On October 10, 2015, the membership of BBAAC had the exciting and wonderful opportunity to serve within the Alameda County Juvenile Hall Girl’s Unit. We were there to support the young women in completing a service activity aimed at getting them to envision their futures. Through this service we hoped to be role models for some, if not most of the young women there.
Being a role model is characterized by a person’s or a group ability display behaviors or embody features of success and achievement that can be emulated by younger generations. As women of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., that is exactly what we aspire to be, “the example that others can follow”. In a county such as ours, one that is heavily diverse and urbanized, many of the youth lack the opportunity to be exposed to people whom they can call a role model. This is not to say that their parents are not capable of the task, because for a lot of us, our parents are our role models regardless of their experiences. However, many of our kids still fall victim to a system that only aims to criminalize them.
On this day of service we spoke to the young women about college and its importance in propelling them forward in their career endeavors. In addition, we provided them with a brief history of Delta Sigma Theta, as well as sororities in general, and highlighted the positive aspects of being in a sorority (network opportunities, lasting relationships, professional women, resume builder, etc.).
The most significant aspect of the time spent was the level of engagement the young women displayed in the activity through their questions and active participation. The purpose of the vision board activity was to allow the young women to think about and reflect on their future and create a portrait filled with their hopes and dreams. As we led the vision board activity, it was rejuvenating to see the time and effort they put into creating their boards. There is no doubt in our minds that if we continue to give our youth opportunities such as these, slowly but surely change will begin to take place. We were honored to have been able to put on this service activity and we thank all the sorors who were able to join us!
Respectfully,
Community Service Task Force Co-Chairs Mecca Shakoor and Kaycee Hasan
Feature Photo: by Richard Ross via SF Chronicle February 24, 2015
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