Bianca's Shoes

Hi Guys,

I talked briefly about our shoe drive,  "Bianca's Shoes" in the last blog post that's currently going on now until  November 16th. For those of you that want to be a blessing to someone and donate your gently used or new shoes, we welcome you. This is our first shoe drive and it's in honor of someone very dear to my heart, my cousin Bianca Renee Hill who passed away suddenly in 2010 at the age of 21.It's taken me a while to write about this and since it's such a touchy subject, I'll just share the solicitation letter about our first philanthropic event: 

Locations:

And just a few pics of the girl behind the name, the great Bianca Renee Hill!

We're Back!!!

Hey Guys!!!

I know it's been a while since our last blog post! There's been so much going on since the last submission so let me update you:

Since the last blog post we now have a beautiful website!! If you haven't checked it out yet....what are you waiting for????? Go to www.sistersincleadership.org and explore our pages of info, upcoming events, lovely pics and my personal favorite yet inspirational song!!! 

We are now Community Partners with the University of Chicago!! So what does that mean? The University of Chicago Community Service Center has paired our program and other businesses/organizations and matched us with their  undergraduate and graduate students that have expressed interest in giving back to the community. S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. was matched with the Masters of Arts Program in the Humanities Division , known by its acronym MAPH. The students selected in this program come from unique backgrounds that I think would bring an interesting dynamic to the participants of the program. I'll update you as the program continues.

I'm excited we've now started back with programming during the  school year with 50 participants so far and everything is going well!!!Participating schools include: Holy Angels Catholic School, King College Prep and Kozminski Elementary. Check out Pics from our "Get to know you" Kick-off below!

"Bianca's Shoes" Shoe Drive is going on NOW until November 16th, so if you have shoes you would like to donate please check out our website for that information.

Last but certainly not least for our updates..........................drum roll please........................................
S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Leadership Program is now a 501(c)3 charitable organization !!!!! We're officially official!! All praise to GOD for opening doors and making that transition a fast one. I don't mean to brag but....we were approved in 7 weeks!!!!Now when the actual letter was mailed off ....smh..that's a different story. However, I'm now looking forward to all the work ahead in receiving funding and becoming the functioning organization that has been envisioned back in 2005. (Yes that's how long ago GOD gave this vision. But that's for another blog post!)

I'm so excited for all that has taken place thus far. I encourage you to continue supporting us by reading our blog post and updates and watch GOD work in our young ladies!! Check out the pics below!

~The Founder~

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc.Updates

Hey Followers! I know it's been a little over a month since we last submitted a blog to our page. There's been some exciting things that we've been planning: 

Check them out!! 

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Leadership Program Presents:

 “Everyday is a Runway" Fashion Show Fundraiser  

When: Friday, June 22^nd

 Where: King College Prep High School 4445 S. Drexel.

Time 7:00-10:00pm.

Clothing provided by: 828 Collection, Tj Maxx, & Kiwis Boutiquee

Live Entertainment and Refreshments will be served!

This family event!!

Tickets: $10 on Eventbrite and $15 at the door, $5 for children ages 12 & under Go to our link: http://sistersincleadership.eventbrite.com

This Event is Free!!

We hope that you can come out to support  both of these events!!!

Want more info? Call us at: 773-819-5783

or email us at: info@sistersincleadership.org

 S.I.S.T.E. R.S. Inc. Website will be launched Soon!! 

Thank you!!

Here's a few Pics from the Etiquette workshop with Instructor Leontina Richardson from Stepping into Etiquette!

One of the things that I can honestly take back from the workshop is making sure I take the time  to send a thank note to show my appreciation.

So with that being said, thank you Leontina for imparting your knowledge and leadership skills into our young ladies! And thanks for bringing Etiquette back into the forefront!

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To book Leontina Richardson's services, go to:www.steppingintoetiquette.com 

Kids etiquette classes aren't completely out of style!

This month our young ladies form S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. will be taking part in some etiquette workshops from Leontina Richardson the founder of Stepping into Etiquette! This young woman is doing her thing and I'm excited for the knowledge that she's going to impart into our young ladies!


