“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power.”

—Maya Angelou

They say motherhood is the exquisite inconvenience of being another person’s everything. Whether you are mothering children you birthed, adopted, god children or nieces and nephews, we can all agree that the work and sacrifice of a mother is unfaltering. On behalf of Sister-to-Sister, Inc., we would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and mother-figures who work tirelessly in love and support of others. Mother’s Day is not only a time to show appreciation for the supreme sacrifices made by mothers for their village of children, but also a time of remembrance. It is a time to commemorate women, especially Black women because there ain’t nothing like a Black mama! The burdens we carry are in many ways - immeasurable. As Mother’s Day nears, we wish those celebrating a day filled with relaxation, healing, love, time to yourself and inner peace!

In love and support,

Sister-to-Sister, Inc.

SISTER-TO-SISTER, INC. CELEBRATES THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE HONORABLE GLORIA TRAVIS TANNER

On April 4, 2022, Sister-to-Sister, Inc. was joined by many in mourning the loss of the Honorable Gloria T. Tanner. Most of us know Gloria as an influential Colorado political leader but in truth, she was so much more. Simply stated, Gloria was a woman of great triumph. She was the first Black woman in state history to serve in the Colorado Senate, the second to be elected to a Colorado House of Representatives leadership position, lead founder of Colorado Black Women for Political Action, a co-founder with former Sen. Regus Groff of the Colorado Black Roundtable and the co-creator of NOBEL-Women (National Organization of Black Elected Legislators) headquartered in Washington, D.C.

In 2001, Gloria also established the Leadership and Training Institute for Future Black Women Leaders of Colorado and in 2002, she was bestowed the prestigious honor of being inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. Gloria dedicated her life’s work to shaping emerging leaders and fighting to improve the lives of women and families. Her enduring love and passion for community was unmatched. She was a cherished mother, mentor, friend, and an undisputable trailblazer. And although we are sad that Gloria is no longer with us in her physical form, we can rest easy knowing that she is rejoicing with our ancestors. Click here to read the Honorable Gloria T. Tanner’s History Makers Bio

SISTER-TO-SISTER, INC. CONGRATULATES THE CLASS OF 2022

Sister-to-Sister, Inc. would like to extend a very special congratulations to a few of our dear Sisters on their recent or upcoming graduations! Please join us in congratulating Alexis Dunham-Walker, Taylor Hill and Rosaline Martinez on earning their Juris Doctor degree and Jennie Fleurant and Shyla Kyser on earning their Bachelor degree.

We wish our future attorneys success in their Bar passage in October. As well, we wish Jennie continued success as she pursues her graduate degree in Environmental Science at the University of Colorado Boulder and Shyla, as she pursues her graduate degree in Psychology at Marquette University! You amazing Sisters are proof that good things come to those who are willing to sacrifice to reach a worthwhile goal. Congratulations on your well-deserved success and good luck on the great career ahead of you.

Sister-to-Sister, Inc. extends gratitude to Sister Sherlenia Mitchell for hosting an enriching session at our April 30th gathering! Thank you to all the Sisters who took time for fellowship and to enjoy the amazing food and drinks at Outworld Brewing, one of the only Black owned breweries in Colorado!

~ SAVE THE DATE ~

Please mark your calendar for the next in-person gathering on Sunday, May 29, 2022, hosted by Sister Gloria Montgomery, and join us for some storytelling at Broomfield Library from 2p – 4:30p MST. You do not want to miss this gathering as it will be a time for Sisters to connect with one another as we share our experiences, learn from one another and find commonality.

“Self-care is giving the world the best of you instead of what's left of you.”

—Katie Reed

Take The Stress and Burnout Quiz

by Sandra Thébaud, Ph.D.

Burnout is a psychological term for a set of characteristics usually centering around stress and exhaustion, especially in one’s career. It is possible to have some emotional, behavioral and physical signs present and you may or may not have associated these signs as signs of burnout.

Here are the 5 risk factors for burnout. Read through the descriptions and then rate you level of risk for experiencing burnout.

