Sister-2-Sister (S2S) is a student-led mentorship program, based at Bard College, that provides guidance and opportunity to young women of color in Kingston High School, Bard High School Early Colleges, and other nearby communities. S2S began in 2018 as part of Bard CCE and as a Trustee Leader Scholar program, which is a program at Bard College that supports leadership development in the context of hands-on, student-initiated, community engagement projects. S2S is modeled on the successful Brothers@ program (which the AFF has provided grants to in multiple years), with a unique focus on art as a vehicle for expression. The fundamental mission of Sister2Sister is to foster self-worth and, through mentorship, encourage young women of color to explore educational and artistic excellence. S2S “provides space where young women of color feel they are a priority instead of a minority, and they are offered the necessary skills and information to succeed in the world while sharing love, peace, and wisdom from one sister to another.” The program currently works with 15-20 young women of color from Kingston High School. Now, Sister2Sister is planning to scale up their model and influence the way high schools and colleges provide support to young women of color. These plans include a bonding retreat, weekly meetings, mentorship retreats, and affirmation boxes for participants. This year, the Ascienzo Family Foundation was able to grant $25,000 to Sister2Sister to further support their endeavors!
Sister2Sister: Partnership Spotlight #8