A group on campus is trying to bring the sisterhood back to African-American women on SIU’s campus.
Sisters Interacting Successfully, a program for first-year African-American women that provides them with mentors, held an event entitled, “Sisters Not Haters: The Evolution,” Feb., 10 in the Student Center’s Illinois room.
SIS was started in August 2013 by the Center for Inclusive Excellence.
Lanel Love, Black Resource Center program assistant, said she started SIS after Dereck Williams, BRC coordinator, brought her the idea.
This was the second part to a previous “Sisters Not Haters” event held last November.
Danielle Graham, student coordinator for New Student Programs, helped facilitate both events.
Graham, a sophomore from St. Anne studying biological sciences, said the last event was an opportunity for black women to think about the ways they interact.
“They came to the realization that what they are doing everyday doesn’t have to be that way just because everyone else is doing it,” she said.
“The change is needed.”
She said Tuesday’s event compared what black women have done in the past to promote sisterhood compared to what they do now.
When describing the event Graham said comparing time frames is important to understand black women's interactions with each other.
“It is kind of like a tribute to African-American women in history who worked together as sisters,” Graham said. “Then we’re going to come back to what we previously talked about and try to find where we lost our connection as African-American women.”
Graham said she thinks the media and the way African-American women are portrayed on reality shows are to blame for a lot of women’s negative behavior and attitudes.
She said when women see their favorite reality stars looking and acting a certain way, they want to imitate them and sometimes that does not make the most humble or friendly person.
“We are looking up to the wrong role models,” she said. “Today, in society, we have positive black women role models, but they will follow Rasheeda and K. Michelle before they follow [Michelle] Obama. We are losing focus of what actually matters.”
Crystle LaCroix, a senior from Crystal Lake studying English, was one of the few white women in attendance and said the event was a good exercise in togetherness.
“The larger world oftentimes tears black women down in a lot of different ways, so creating that community among black women is really important and necessary,” she said.
Graham said she wants the events to broaden black women’s outlook.
“I feel like I hope to accomplish the un-accomplishable,” she said. “I’m hoping that maybe if we can even just touch the few women that come here tonight that it’s something that can spread, because we all feed off of each other.”
The group’s effect does not end once its events do. SIS also has a living learning community on the first floor of Bowyer Hall in Thompson point.
Taelor O’Bannon, Black Resource Center coordinator, said the community helps students gain knowledge on what the group is doing, including trips it may take later in the year.
“Being a part of our living learning community gives you a direct line to SIS, so that means if you need tutors we connect you to faculty members in your major,” said O’Bannon, a sophomore from Plainfield studying information technology.
Students can get involved with this organization by either staying in the living learning community, or attending the events and workshops that the program offers, which can be found on the SIU website’s event calendar.
Graham said the event mirrors the efforts of SIS.
“Sisters Not Haters is a reflection of what we hope to accomplish here at S.I.S. on campus,” she said. “We hope for these black women to come together and interact successfully, and we’re doing everything in our power to make sure that happens.”
Written By: Tierra Carpenter
Sisters Interacting Successfully, a program for first-year African-American women that provides them with mentors, held an event entitled, “Sisters Not Haters: The Evolution,” Feb., 10 in the Student Center’s Illinois room.
SIS was started in August 2013 by the Center for Inclusive Excellence.
Lanel Love, Black Resource Center program assistant, said she started SIS after Dereck Williams, BRC coordinator, brought her the idea.
This was the second part to a previous “Sisters Not Haters” event held last November.
Danielle Graham, student coordinator for New Student Programs, helped facilitate both events.
Graham, a sophomore from St. Anne studying biological sciences, said the last event was an opportunity for black women to think about the ways they interact.
“They came to the realization that what they are doing everyday doesn’t have to be that way just because everyone else is doing it,” she said.
“The change is needed.”
She said Tuesday’s event compared what black women have done in the past to promote sisterhood compared to what they do now.
When describing the event Graham said comparing time frames is important to understand black women's interactions with each other.
“It is kind of like a tribute to African-American women in history who worked together as sisters,” Graham said. “Then we’re going to come back to what we previously talked about and try to find where we lost our connection as African-American women.”
Graham said she thinks the media and the way African-American women are portrayed on reality shows are to blame for a lot of women’s negative behavior and attitudes.
She said when women see their favorite reality stars looking and acting a certain way, they want to imitate them and sometimes that does not make the most humble or friendly person.
“We are looking up to the wrong role models,” she said. “Today, in society, we have positive black women role models, but they will follow Rasheeda and K. Michelle before they follow [Michelle] Obama. We are losing focus of what actually matters.”
Crystle LaCroix, a senior from Crystal Lake studying English, was one of the few white women in attendance and said the event was a good exercise in togetherness.
“The larger world oftentimes tears black women down in a lot of different ways, so creating that community among black women is really important and necessary,” she said.
Graham said she wants the events to broaden black women’s outlook.
“I feel like I hope to accomplish the un-accomplishable,” she said. “I’m hoping that maybe if we can even just touch the few women that come here tonight that it’s something that can spread, because we all feed off of each other.”
The group’s effect does not end once its events do. SIS also has a living learning community on the first floor of Bowyer Hall in Thompson point.
Taelor O’Bannon, Black Resource Center coordinator, said the community helps students gain knowledge on what the group is doing, including trips it may take later in the year.
“Being a part of our living learning community gives you a direct line to SIS, so that means if you need tutors we connect you to faculty members in your major,” said O’Bannon, a sophomore from Plainfield studying information technology.
Students can get involved with this organization by either staying in the living learning community, or attending the events and workshops that the program offers, which can be found on the SIU website’s event calendar.
Graham said the event mirrors the efforts of SIS.
“Sisters Not Haters is a reflection of what we hope to accomplish here at S.I.S. on campus,” she said. “We hope for these black women to come together and interact successfully, and we’re doing everything in our power to make sure that happens.”
Written By: Tierra Carpenter
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