - 2022

This year we were grateful to be back in person with our monthly meetings taking place at the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts #355. Big Sisters and Little Sisters were able to come together for mentorship, guest speakers, special events, field excursions, performances and the list goes on. A few highlights were our overnight scholar trip to Washington DC in April 2022, where several of our scholar programs, including Big Sisters and Little Sisters, enjoyed visiting historical landmarks and engaging in extracurricular activies while being able to strengthen the bond they established over the school year. 

December 2021 - Holiday Celebration

Paint the Town

2020-2021

Recommended Reading:

• News Article: The Uncrowned Queens Institute in Collaboration with the Buffalo Public Schools Launches Virtual “Big-Sister -- Little-Sister Dialogues”
• News Article: Session 2: A Meeting to Remember - Communicating!
• News Article: Session 3: We Are More Than Enough
• News Article: Session 4: The Spirit of Giving

Highlights of the program:

• Big Sister - Little Sister Dialogues - Through the Years
• November 19, 2020 Presentation: Session 3: Dr. Gholdy Muhammad's "Black Girl's Write" Presentation
• January 14, 2021 Presentation: Session 5: Honoring Greatness - Coretta Scott King & Vice President Kamala Harris Presentation
• February 11, 2021 Presentation: Dr. Gholdy Muhammad's "Black Girl's Write" & Big Sister Little Sister "Know Her Name" Presentation

January 2022

December 2021

With December comes the hustle and bustle of the holidays and time with loved ones. The Little Sisters engaged in bonding activities, such as gingerbread house and cookie decorating at The Buffalo School of Culinary Arts #355.

February 11, 2021 Session:

We welcomed back Dr. Gholdy Muhammad this month for another session of "Black Girls Write." Big Sisters and Little Sisters were supported and inspired to share their genius in the form of poetry, through Dr. Gholdy Muhammad's connection of music, current events, Black Girl Magic, and Amanda Gorman's memorable reading of her poem, "The Hill We Climb" at President Biden's Inauguration.

Little Sisters responses to the prompt: What is Black girl magic?

• "Black Girl Magic is the the independent power shown by a Black girl making her inspiring, dedicated, a role model for any audience." - Myralis Berrios, School #302
• "Black Girl Magic is confidence, elegance. Black Girl Magic is holding your crown." - Jariah Lee, School #415
• "Black Girl Magic is celebrating how beautiful we are inside and out when society don't show how powerful and beautiful we are. It shows us that we are not what people think we are." - Dominique Peters, School #302

Little Sister Work Showcase:

Our blunders become their burdens

A poem by Dominique Peters, School #302

Society
We have a problem that needs solving
If we keep ignoring it it will become a burden on the future generation
It’ll be helpful if our mistakes don’t take a toll on our children or our children’s children
The hope of us being together
The hope of us striving together
The hope there is a light
An envision of us prospering
So, don’t make mistakes that will become a burden
Let’s recover in harmony
Let our legacy be abut love and not hate
Let there be justice

January 14th, 2021 Session:

The Big Sisters and Little Sisters honored Coretta Scott King and newly elected Vice President, Kamala Harris, as they learned about the achievements and contributions of these two powerful women who, in the past and present, exemplify strength, courage, activism, and inspiration to others. Additionally, the guest speaker, Jennifer Jackson Parker, told her story of reaching success and becoming the owner of the public relations firm, Jackson Parker Communications. Lastly, Big Sisters and Little Sisters engaged in dialogue around current event topics and how they connected to the book, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds.

"My story is a freedom song of struggle. It is about finding one's purpose, how to overcome fear, and to stand up for causes bigger than one's self."

-Coretta Scott King

"There will be a resistance to your ambition, there will be people who say to you, 'You are out of your lane.' They are burdened by only having the capacity to see what has always been, instead of what can be."

-Vice President Kamala Harris

December 10th, 2020 Session:

The December 10th event with Chef Patti Green, put us into the holiday spirit as she guided everyone in creating gingerbread houses. Big Sisters and Little Sisters alike, sported their custom-made BSLS aprons and let their creativity flow. 

December 3rd, 2020 Session:

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad led the Big Sisters and Little Sisters in a workshop session of "Black Girls Write". Big Sisters and Little Sisters used their genius to draft personal poems of protest. Dr. Gholdy Muhammad reminded all participants that historically responsive literacy "calls for educators to be responsive to the social and political times we have historically lived in and currently live within" (Cultivating Genius, p. 52).

November 19th, 2020 Session:

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad led Little Sisters in the development of their Preamble for "Black Girls Write".

Dr. Muhammad states, "Writing a preamble was a historical practice in Black literary societies throughout the 19th century" as well as, " ...preambles become powerful statements of intentions and objective" (Cultivating Genius, p.128-129).

11/5/20 Session:

Ms. Trinetta Alston joins us, virtually, to discuss Covid-19 and its impact on the Buffalo community, in addition to providing ways to be safe in our day-to-day activities.

Erie County Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin kicks off the Big Sister Little Sister Program in October 2019 with an empowering speech for the Little Sisters.

One of the Little Sisters poses a question to Erie County Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin in order to gain knowledge and advice.

 Little Sisters engage in a healing circle with their mentor Big Sisters.

 Big Sisters and Little Sisters participate in a breakout session to expand their learning on current issues impacting women of color.

 The Big Sister Little Sister leaders: Dr. Fatima Morrell, Dr. Barbara Nevergold, and Mrs. Nadia Nashir stand with the keynote speaker for November 2019, Judge Betty Calvo-Torres (2nd from the left).

The Little Sisters gather with their Big Sister to debrief the program's featured book, On the Come Up.