March 2019 Issue

From the President & CEO

Dear friends,
 
In 1675, Sir Isaac Newton said: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." We take this sentiment to heart at Big Sister Boston and know that we stand on the shoulders of the women who have come before us. Women who have lifted us up, blazed a path forward, and made cracks in that glass ceiling. During Women's History Month, I've been reflecting on the women upon whose shoulders I stand. I trace our progress as women in Boston back to Abigail Adams, Lucy Stone, and Phillis WheatleyThen there are the women whom I've had the privilege to see make history in my lifetime: Muriel Snowden , Margaret Marshall,  and Kathrine Switzer. Each has  played a part in making Boston a more inclusive, equitable place to live. As the head of Big Sister Boston, I now stand on the shoulders of the executive directors who came before me, like Jeanne Yozell and Jerry Martinson, who helped build this organization into what it is today.
 
And now, it is our turn to be the shoulders upon which future generations stand. You may recognize some of the women in the Big Sister Boston community who are making history right now: former Big Sister and MA Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley; Advisory Board member, former Big Sister, and MA federal judge Denise J. Casper; or one of this year's runway role models. And, you may not know some of the women who are quietly making their mark: 2019 Big Sister of the Year Lauren Hall and the mentors of our New Girls Network like Nicole Bluefort and Pam Ralston. Through these relationships, we are lifting each other up, blazing a path forward, and making cracks in that glass ceiling until it shatters, just as so many of our foremothers did.
 
This is the month to celebrate the women and girls of Boston, to invest in their futures, and to ultimately make Boston the best city in the country where we can thrive. Let's be the shoulders upon which Boston's girls will stand.


With gratitude,




prm*** Last Chance for Tickets!***
Project Role Model Fashion Show 

M arch 27, 2019
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston

Notable Bostonians including Project Runway's Erin Robertson, Top Chef's Tiffani Faison, and WBZ-TV/CBS Boston's Lisa Hughes, Anaridis Rodriguez, Eric Fisher, and Levan Reid join Big and Little Sisters on the runway for an event that will inspire more than your wardrobe! 

You don't want to miss this fun, fresh, and fashion-forward fundraiser in support of Big Sister Boston's mentoring and enrichment programs for girls. ***Tickets will sell out*** Event details and tickets available here.





Questions? Please contact MK Thornton at mkthornton@bigsister.org.


bsoyMeet Our 2019 Big Sister of the Year: Lauren Hall

This summer marks seven years that Big Sister Lauren Hall has been matched with Little Sister Court. Encouraged by her friend and Big Sister Boston Board member, Deb Daccord, Lauren signed up to become a Big Sister at a time when her life felt settled and she was ready for a new adventure--which would turn out to be a "Sister Adventure" as she and Court lovingly refer to their time spent together. 

Lauren was chosen as Big Sister of the Year in honor of her long-term commitment to the mentoring relationship she shares with Little Sister Court and thoughtfully leveraging Big Sister Boston resources and opportunities to strengthen their bond. Together, Lauren and Court have rocked the runway in our annual fashion show, celebrated their friendship at our Appreciation Breakfast and Summer Picnic, visited the Simmons College campus through our Day in the Life of a College Student activity, and met Hillary Clinton at our Big in Boston gala in 2017.

Hear more about Lauren and Court's special relationship in the video clip below. And, catch them this Saturday, March 23, at 7:10 AM on WBZ-TV/CBS Boston's (Channel 4) 4 Your Community segment of the news broadcast!


Lauren and Court Superheroes


appbrkfstPersonal Perspective: 
What I Appreciate Most About the Appreciation Breakfast

Written by Elizabeth Baez, former Little Sister and Big Sister Boston Marketing Intern



Every year, Big Sister Boston holds an Appreciation Breakfast to celebrate the many Sister matches whose relationships span less than a year to as many as 13 years. This year, my Big Sister Emily Boone and I were the 13-year match. We were recognized for maintaining a great mentoring relationship for more than a decade-and I even got a shout-out for now working at Big Sister as the marketing intern. During the time we have been matched, we have attended numerous events, but the Appreciation Breakfast is always one I looked forward to the most.

As I reflect on the Appreciation Breakfast, I realize that in addition to celebrating my relationship with Emily, I have two favorite parts: listening to the guest speaker and the Little Sister open mic. This year, Anaridis Rodriguez, the weekend morning news anchor from WBZ-TV, gave an empowering speech that really spoke to me as a Little Sister now, and younger me as well. As always, it was relatable and encouraging to see a woman with a similar background to mine in such a successful position. Personally, it made me feel that even at 22 years old, I can become anything I want to become, even if English was not my first language. It is important for young girls to hear the stories of successful women in leadership roles, and Big Sister always chooses the most inspirational women to spread a positive message at their events.
And the women aren't the only inspiring ones to speak at the breakfast! I love the Little Sister open mic because it gives Little Sisters the opportunity to be heard. They gather on stage, eager to share their loving and kind words for their Big Sisters-the line of Little Sisters is usually a long one. For me it adds a personalized element to the event, and for matches that attend the event consecutively, it shows how much their relationship has grown.

I was in awe as I attended my final Appreciation Breakfast with Emily as we are now an officially "graduated" match. As someone who's been a part of the Big Sister community since I was nine years old, being able to attend a gathering like this makes me feel honored to be a part of such a great organization, a real community. As I sat in the audience, I noticed the faces of younger Little Sisters light up as they were recognized for achieving another milestone in their relationship-a match anniversary, a school graduation or getting a drivers' license, or being awarded for achieving a goal.

Being in that grand ballroom at the Park Plaza Hotel with nearly 300 other Big and Little Sisters really made me feel special, like I'm a part of something. I'm proud to be part of the hard-working community of women who are ensuring that girls have access to the best possible mentoring relationships.  
 

waystogive
Creative Ways to Invest in Girls

There's a variety of ways you can invest in the future of girls during Women's History Month, and a couple you can do all year round!

Flour Bakery
Love the sweet treats from Flour? Need a coffee to get you through the afternoon? Download the Flour app (if you don't already have it) and use it throughout the month of March to give yourself a treat and give back to Big Sister Boston! Using the app, you can donate money or earned rewards to Big Sister Boston directly--and Flour will match all donations made in the month of March. 


Globe GRANT
Help Big Sister Boston spread the word about the positive impact of mentoring relationships for girls with an ad in The Boston Globe! If you're a Globe subscriber--digital or print--you should have received an email voucher to donate ad space to the non-profit of your choice. You can also access the donation page here. Simply type Big Sister Association into the search box and choose us from the drop down menu of options.


Amazon Smile
You can support the work of Big Sister Boston while doing your shopping on Amazon! Simply go to  https://smile.amazon.com/   and select Big Sister Association of Greater Boston as your charitable organization.



Facebook Fundraisers
Have a birthday coming up? Want to honor a woman who made a difference in your life during Women's History Month? Start a Facebook fundraiser in support of Big Sister Boston today! We've raised more than $2,600 since November thanks to you and your Facebook fam. Let's keep the momentum going! Click here to find out how to easily set one up. 


Need space?   Big Sister has a large, fully furnished conference room  that can be rented for hourly or daily rates. Please contact our Senior Administrative Specialist, Deborah Pless, at 617.236.8060 for more information. 

Proudly Supported by

Big Sister Association of Greater Boston | 617.236.8060 | bigsister@bigsister.org | www.bigsister.org
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