Check out this article about how etiquette classes aren't out of style! 

Kids etiquette classes aren't completely out of style


Also check out Ms. Richardson's website at www.steppingintoetiquette.com

10 ways to look and feel your best

10 ways to look and feel your best

1. Love Do something nice for someone, you never know how quickly you can change a person’s mood with an act of kindness. Be nice J

2. Smile   It can light up an entire room and makes everyone think that you are sweet.

3. Sweat   Take a walk, do some cardio, dance like no one is watching. This can relieve much stress and make for an amazing transformation in your waist  line ;)

4. H20 Drink lots of water. Stay hydrated from the inside out. This will affect the appearance of your skin and your over all health.

5. Keep good company be sure to surround yourself with positivity. Don’t stay alone for too long or waist time with cynical people.

6. Keep your ears clean by this I’m talking music. Opt for more upbeat and uplifting music that inspires you to do something great!

7. Eat breakfast Whole grains and healthy snacks in the morning will give you a boost each day. You’ll be surprised what a difference it makes.

8. Wear eyeliner ( ladies only J) I always say the quickest way to change your look is add eyeliner. If you’re going to wear it on the bottom make sure it’s heavier on top.

9. Change up your style add a new color into your wardrobe.  Wearing bright sunny colors can make spring seem closer. Do something different with your style to boost your confidence.

10. Cut back on carbs and sweets. Extra weight can make us feel tired and unhappy. Make sure you don’t overdo it and eat healthy balanced meals throughout the day!

Guest Blogger: Marquita Brown Co-Founder and Artistic Director; TriFYRE

Check her out:

http://www.facebook.com/marquita.m.brown  http://www.facebook.com/trifyre?sk=wall

Ó2012 Marquita Brown

Goal Planning.

I work in the news business as a producer. This is something that didn't happen overnight but thanks to goal planning, I made it happen.
I'll keep this short and sweet so that it will resonate with you. (I find that I always get distracted/bored if an article is too long)

1) Don't set unrealistic goals. Seriously, if you know you won't achieve a goal then why set it? It's wonderful to fantasize but don't say "I'll be the first female president" and you hate politics. That's just unrealistic.

2) Always have 3-5 short term goals and a time to achieve them. I recently started at a new news station and I set five goals that I knew I would master. And so far, three have been checked off my list. These short term goals can be anything from "I'm going to complete three extra credit assignments this semester" to "I will cook dinner every Sunday for the next six months". These obtainable goals will motivate you in the long run. I mean, it feels good to say "I DID IT" right?!

3)ALWAYS HAVE A LONG-TERM GOAL. Know what you want to achieve in the long term. Right out of college, I didn't know what I wanted to do besides make money. I chose that instead of following my orginal career dream. My mom told me to not chose a job because of money but because I loved doing it. Ignoring her, I worked for a retailer and then a cable company. HATED IT! I knew I wasn't happy and decided to do what I loved and that was report the news. It took me about a year and a half after I set the goal to achieve it. But thanks to the help of short term goals, it worked out. And I became a news producer! Same thing can apply to all aspects of life. Just know what you want or where you want to be in life. (this takes prayer/medidation/focus/courage)

4)Don't let anything distract you. Sure, life happens. The unexpected suddenly slaps you in the face. Don't let if get you down. Even if you need to postpone or push some things back...don't let it stop you from achieving what you said you were going to do. When I was trying to get into my career, I was working a full-time job, part-time job, and interning at a television station while auditing a journalism class. And then there was a boyfriend in my life. We'd been dating for four years. He felt neglected and didn't really understand why I suddenly had less time for him. He broke it off with me and I was devastated. But I didn't stop working on my goal! Three months later, I became a news producer. Two and a half years later, I moved to California and now I am a successful, emmy-nominated producer!

5) Once you achieve a goal...set new ones! Complacency is NOT a good look on ANYONE. Even if it's a personal goal like "I'm going to pamper myself once a month" or "I'm going to be a manager in my company in the next five years" you should always strive for something.

