Sister Circle:

The Sister Circle cohort is led by a group of talented young women who aspire to inspire and lift each other up by simply being in the same room as one another. Their sponsor, Ms. Reese, says that before this club was even a thing, it was a safe space, a calmer flow compared to the rushing waters. She says, “A lot of the girls would naturally gather in my room because it felt like a safe space where they could talk, decompress, and be themselves.” Black women are a marginalized group of individuals, and as a result of this, little support is given to this community. The best way to keep each other standing is to understand that the outside world has crumbling wooden floors. One wrong move, one wrong trip, can break that support between you and the house that’s filled with those who claim to care about you. This is why, as a community, we need to build our own stable floors, a pure white marble, with subtle gray markings. That perfectly imperfect pure support can hold up thousands upon thousands of stacked building blocks. We build each other up, and we hold that support. 

  Within the next 5 years, Ms. Reese sees Sister Circle expanding their mansion to new heights, to reach more schools, to build more building blocks into tall, curated structures. Ms. Reese expresses that she would “love to see Sister Circle expand beyond one school and collaborate with other schools across the district by creating additional chapters.” Sister Circle is more than just a community, it’s someone’s dream, an aspiration. It’s a goal that some fear they will reach when they’re up above and soaring amongst the clouds. Sister Circle is a blessing, and Ms. Reese and her girls are pushing this organization to be something it never was before.

Girls STEM Cohort:

The STEM field lacks female minds. 70% of men make up the field that’s known to bring together innovation and inspiration. Women are needed more and more in STEM, especially with the rise of AI and other innovative technologies. The Girls STEM cohort understands this and strives to push more women into STEM by immersing them in the field. The STEM activities these girls do don’t just push them into understanding the field; they create long – lasting bonds between those who share similar passions. According to Lan-Madeliene Do, a sophomore here at Arlington Tech, the connections that she’s made will help further herself in her career. She claims, “Honestly, yeah, I feel like the amount of advice and the people who have come to talk to the girls’ cohort as a whole will definitely help me in my career and further my education because it’s just easier to know that other people have gone through what you’re trying to go through.”

Again, feeling support where it can feel like there’s no support is so crucial, because it helps one understand that they’re not the only ones holding their own hand. They don’t have to keep their hands close to their chest to feel the blood of the covenant that everyone swore to protect. Difficulty and hardship will still arise, but the understanding that one is not alone is a feeling that one can only explain through experience. Lan-Madeleine Do said, “I know it’s gonna be very difficult but as long as I can see that people have done it or are currently doing it, it feels fulfilling. It feels like I can do it too, and that gives me more hope for the future.” 

LLT (Latinas Leading Tomorrow)

LLT assists young women in becoming closer to their roots, their culture, and where they belong. Similar to Sister Circle, LLT specializes in strengthening the connection between marginalized groups to build that stable home. Their sponsor, Ms. Frazier, creates the foundation for her girls. She creates this community by setting the foundation. She’s seen as the light, hope for these girls as her presence and advice are able to create a stable path for these girls to walk through. One of her girls, Sofia Netto, harps on this: “Ms. Frazier has been a big part of that. She’s someone I can go to for advice and just talk things through with”. With the goal of this organization being for young girls to become immersed in their culture, LLT has been known to invite women of similar backgrounds. When they share their stories, it’s truly enlightening. To hear women of similar backgrounds breaking down what built them up helps these girls realize that “the end” doesn’t have to be their end. They can write their own words, draw their own pictures, and create storybooks of inspiration. 

Once these girls create these books, they share them with each other. Every girl is a mentor, as everyone can learn from someone else. One member, Ainhara Reyes Lucumi, recounts that “Being in LLT has helped me find people who go through and experience similar things and has helped me become more comfortable sharing my experiences and struggles.” The bright light that is LLT shines through every girl in their own way. Each light, however, has different colors from the last, but never dimmer. Everyone feeds, learns, and grows off each other’s lights, similar to a plant. Within this garden, all the flowers use each other to fully connect with and feel their roots. However, this garden doesn’t require outside sources to help it grow. Their support is the light, and the many tears they shed represent the water. LLT is remarkable, and so are their stories. That chapter of LLT is one to follow them even when they’re soaring above the clouds.