PERCEPTION

If you perceive your current situation to be stressful, you will experience more stress than someone in the same situation who perceives it as manageable. Albert Ellis, a prominent psychotherapist, who developed the ABC model, has been helping people overcome depression and anxiety by helping them see how their perceptions of events contribute to their experience of life as unpleasant. What is your perception of your current life situation?

STRESS AT HOME

Whatever is going on at home stays in the back of your mind during your time at work and reduces your ability to give 100% of your attention to work. Do you find it difficult to focus on work because of things going on in other parts of your life?

ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS

Environmental stress can come from traffic, weather, neighbors, crime level, noise, the economy, etc. This is the kind of thing we usually do not realize that they cause us stress because we feel like we have no choice but to tolerate them. But even in tolerating them, we are using up resources that could be allocated to dealing with stress in other areas of our lives. What are you tolerating?

WORK STRESS

Chronic stress that is above and beyond what is considered a given in the profession can lead to burnout.  This is probably the one risk factor for burnout that everyone recognizes. Different professions have different levels of stress associated with them. How much stress does your profession entail? How much stress above and beyond the norm are you dealing with?

NOT PRACTICING STRESS MANAGEMENT

Many people expect their minds, bodies and emotions to function at peak performance without stress management. Stress management replenishes resources that stress uses up. Without stress management, how do you continue to perform at peak performance?

RATE YOURSELF

What is your risk factor for burnout? Rate your perception of stress on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very little stress and 5 is more stress than you can handle.  Rate your stress at home on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very little stress and 5 is more stress than you can handle. Rate your environmental stress on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very little stress and 5 is more stress than you can handle. Rate your work stress on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very little stress and 5 is more stress than you can handle. How often do you practice stress management? Rate yourself from 1 to 5 where 1 is every day and 5 is not very often. 

Now total up your score. Here is a completely unscientific way of understanding what your score means.

5-10: Low Risk of Burnout. Either you are lucky to have a low stress life, or you are doing something right. Keep it up.

10-15: Moderate Risk of Burnout. Read 5 Stages of Burnout and Lessons From Burnout for tips on reducing your risk of burnout.

15-25: High Risk of Burnout. That is if you are not already experiencing burnout. Read 5 Stages of Burnout and Lessons From Burnout. Then consider getting professional help to help you make changes necessary to improving your life.

About the Author: Sandra Thébaud, PhD has been a Clinical Psychologist for over 25 years. She is also an author, speaker and stress management trainer. For more information, visit www.linkedin.com/in/sandrathebaudphd.

© 2021 Sandra Thébaud. All Rights Reserved.

"The most important time in the world is the time you make for yourself."

—Unknown

Are you looking to disconnect from your day-to-day and reconnect with nature and your inner self? Consider attending a retreat focused solely on Black women healing.

Black Women Healing Retreats was created out of the desire to connect women with nature and seeks to provide a sanctuary of learning, healing, and nurturing that so often alludes Black women. In order to build sustainable communities that value healing, wellness, and cultural identity, Black women must first rediscover who they are outside of a society that wishes to stunt organic spiritual growth and self-love. Black Women Healing Retreats is a nature-based eco-friendly wellness retreat where the women connect with their shadow, light, and femininity. Black Women Healing Retreats is a sacred sanctuary for all Black women , all socioeconomic statuses, all spiritual ideologies, and all levels of traditional or radical thought.
 

Black Women Healing Retreats
Playa Chiquita, Caribbean of Costa Rica
September 4 - 12, 2022

During the September retreat, you will spend a lot of time in silence, in nature, in meditation and with the practice of yoga. You will go on adventures and eat delicious nourishing food; you will also experience enrichment-educational workshops and you will be able to be completely open in this space of sisterhood. You will be invited to lean on these holistic wellness tools to support your healing and internal process. If you are seeking personal or clinical therapy, then this retreat is not for you.

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Black Women Healing Retreats ​is the first retreat dedicated to Black Women. Click here to learn more about this unique and authentic wellness experience.