Here are some other things that help me: 

*Always network with your teachers, professors, co-workers, employers, etc. Anyone in the field you are/want to be in. They could be your boss one day!

*Never burn bridges. It's hard. SO hard. But even if a professor was downright nasty to you the entire time you took his/her class, never reciprocate it. It's a life lesson that 
will carry on. You'll have opportunities to burn bridges by quitting an employer on the spot, screaming at a co-worker. But you never know what/who can come back to bite you.

*Never forget who helped you. If someone helped motivated you or simply made a phone call that lead to a job interview, always thank them and never forget them. 

*Pay it forward. If someone helped you, help someone else. Plain and simple.

So ladies: plan to achieve the OBTAINABLE. Reach higher than you think you can (but at a realistic height). Distractions happen but YOU would be to blame for letting them affect your outlook on life. And never stop setting goals. They set you up for success...no matter what age! 

Guest Blogger: Akemi Harrison
Follow her: Akemi Harrison (@kemico) on Twitter

Sign up for Twitter to follow Akemi Harrison (@kemico). Producer at KXTV. Lover of breaking news, good music, pretty purses and shoes. Oh, and I like to laugh... a lot!

Thanking God and The Importance of Devotion

Thanking God and The Importance of Devotion

A Simple Guide to Creating a Monthly Budget

Check our another cool informative article from Queen Prep!!!
Click on the title link below to view!


A Simple Guide to Creating a Monthly Budget

Being a Good Steward!!!

Money this. Finances that. Good credit, slow credit, bad credit, no credit.  Budget now.  Blow it all. 401K. IRA.  Surely you’ve heard at least one of these. 

Good stewardship is the fundamental financial principle.  If you commit to a few simple practices, you’ll secure a healthy financial future.

Here’s the foundation:

Pay God first.  Pay yourself next.  Pay your bills on or before the due date.  Watch things fall into place.

Tithing is at the forefront of stewardship.  See it as trusting God with the resources that He’s kindly provided you.  In the end, you will realize that He can accomplish more with your remaining 90% than you can with your 100 percent.  Try the NIV Stewardship Study Bible for extra help.

Saving is the core of budgeting and self-discipline.  Living within or below your means is beyond attractive, sexy, and fancy.  New dresses, shoes, cars, jewelry, and furniture will be produced every minute, hour, day, week, month, and year.  Most places you’d like to visit are not moving any time soon. We’re all human and we get tempted.  I know how difficult it can be to stick with a budget, but it’s becoming easier and easier with resources provided by many banks.  My personal favorite is www.learnvest.com!

Most people want a cookie for paying their bills on time.  Realistically speaking, your credit score is that cookie.  We could even call it a fortune cookie.  Bad credit can easily defer a cash dependent dream. Unfortunately, people actually judge you by this system.  Employers check it. Banks check it. Apartments check it.  Cell phone companies check it. Department stores check it.  Insurance companies check it.  If you have established a credit history, you should definitely check it—for free of course. Point is, in many instances, people see your credit score before they see you.   Don’t dismiss this; your credit is not limited to actual credit card accounts. 

Since we’re on the subject of credit cards, they are the devil.  Maybe devil is a little strong.  Credit card lenders are predators.  If you determine that you must have a credit card for EMERGENCY purposes, make sure that the limit is an amount that you can comfortably pay back within one month’s time.  This means no minimum or monthly payments spread out over long periods of time accumulating interest and making an item or service extremely higher than it was initially. Pay that bill off each month in full!  I suggest using the money within your checking account as often as possible.  If you don’t have the cash, don’t make the purchase.

The entertainment industry along with the rest of the world sells multiple illusions that you can’t afford to buy.  Tithe. Save. Give. Spend responsibly.

Guest Blogger: Staarland Thompson

Follow her on Twitter: @Staarland

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Blog Project!!!: Great Beauty Tips!!

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Blog Project!!!: Great Beauty Tips!!

Great Beauty Tips!!

