Sister, our friend Maria Estes has invited us to come celebrate the legacy of Mrs Annie King - her mother. see the details in the flyer below
Youth Centered Town Hall
Sisters, our friend Nicole Holmes from Center on Halsted wanted to make sure we knew about a Youth-Centered Town Hall that will be hosted in Auburn Gresham. The details are in the Flyer below... Let's support our youth whichever way we can.
The Community Gathers at West Point.
This Saturday, February 6TH, 2016 --- I AM My Sister's Keeper Community-Collaborative was blessed to be a part of the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day event at West Point Missionary Baptist Church. The event, "Southside Churches and Community Unite", was spearheaded by HIV/AIDS Activist, and I AM My Sister's Keeper member, Sherman Bryant; bringing several organizations together for the purpose of making the community aware of: the latest HIV/AIDS campaigns and other developments, newest HIV/AIDS preventive options (PREP), dispelling myths, and making sure our youth have a more vested interest in their sexual health.
I AM My Sister's Keeper Adult Counselors Kimberly Foster provided HIV testing and counseling throughout the day, and our Peer Educator Shantell participated in the closing panel discussion.
As attending community members were able to walk away with empowering information, and a deeper understanding of this growing threat to our community, we've yet again taken another step towards The Dream of an AIDS Free Generation.
We'd like to say a special thank you to First Lady Carol Jakes and Rev Dr. Bernard Jakes, for graciously hosting this special event. And, to all of the organizations that contributed their talents and resources to ensure the events success, including: AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Chicago Dept. of Public Health, BTAN, South Side Health Center, Connect2Protect, HELP, Black Gay Mens Caucus, Holy Angels Roman Catholic Church, First Church of Deliverance, Trinity United Church in Christ, Faith United Methodist, Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, Hartzell United Methodist Church, and Greater Full Gospel Pentecostal.
You may CLICK HERE to see all of the images from this event. If you were a participating organization, and would like to use the images to help spread the buzz... or. if you simply have a question or concern... feel free to reach out to our HSIC (Head Sister In Charge) Kimberly Foster.
As always, we invite you to join THE MOVEMENT, take THE PLEDGE, and show THE WORLD that YOU ARE Your Sister's Keeper.
Save the date... enjoy A Star-Studded Christmas Concert
Our friends over at Compassion Word Ministries are preparing to deliver their Gift of Love Christmas Concert featuring Effie Rolfe, Kim Stratton, and many more... AND YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS IT. see add below for details
Sharing is Caring... From the Community Treasure Chest
Dearest Sister's and Community Allies, our friends over at Strengthening Chicago's Youth ( SCY ) have an opportunity for you or someone that you know to be trained and prepared to respond to child sexual abuse.
SCY was created to take a policy and systems approach to violence prevention and they do an outstanding job of bringing the community together to have much needed conversations, trainings, and access to resources.
To Check out their latest newsletter CLICK HERE
Below is the information about the training and the contact person and phone number for those interested.
Host Chicago CAC Training
Ready to Respond?
Chicago Children's Advocacy Center provides training for professionals, parents and community members on responding to child sexual abuse. Through lecture and discussion, the presentation covers:
- how to define child abuse and child sexual abuse
- behavioral indicators of abuse
- reacting to disclosures of sexual abuse
- trauma and its impact
- the mandated reporting process
- Chicago Children's Advocacy Center's role
- how to support children, families and yourself
This training lasts up to three hours and can be done on-site at your location. CE hours are available for licensed social workers, licensed counselors and early intervention providers.
To schedule a training for your workplace or community site, contact Julia at JStrehlow@ChicagoCAC.org or (312) 492-3718.
Kicking Off World Aids Day
This Sunday marked the kick-off to World Aids Day efforts around the city, state, and country --- and as always --- I AM My Sister's Keeper was blessed with the opportunity to come alongside the efforts of several churches around town.
Our Adolescent Peer Educators were on hand to share stories and educate everyone about HIV/AIDS prevention and sexual health. Our Adult Counselors were on hand to provide HIV/AIDS testing and counseling. And for those that wanted to honor our fallen, we were able to provide balloons and helium tanks for ballon releases.
