Featured Community Event
On Thursday, June 10, I was honored to speak at the Center for Young Women's Development Sisters Rising graduation. Each year, the Sisters Rising Program employs 17 young women who have been involved in the juvenile justice system or underground street economies who want to make the transition from the street to legal and sustainable employment. This nine month program goes beyond job training and helps these women achieve self-sufficiency and engage in their communities.
By providing both a livable income and a supportive environment, Sisters Rising provides young women who have endured multiple traumas with more than just a job-they provide these women with the resources to foster strong self esteem and the skills necessary to succeed in the workforce.
I appreciated the opportunity to witness the transformative effects this program had on its participants. Addressing the graduates, I spoke from my own experiences and how life's challenges may serve as opportunities to foster individual strength and growth. I hope my words might serve as further encouragement to the young women in the graduating class, as I was truly humbled by their personal stories, the struggles so many of them have endured and are overcoming, and their sheer determination to change their lives.
As an elected official, I have made a personal commitment to assist those in underserved and under-represented communities to become more civically and politically engaged. It is events like the Sisters Rising graduation that keep me motivated and inspired to continue my reinvestment in the communities that contributed to my own personal and professional growth.
If you would like to learn more about the Center for Young Women's Development and the Sisters Rising program, visit: http://www.cywd.org/rising.html.