As a makeup artist, I've worked with teens, brides, performers, and even those in reality television. I've had the pleasure of meeting women of all color.  Beauty is defined differently all arond the world. Every culture and generation has it's very own meaning of beauty. But there is one thing that we all have in common. There is one thing that every race, every woman wants. That one thing is something that you already possess. It is Youth. Everyone wants it but you have it. Don't believe me? Browse your local drugstore (ex: Walgreens) or Beauty store (ex: Ulta). Pay attention to the amount of age defying or youth renewing products in there. Many seek to rewind time.

          The best beauty advice that I could give you is this:  Celebrate your youth. Enjoy your God given beauty. You are unique. Just think, there's no one else that's an exact duplicate of you. Only you can be the best you. Here are a few tips on how to let you shine through.

Preteens: Makeup? eh...The last thing you want is to look like an eleven year old who doesnt enjoy being eleven. Don't rush to become a teenager. It will happen. In the meantime, embrace your preteens by rocking clear mascara to help define those naturally beautiful lashes, This won't add color but it will help to comb out tangles, long lashes and enourage them to stay put. Think of it as gel for the lashes. Add some lipgloss and you're ready to go!

Age 13-16: When I was this age, I thought that black eyeliner was the one and only answer. Boy was I wrong. With your parents consent, try a soft brown eyeliner. This will keep your eyes fresh and beautiful. Cheek stains or cream blush will add color to the face without looking clown like.

Age 17-20: Ok, so you're old enough now to wear black eyeliner.  But even so, you want to look current and not dated. Here's a good soft smokey look. Take your eyeliner from the outer corner of your lash line (this is right  along your bottom lashes) and bring it to the midlle. Next, take your pinky finger and smooth the liner from the outer corner all the way to inner corner. Interested in foundation? Try mineral powder. It's light, oil free and doesn't irritate the skin. Cream blushes are fantastic for a flush of color without the "I'm wearing blush" look.

I hope that these tips inspire you to be the best you. Beauty begins witing. So shine on girls, shine on. :)

Guest Blogger: Hidejah Zaimah

About Her: "There's beauty that's deeper than skin. There's a beauty that's skin deep. Makeup done right brings the former out of the latter." 
Check her out on Facebook: Makeup by Hidejah Zaimah

Why Purses are Important and What They Should Contain

Hey ladies check out this pretty interesting and informative article from Queen Prep by clicking on the title link below!!!!

Why Purses are Important and What They Should Contain

Top 5 Relationships You Should Have When Finding Yourself.

Do you ever have a problem and wonder who you should talk to, and that wouldn't betray your trust? 

Do you find yourself thinking about an imaginary list of people to call, if only you felt comfortable trusting them with your heart and the feelings and emotions that run through it? If so, you may be ready to examine the 5 relationships you should have while finding yourself and now is the time to create the list.




The relationship list should include:

-Yourself 

- God, the father{He will introduce you to his entourage }

- Your parents

- Great people who encourage you, pray with you and often tell you when you are missing the mark. (they could be grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, coaches, neighbors or people you may encounter only once)

- Siblings ( often times they are on the journey with you or they have a great insight on life) 

The reason why it is important to do this, is because you need to know who can help you become who you are destined to become. The disclaimer is you must put the work in. You must work on you, first!




How? One way to learn what you like and dislike is to take field trips with yourself. Go to the library or bookstore and read the latest magazines or chapters in certain books and don't be afraid to read something out of the norm. Read something that will challenge your thinking. The worst thing that could happen is you may enjoy 

it :-).

Take notice of the relationship with your parents. If you only know one, work on your relationship with that one. Ask yourself if you are you trying to find a common ground with your them? Maybe you can bake some cookies and eat them in bed with them, while chit chatting or while sitting on the couch drinking some cold milk. Cookies and milk are so relaxing plus it brings your defenses down.

If you want to know God, you can spend some time learning about him and who he is to you. You may inquire to what his voice sounds like or what makes him smile or why you created.

