STSI & Community Partners to Host Week of Action Summit March 27th thru April 1st

Sister to Sister International (STSI) & Community Partners will host a Week of Action Summit beginning Monday, March 27th – Saturday, April 1st. The summit will be virtual on Monday - Thursday evening from 6:30 – 7:45 pm and in person “live” on Saturday, April 1st, 2023, at the Grinton I. Will Library 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. The webinars during the week are complimentary, and registration is required for both virtual and the in-person event.

The in-person event will feature Keynote Speaker Congresswomen Yvette Clarke, “back by popular demand” as well as key community leaders that will address issues in the STSI Platform for Action. The Special Guest Mistress of Ceremonies will be News 12 reporter Carol Wilkinson. The day will offer great opportunities to learn, engage and link with STSI as a member and or community partner. STSI will also spotlight their STEM Sistahs and a Mentoring Circle pilot they have been engaged in with the Black Women’s affinity group at the internationally renowned UKG Human Resource Corporation. The suggested donation for the live event on Saturday is $20.00 and lunch, snacks and other surprises will be provided.

Cheryl Brannan, President and founder of STSI said, “We are very excited about the outstanding array of speakers during our Summit this year! They will bring important perspectives to augment the great work that our workgroup leaders and members have been doing to advance Black women and girls in Westchester County and beyond.”

In 2019 STSI published seminal research entitled “Still I Rise: Status of Black Women & Girls in Westchester County.” The report and its four pillars served as the catalyst for STSI’s collective impact workgroups, including nonprofits, government, for profit businesses, faith-based institutions and other stakeholders who created a Platform for Action.

The goal of the Platform for Action Strategies is to improve outcomes for Black girls and women in Westchester County related to rates of exclusionary school discipline, entry into the juvenile justice system, decreasing maternal mortality and teen pregnancy rates, along with enhancing healthy lifestyles, increasing STEAM & Health education opportunities, and expanding entrepreneurship, pay equity and economic prosperity.

The Week of Action webinar & in-person event schedule of dynamic speakers is as follows:

Monday, March 27th (6:30 – 7:45 pm) Juvenile & Social Justice

“It Takes A Village: Leveling the Playing Field for our Youth!”

Presenters: Dr. Darlene Russell, Dr. Alexandria Connally, Pat White, Workgroup Co-chairs, and Shurla Tukuru Chairperson, Ossining Parents Advocating Collectively for our Children (OPACC).

Tuesday, March 28th (6:30 – 7:45 pm) Entrepreneurship, Pay Equity & Economic Prosperity

“It Takes A Village: Show Me the Money!”

Presenters: Charmaine Golding, MS STSI Board Member & Workgroup Chair; Lauren Morris, Owner, Loola Doola Boutique, STSI Board Member, Moderator; Stefanie Blue Consulting & Editor-in-Chief Connect 2 Blue e-Magazine and Lorna Hawthorne Golden Krust Franchisor & CEO LLHOMD; a Spotlight on members of the STSI Black Business Directory.

Wednesday, March 29th (6:30 – 7:45 pm) Black Maternal Health & Healthy Lifestyles. “It Takes A Village: Improving Birth Outcomes for Black Birthing People!”

Presenters: Cheryl Brannan, MS Founder, STSI & Black Maternal & Child Center of Excellence (BMCCE); Cheryl Hunter-Grant LMSW, STSI Team Leader President, IOE Consulting, Moderator; Dr. Sherlita Amler, MD MS FAAP Commissioner, Westchester County Department of Health; Dr. Angela Campbell, Executive Director, Lower Hudson Valley Perinatal Network & STSI Board Member; Barbara DiNoto, RN Director of Maternity Services, St. John’s Riverside Hospital; Dr. Suzanne Greenidge, FACOG Woman to Woman OBGYN & Physician, St.John’s Riverside Hospital, member STSI Steering Committee; Nubia Earth Martin, MS President, Birth from the Earth and STSI Team Leader;

Thursday, March 30th (6:30 – 7:45 pm) STEM, STEAM, Health (SSH) Curricula & Careers

“It Takes A Village: Improving Birth Outcomes for Black Birthing People!”

Presenters: Jhinelle Walker, Jadesola Colpa and Brianna Cauthen, Workgroup co-chairs; Tinuke Colpa, MA, Owner Westchester College Consultants & STSI Board Member; 10 Myths regarding college for parents and students. Spotlight on STSI STEAM programming, community partners and hear from alumni!

On Friday evening we will take a break in the action and return in person on Saturday for our spectacular live summit.

In-person Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 (10:00 – 4:00 pm)

The culmination of the Week of Action Summit will occur on Saturday, April 1st, 2023, at 10:00 am at the Grinton I. Will Library, 1500 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY. In addition to the keynote speaker Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, other presenters include Angel Gray Program & Policy Manager at Westchester Children’s Association, who will present on advocacy; Min. Kim “KJ” Murray Cruse, Faith & Mental Health Consultant, will present on Self-care; Nicole Taylor UKG, Manager Belonging, Diversity & Equity, will share on the STSI/UKG Mentoring Circle pilot; Bruce McIntyre, President savArose Foundation and featured dad in the Aftershock documentary, will present and provide a tour of his Womb Bus and other educational resources; Joanne Dunn, Executive Director, Youth Shelter Program of Westchester, will present on Juvenile Justice; It Takes a Village, so don’t miss the STSI 3rd Annual Week of Action! Register at TINYURL.COM/STSI2023WOASUMMIT

For more information email bwgc215@gmail.com log onto s2si.org stsiinternational on instagram and @stsionthemove twitter.

About Sister to Sister International, Inc.

STSl’s mission is to motivate, educate, train and advocate for the advancement of Black women, girls and families of color locally and globally. Primary areas of program focus include STEM & STEAM Education, Health and Wellness, Juvenile and Social Justice and Entrepreneurship and Economic Prosperity. The promotion of Equity and Inclusion, African Culture and Global Affairs are incorporated in all STSl’s programing. STSI conducts research on the status of Black women and girls in Westchester County and collaborates with various partners globally. STSI holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations since 2004.