I would like to say 2 special thank you's --- the first of which is to Pastor and First Lady Estes of Compassion Word Ministries, who as a part of their commitment to the youth, aligned their World Aids Day Efforts with their Youth Sunday --- making it as easy as possible for their young people to gain much needed knowledge and understanding about HIV/AIDS and their sexual health. And as an added bonus, I was able to break bread with 5 of the young men in attendance who made the decision to give their lives to GOD.
The other special thanks is to Pastor and First Lady Ledbetter of Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church. Thank you for your commitment to the community and your willingness to lead from the front.
(featured in the slideshow below) this power couple, particularly First Lady LaToyia, was the youngest to participate in the Walgreens First Ladies Health Initiative that took place back in late September. Of the many health concerns that the initiative addressed, First Lady LaToyia thought that HIV/AIDS was important enough for her to go affront their entire congregation and be tested. The response was so overwhelming, that the testers ran out of test kits by the end of the 1ST of the 4 hours scheduled.
With World Aids Day arriving just two months later, the committed couple went back to the pulpit to make sure that those who wanted to get tested still had the opportunity.
As a community collaborative to eradicate HIV/AIDS among African American Women and Girls, I know I speak for the entire I AM My Sister's Keeper Network when I say that we are encouraged and inspired by those whose actions say out loud --- "I AM My Sister's Keeper."
CLICK HERE to see all of the images from this event.
Let's Party With A Purpose
A special Thank You to the Chicago Metropolitan Breast Cancer Task Force for allowing The I AM My Sister's Keeper Network to be a part of their Beyond October! Party With a Purpose, event on this Saturday at IIT's Herman Hall.
I AM My Sister's Keeper Adult Councilors and Adolescent Peer Educators were blessed with the opportunity to come alongside, providing HIV testing, proper condom use demonstrations, and taking advantage of each and every opportunity to stimulate much needed conversation about better women's sexual health in our communities.
The Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force (The Task force) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the fight against breast cancer inequalities in Metropolitan Chicago.
Born out of the fact that many women are not able to get care or don't get the best quality of care based on where they live, the type of insurance they have, how much money they earn and their race --- and the fact that these inequalities leave women of color and poor women in a situation where they are more likely to die from breast cancer or become sicker due to their battle with the disease --- The Task Force used Saturday's event to bring the community together.
Executive Director Anne Marie Murphy, Ph.D. and Associate Director Teena L. Francois, MPH
The strength of their leadership was especially on displays as they successfully brought community health services, community resources, and community businesses all under one roof with the collective intentions of fostering efforts toward healthier lifestyles. And on behalf of each and every member of The I AM My Sister's Keeper Network, we applaud The Task Force, their leaders, staff, and volunteers, and all of the community organizations and businesses that participated.
Chicago's First Ladies are Their Sister's Keeper too.
On Sunday September 27th I AM My Sister's Keeper was blessed to be a part of The Seventh Annual --- Walgreens First Ladies Health Day. As always, our Adolescent Peer Educators and Adult Counselors were on hand to provide HIV/AIDS testing and counseling and to arm the community with the much needed facts about this growing threat to our community.
The First Ladies Health Initiative, comprised of pastors’ wives from 70 churches in Chicago and Northwest Indiana, has partnered with sponsor Walgreens as well as bioLytical Laboratories and the Bishop Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation to offer free health tests simultaneously at their respective churches.
Some 30,000 tests were expected to be administered for high blood pressure, diabetes, breast cancer, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS and other illnesses that disproportionately affect African-Americans.
In an exciting new venture, bioLytical will donate 800 of their INSTI® 60-second rapid HIV testing kits here, and for every test administered during the Chicago First Ladies Health Day, bioLytical also will donate a free INSTI® HIV test to the Bishop Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation in South Africa.
We would like to thank all of the churches and their First Ladies who allowed us to come alongside, and all of the members, neighbors, and community businesses who ultimately made the day a success.
CLICK HERE to access all of the images from this event.
Step Up Get Tested
On Saturday, June 27th, 2015 I AM My Sister's Keeper was on the move as a part of National HIV Testing Day efforts around the city. Thank you to all of the individuals, businesses, and organizations that made the day a success.