 16 Luxury Mother’s Day Gift Ideas from Black-Owned Brands

by Shelby Hyde | BAZAAR

There is more than one reason why you may be shopping around for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Whether it’s for the woman who gave you life or a longtime friend who just had her first baby, finding a present that will make her feel appreciated on such a special holiday should be the ultimate goal. And for those who are looking to go beyond the traditional sentimental items, there are more than enough options on offer from Black-owned brands that are as luxurious as they are thoughtful. For starters, consider which stage of motherhood the recipient is in. When it comes to buying a gift for your mom, tap into her personal interests, be they baking, working out, or something else, to ensure you’re giving her something she’ll use time and time again.

If you’re ready to get a jump-start on your shopping this year, we have just the market selects to spark a little inspiration. Just ahead is a curated list of 16 gift ideas from Black-owned brands any mom would love to get on the day meant just fo r her. 

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

—Maya Angelou

Your Wellness Non-Negotiables

by Teri Sewell Huff

One way to make sure your goals are realized is to make sure you have a plan -- you must know what your destination is to know what path will get you there.

Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we'll ever do

I find it helpful to have some non-negotiables built into my wellness goals when mapping out my wellness plans. These non-negotiables are the most important goals to focus on first – I like to think of them as anchors. Other goals spring from these, but these are strong foundations to build upon.

So, what does a no-fail blueprint for living an active life with better choices look like? Click here and keep reading to learn some pointers to get you off to a solid start and keep you on track.

You are Invited this Summer to Walk and Talk

As some of you may know, Sister Teri Sewell Huff is a walking moving leader in Denver. Walking is a form of self-care. Teri would like to invite Sister-to-Sister, Inc. members out for Wellness Walks. Please friend Teri and message her on Facebook if you are interested in walking. Teri would like to lead a walk or two specifically for Sister-to-Sister. Find Teri on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/teri.sewellhuff.

Teri Sewell Huff

Integrative Nutrition Health Coach

and Plant Based Kitchen Coach

terisewell@gmail.com

We’ve all heard time and time again that the key to finding inner peace is letting go of the people, places and things that no longer serve your best interest. This has become a growing trend and theme for Black women lately and for some – job – is high on the priority list of “let go.” If this rings true to you, there is no better moment to craft a plan and make space for the job you want for yourself, whether you're prepared to be a full-time entrepreneur, want to return to school for more education or simply need a career break - take time today and find inner peace.

But before you get started, make sure you have a plan in place to help you transition into your next phase. Take a look at these articles about Black women who have taking the leap, and what they’ve learned along the way.

RACE STORIES WORKSHOP & SHOWCASE

APRIL 28 - JUNE 12 via ZOOM

You're invited to join the next cohort of Boulder's Story Slam Race Stories project. Over 7 weeks, the cohort will dig for and share true personal narrative stories about how race has played a part in our lives. On June 12 the group will share the stories at a public event in the Gordon Gamm Theater. Co-led by Johanna Walker, speaker, training and host of Boulder's Story Slam, and Darryl Piggott, LA based educator, with a mixed-race group of storytellers from across the US. Sliding scale participation fee. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Group sessions are Thursdays, 5-7pm MST on Zoom, beginning April 28.

Metro Denver area Sisters, you do not want to miss this phenomenal adaption of…

Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye is a story of a community of young Black women, growing up in a world that is not always kind to them. In 1940s Ohio, sisters Claudia and Frieda befriend Pecola Breedlove, who struggles both in her home life and her place in the wider world, with devastating consequences. With rich language and bold vision, this story examines standards of beauty, young Black women's comings of age, and the difficulties they work to surmount in unforgiving circumstances.

Content Advisory: This production contains representations of domestic and racialized violence, rape, and incest, as well as alcoholism and substance use.

Do you have an upcoming event, career opportunity, or authored articles/blog that you would like to share with the Sister-to-Sister, Inc. community? Have any books, podcasts, videos, or education/career tips that you would like to recommend? Please email requests to carrie.warren.sister.to.sister@gmail.com. Shared information must directly pertain to and/or benefit Ebony Sisters. Submissions are subject to review, edit and approval.

Sister-to-Sister, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity (TAX-ID 85-1053563), is an alliance of Black women dedicated to enhancing Sisters’ lives and resilience through comradery, connectivity, education and nurturing. Your support will impact, enhance, and enrich the lives of Black females around the globe.