Some of the best relationships are made between siblings. I guess it is an unspoken bond that happens in the heavens. When your brother or sister performs well, do you take notes on their accomplishment and congratulate them? If they are locked up, do you write them letters just to let them know that they are in your thoughts?




Relationships are inevitable . The point I want you remember is, to build lasting relationships during your journey of life because you will always be growing and changing. The key is to have conversations with those persons listed and grow into the loving, considerate,awe-inspiring; you!

Author: Gillie D. Abdiraxman-Issa

Her Focus: "To encourage and enlighten others to know themselves and achieve their destiny!"

Contact Her: gillie_beal@yahoo.com

Ingredients to Success!!!

My name is Raven Robinson, currently in my last year as a political science major at the The City College of New York. I work as a freelance publicist for a new small business's throughout the tri-state area.

If I can offer any advice for upcoming female entrepreneurs it will be NETWORK. A word we hear often, but many underestimate this system. Creating connections with people you can learn from as well as you can aide has great long terms effects on your career as well as mental state. Constant connection  around a particular group of peers in your industry of choice offers creates a well needed support group needed for advancement in any field. Being able to express trials  and triumphs to people who have already experienced them makes you feel good, and ensures you receive quality advice moving forward.

Apart of networking is not  solely emailing  Christmas cards or being around people you can benefit from it is about building genuine relationships with positive people with your same goal. I am not saying an actor can not be friends with an accountant but their grind is different in terms of strategy and their interest are different when it comes to particular "industry trends". A great way to make these connections are by getting to know people in your major, joining organizations built around your specific goals. Some informal things are following people in your field on twitter, or linkedin groups with similar interest.

Networking is top ingredient for becoming successful!

Guest Blogger Author: Raven Robinson
Public Relations Consultant
Check her out: www.ravenrobinson.com 
                          www.facebook.com/pr2politics
Email her at:    info@ravenrobison.com

www.ravenrobinson.com

Blog Project 2011!!!: Relationships in College

Blog Project 2011!!!: Relationships in College: When I first came to college I was in a relationship with my “high school sweetheart” of four years. Yes I was one those girls that felt l...

Relationships in College

When I first came to college I was in a relationship with my “high school sweetheart” of four years. Yes I was one those girls that felt like we would be together forever and that it was against the world blah blah blah lol. I just knew we was meant for each other, but little did I know, it would end shortly after I started college (two months to be exact). I was heartbroken like anybody else would be that I was stressing out causing my hair to fallout (by the way the back will not grow back to its original length lol). That was a tough first start of college smh, but I managed to make it through with the help of my friends at the time (some of them are no longer my friends). It took me just about a whole year to fully get over him and yes I’m still single. But I would tell you that in this time that I have been single I have learned a lot about myself and what I want from a guy, cause boyyy I tell you I came across a different kind of species of men in these two years smh, that I even just gave up hope until September 2011 (but I always remained focused on me and my school work). I decided to give this one person a chance (four months to be exact) and as of Saturday I found out he was trying to play me over winter break up until the first week on school smh, boys always playing games, so I’m done with that one.

The moral of my story is, when you go to college everyone expects people to be more mature and act their age in not they shoe size but some people are still simply immature and not ready to grow up. Being in a relationship in college should not be anyone’s main focus because it tends to take away your focus from your school work and yourself (that happened to my friend so now she has to play catch-up). If you do happen to be in relationship that’s all fine and dainty but don’t ever let it steer you in the opposite direction of what’s in important. Also please just keep your eyes open and do not ignore the red flags that appear in your face like I did because if I would have paid attention then maybe just maybe I wouldn't have gotten played like I did lol (I laugh because it’s funny to me now). Finally please remember to make your school work is always number like I did and still do, because you do not want to have to play catch up and be a year behind like some people I know (not that relationships were the only reasons they fail behind but it played a part) because I refuse to pay Aurora University 28,000 of my dollars after the years of 2013 unless it is for graduate school.

P.S do not worry about relationships in college, just worry about yourself and education!!!!!!!! Thanks for reading

                                                                                                                                                                Mz. Berry

Author: Shanequia Berry

King College Prep Hs: Class of 2009

Aurora University: Class of 2013

Vision Board Project Complete!!!