HOLY ANGELS HIV/AIDS MINISTRY --- COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR AND CLOTHING DRIVE
LOWDEN HOMES ANNUAL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AND HEALTH FAIR
DONZELL HOLCOLM MEMORIAL PICNIC
STEP UP GET TESTED EVENT AT 87TH STREET ROLLER RINK
CLICK HERE to access all of the images from this event
Long Term Survivor's Day
On Friday June 5TH, The I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement stopped by the Chicago Cultural Center to celebrate I AM My Sister's Keeper's very own, Shurand Adams, who received a Long Term Survivor's Award --- as well as to participate in Chicago's first officially proclaimed Long Term Survivors Day.
In 2004, The Long Term Survivors’ Awards, conceptualized by Bruce Edwards, became the signature 4th quarter event of the Chicago HIV/AIDS Caucus --- EASE --- to acknowledge individuals that were living with HIV.
The first event presented 13 trophies representing 3 categories, fashioned after the Olympic Awards: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Each category was equated with a certain number of years that an individual was living with HIV. Gold: 20+ yrs., Silver: 10+ yrs.,Bronze 7+yrs. And, recently, a fourth category, Platinum for 30 yrs.
Previous Long Term Survivor's Award recipients pose for photo.
Since It's Inception, The long Term Survivors’ Awards goals were to:
• To acknowledge individuals living with HIV/AIDS for their constant struggles to survive the harsh realities they face daily, the physical, mental, emotional, psychological, and financial challenges imposed upon them by this epidemic.
• To allow People Living with HIV/AIDS to “Smell their Roses,” while they can.
• To promote Public advocacy among people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
• To address the issues of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS, and .
• To encourage PLWHA to become empowered enough to join the fight, and empower themselves and their community.
Gold Medal Winner Patricia Johnson
Gold Medal Winner Michael O’Connor
What make's this years awards especially nice, is not just the fact that Shurand received an award and in doing so helped move The I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement forward. Not just the fact our our illustrious Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proclaimed June 5th as National Long Term Survivors Day, creating a bigger platform to continue to bring awareness, honor and focus on those individuals that continue to survive the many challenges of being infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
What makes this years awards especially great is that the acknowledgment of I AM My Sister's Keeper members like Shurand this year, and Sherman in years past, coupled with the acknowledgment by Mayor Rahm Emanuel of the day and it's significance --- all point to the fact that The I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement and it's goal of helping us all move towards The Dream of an AIDS Free Generation, is not that far off, and that there are many who are committed to doing the work, and others who are joining the fight daily --- all sharing that same dream.
Congrats to this years honorees, I pray that “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” And... that he gives you the strength that you need to continue to do the great work that you are doing.
Please CLICK HERE to see all of the images from this event
The I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement - Nashville, make a stop in Chicago
On Wednesday April 22nd, our sister Tiye Amos-Mandela, who has single handedly been representing us in Nashville, came home to be a keynote speaker, at the National Black Evangelical Association conference of 2015.
Our leader, Kimberly Foster, came out to show her support and enjoy, once again, the telling of her amazing and inspiring story --- as well as to be a part of the gathering of evangelist from near and far.
A special thank you to Sister Tiye for your authentic love for God's people, and to all of those who came out to make the conference a success.
CLICK HERE for access to all of the images from this event
Condoms and Banana Splits
This Tuesday --- February 17TH --- The I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement made a stop at Roosevelt University, where the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho --- as a part of a Black History Month Initiative --- brought other Black Greek Organization Members together to learns the Ins & Outs of proper condom use.
Our very own Kimberly Foster spoke candidly with those in attendance, sharing stories, encounters, and first hand experiences that ultimately provoked a deeper level of thinking about the pleasurable and and not so pleasurable aspects of sex.
Together with community stakeholder, Alexandra Arjona of SMILE for CHANGE, those in attendance were treated to an Eye Opening Presentation aimed at raising awareness about how condom use, and more importantly proper condom use, can make sex a great or not so great experience.
The I AM My Sister's Keeper peer education team was on hand to give room-wide and table to table demonstrations, as well as to answer any questions that attendees might have had.
Last but not least, condoms and banana splits for everyone.
