Brotherhood/Sister Sol • New York City
Visit the Web Site

In neighborhoods where resources are scarce, people prioritize their needs and make careful decisions as to the best way to allocate their intellectual capacity, dedication, and time. 21CF grantee Brotherhood/Sister Sol helps young folks understand good citizenship, learn what it takes to be responsible, and, ultimately, become change agents within their community. This means being independent, creative, and responsible, plus having high expectations and an understanding of the hard work and due diligence required to achieve personal goals.

These are concepts that many aspire to, but few deliver the goods like Brotherhood/Sister Sol. They have a complete understanding of the long-term nature of the challenge — their Rites of Passage program is a 4- to 6-year process during which participants have access to staff on a 24/7 basis. They establish partnerships with public secondary schools to form individual, gender- specific (Brotherhood or Sister Sol) chapters, each with a dozen or more students and two adult Chapter Leaders. Each unit creates a chapter-defined Mission Statement, as well as individual Oaths of Dedication — a set of acceptable behavioral norms established for all to adhere to. These structures lay the groundwork for cultivating a true sense of community.

This is set to literally be a year of growth for Brotherhood/Sister Sol — they have purchased the land adjacent to their headquarters! Therefore they have the real estate required for the planned expansion of their facilities and services dedicated to youth, knowledge and community. Big hopes arise from big dreams, so we are pleased that we have been able to help them grow.