On Tuesday, January 24th,  our young ladies from King College Prep High School completed and presented their Vision Boards to each other. Their boards reflected their 5-10 year plans for their life. I was pretty impressed and excited to see some of their goals illustrated that ranged from being a photographer, doctor, model, business woman in Corporate America, actress, lawyer and for some just enjoying the college life!! I am really excited for the future of  these young ladies!! For them, the sky's the limit!!

Vision Board Project!!!

This month is "College and Career Month" for the ladies of S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. at King College Prep High School. This is the time set aside for the young ladies to talk about their plans for the future and how they want to achieve them. On last week, we brought in some current college students to talk about their experiences; which was really helpful for the our young ladies to get a little more insight on the choices they need to be prepared to make upon entering college. 
This week we will be focusing on Vision Boards! I'm excited for the ladies to start this process because often times we don't take the time to actually write down our goals and plans for life. Because of that, we tend to get distracted and forget why we started on our educational path. The idea behind a Vision Board is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, your life changes to match those images and those desires. Even if this board is just a rough draft for our ladies, we want to open the door to those changes.
I'm excited for our ladies embracing their future!! Pics will be up soon from our Vision Board Project!!!


If you're interested in making your own vision board, check out the link below:


http://www.shift-it-coach.com/2007/03/create-a-vision-board/

To all the gang Bangers...Wow!!

I may be a little late with this posting, but I still think its relevant... check it out!

Tis the Season for New Beginnings!

Happy New Year and New Beginnings to you all!! I have been very blessed in 2011, but I know there are more blessings to come in this new year! I am very excited for what God has in store for S.I.S.T.E.R.S.Inc. We have been through quite a few changes and I knew its for the better! I am submitting this blog today to encourage those to not just have a New Years Resolution, but a 2012 Challenge!!!! Ask yourself: what did you want to accomplish in 2011? Did you complete it? Did you even get close to it?? Did you even start it???

I have spoken to quite a few people about things that they see and want to change, but I haven't really seen them move on it. Why is that? What are you so afraid of?? Failure??? I can understand that part but then again I don't. Just to give you a brief testimony: In January 2010, I quit my job of four years. It was my only source of income, not to mention I moved into my first apartment, got a new car (and a bigger car note), and a puppy. For those that know and understand the expenses that come along with those things, I'm sure you get where I'm going!! Yes, a lot of responsibility! I wasn't happy where I was working and where I was going, there was no room for growth and I knew it was my time to go. My family and friends thought I was crazy for doing it, but I knew there was a better plan for my life, and I was ready for my program to take off. Above all those things God gave me the green-light to go. Now I would have been hesitant to do it on my own, but I knew what I heard and there was no turning back. Was I nervous??? Heck YEAH!!!! But I trusted God. Needless to say that was a very rocky year! S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc was launched, I lost loved ones, depleted all of my resources and even lost partial vision in my left eye. I believe I had to go through those things because God wanted me to trust Him the whole way through this journey of Faith. Even when it looked like all hope was gone, God showed me favor: S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. was really moving forward with a new vision. We became a vendor of Chicago Public Schools and the program began to grow!  I regained my health: spiritually, physically and mentally! My vision for S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. did not die in the mist of all that I was going through! I had to hold on to my vision. Not to mention there were some awesome people I met along the way that aided me in this process.

2011 was a bumpy journey as well, but a blessed one! I have been blessed with so people I have encountered that I can't go anywhere but further! I've been linked with awesome people such as: Michele Taylor, Executive Director and Tracey Hawk-Sydnor, Creator of 365 Girl Foundation/Book and Arkeelaus Sherman, founder of Kee 2 Creativity, and the list will be going on and on!!  With all this being said, I challenge you to write your vision down and began to walk into the things that God has called you to. And if you're down with the 2012 Challenge fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride!!! It's gonna be a crazy ride but its worth every minute!! 

God Bless!

From the Founder