And as it is our custom... we took the opportunity to ask those new to The I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement --- what they found "empowering" that they would share with other community members,that could ultimately help us all move towards "THE DREAM OF AN AIDS FREE GENERATION."
browse the gallery below to see what they had to say.
A special Thank You to our community-building-collaborators: Brothers Health Collective and Sigma Ghama Rho Sorority Incorporated.
PICS: the I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement stops by Holy Angels
Here are some of the images from when My Sister's Keeper's stopped by Holy Angels to see the work being done on their AIDS Quilt.
A Special thanks to the ladies in red for all their hard work, and for giving each and every one of us something special to look forward to for World AIDS Day.
CLICK HERE to check out all of the images from this event, and if you haven't already, please take a second to join THE MOVEMENT, take THE PLEDGE, and show THE WORLD that you are Your Sister's Keeper.
UPDATE: We need your help now.
TODAY, a growing group of thoughtful, committed citizens have come together to do something about the way HIV/AIDS is affecting women in the black community --- and we need your help. This year we have taken the old "each 1 reach 1" model and upgraded it to a bigger and bolder "each 1 reach 100" model. We believe that --- with your help --- we can get 1,000 neighbors to take The I AM My Sister's Keeper Pledge, and that those same 1,000 can help us reach 100,000 of our most thoughtful and committed community members.
TODAY, over 300 brothers and sisters have taken the I AM My Sister's Keeper Pledge, helping to push the I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement forward.
TODAY, we invite you to join The I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement, and stand with us by taking THE PLEDGE and showing THE WORLD that You are Your Sister's Keeper.
TODAY, we need your help to move towards The Dream of an AIDS Free Generation, and we need your help now.
WE ARE MORE --- by Jordan
This was the day when we learned about Adultism. Adultism is the oppression of youth by adults, if us as youth can show adults we are more than what they think of us, we'll all be better off for it.
CLICK HERE to check out all of the images from this event, and if you haven't already, please take a second to join THE MOVEMENT, take THE PLEDGE, and show THE WORLD that you are Your Sister's Keeper.
This was a good day --- by Shuntelle
On this day we learned new ways for the youth to teach other youths --- in a comfortable setting making them feel able to speak and voice their opinion and also gaining knowledge about safe sex and HIV/AIDS.. THIS WAS A GOOD DAY.
CLICK HERE to check out all of the images from this event, and if you haven't already, please take a second to join THE MOVEMENT, take THE PLEDGE, and show THE WORLD that you are Your Sister's Keeper.
PICS: The I AM My Sister's Keeper Movement stops by the Croc Center's Back to School Event
Here are some of the images from My Sister's Keeper's participation in this outstanding back to school event.
A Special thanks to Jennifer Hudson and her foundation for making this event possible, and to all of the community organizations who came out and provided services and resources to help make this the best school year possible.
CLICK HERE to check out all of the images from this event, and if you haven't already, please take a second to join THE MOVEMENT, take THE PLEDGE, and show THE WORLD that you are Your Sister's Keeper.
PICS: I AM My Sister's Keeper members come together for ADULTISM training.
Here are a few images from our ADULTISM training.
A special thanks to The Chicago Freedom School, for showing our more seasoned members how important it is that we see our younger members the way we aught.
PICS: I AM My Sister's Keeper members come together for HIV/AIDS Facts Training
Here are a few images from the HIV/AIDS Facts Training.
A special thanks to The Red Cross for coming in and making knowing the facts about HIV/AIDS an enjoyable experience.
CLICK HERE to check out all of the images from this event, and if you haven't already, please take a second to join THE MOVEMENT, take THE PLEDGE, and show THE WORLD that you are Your Sister's Keeper.
MSK and Ray Lewis Thornton @The Expo for Today's Black Woman
Activist and now Author, Ray Lewis Thornton took some time, after participating in the I AM My Sister's Keeper panel discussion, to sign a few books and sell a few pieces of her one of a kind original jewelry.
CLICK HERE to check out all of the images from this event, and if you haven't already, please take a second to join THE MOVEMENT, take THE PLEDGE, and show THE WORLD that you are Your Sister's Keeper.