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SisterNet is a network of African American women committed to nurturing healthy lifestyles and community activism. We have envisioned a new model for Black women's organizing dedicated to creating wholeness and balance through physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual health. We see our efforts as an essential part of a political strategy to resist oppression and shape livable communities.

 

Current Initiatives

  • Semi-annual Gatherings
    Get With The Program is a health conference held in the Spring and Fall of each year dedicated to one of our four aspects of health and healing. These gatherings represent a regular opportunity for re-acquaintance, renewal, and re-commitment for community-based Black women.


  • Reading Circles
    We want to ensure African American women are: sustaining the habit of reading; discussing material to increase our depth of understanding; and imagining how it does or does not apply to our lives.


  • Success Circles
    Central to our effort is a commitment to resist internalized oppression through self-examination and mutual support. Our Womanist Circles help participants with the arduous personal and collective task of teasing apart what is authentically African American female psyche and persona, and what is a contrived caricature that does not serve our interests.


  • Action Circles
    These groups are organized as needed to channel women interested in building knowledge and experience in a particular area where other members are already active; or to initiate a project to further the interests of Black women, for instance, an effort to ensure culturally-appropriate counseling or other health-related services.


  • Soul Mates
    Women have found regular mutual support to be a key element in their efforts to get and stay on track with their personal goals. Our Soul Mates (buddy system) help meet that need.


  • Afya Project
    Afya (Swahili for "health") is a participatory action research project designed to engage women in assessing and increasing their access to health information and services. At the same time, it nurtures their interest, proficiency, and participation related to information technology and the Internet.

  • Madame CJ Walker Health Empowerment Project
    Local Black hair stylists receive training and support to serve as health educators and resource and referral agents for their clients. A small resource library is also available to clients on site.

Participant Profile
Between our semi-annual gatherings, circles, leadership support, and other activites, our participants have been: all Black; all female; between 18 and 70+ years, with the highest concentration between mid-thirties to mid-fifties; and from below poverty (public assistance) to "comfortably" middle income.

Organizational Management and Responsibility
SisterNet is a local, independent, community-based network managed by a part-time director in partnership with a volunteer advisory board.

 

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SisterNet Online was developed in the Afya Project with support from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services and Prairienet.

Last updated March 15, 2002