As communications professor Colette Harris-Mathews holds a small meditation book in her hands, she reads a passage.
“What does it mean to be alone? To be lonely?” Harris-Mathews says, summarizing the passage to a group of women gathered inside the classroom.
The passage becomes a discussion for the seven women. A person can still be lonely when not alone, the women concluded.
Like many, this Sister2Sister meeting at Cosumnes River College didn’t follow a planned curriculum but served as an informal mentoring session. The mentoring group is meant to be open for all women on campus but specifically serves underrepresented groups.
One of the women, 22-year-old mechanical engineering major Angileena Maurice said the group is just women “getting together, bettering each other as women and empowering each other.”
Sister2Sister members not only share their concerns, inspirations and thoughts in meetings but also reach out into the community around them. The group seeks to mentor the young generation, and in spring 2011 presented “Loving the Me I See” to 400 middle school girls at UC Davis, as part of a project with the Sacramento City Unified School district.
The women also hosted the 2011 Welcome Reception for African-American students at CRC and are hoping to host the reception again in the fall in order to promote achievement of students from diverse populations.
To celebrate their accomplishments, the women of Sister2Sister recently attended “The Color Purple,” a musical adaption of the novel by Alice Walker.
“The themes in “Color Purple” allow students to see African-American history, interpersonal relationships, women overcoming obstacles and Celie’s [the central character of the play] identity development,” Harris-Mathews said.
To Harris-Mathews, being active in the community, both at CRC and beyond, is something all students should be involved in. And Sister2Sister is one place where students can start.
“There are 15,000 students at CRC, but I don’t think students are using their voice,” Harris-Mathews said. “Their voice is passive.”
Repeatedly, the women individually recognized Sister2Sister as having an enjoyable environment and being a safe place for the variety of discussions they have.
“We talk about everything, from stress to healthy relations and healthy eating,” 20-year-old early childhood development major Symphia Jackson-Weaver said.
Doing Zumba, receiving tips from a campus police officer, listening to a presentation on etiquette and learning healthy food recipes are a few ways Sister2Sister members have spent their meetings.
Caylan Thompson, a 22-year-old architecture major, agreed but added that they discuss what they see happening in society as well.
Thompson doesn’t forget what the basis of the group is: mentoring.
“You have somebody to come to if you have any questions or even self-esteem issues,” Thompson said.
Another discussion circulates among the women.
What does it mean to be a woman? A question often asked during Women’s History Month. “Gender roles have been redefined,” Harris-Mathews said, joining in the discussion. Outside the classroom, students peer through the windows, ready for their upcoming lecture. The seven women, eager in conversations, walk out together, savoring what they can until their next meeting.
“Sometimes you don’t feel comfortable talking to certain people about some things, but the good thing is in there, you can talk about anything,” Maurice added. “What happens in Sister2Sister stays in Sister2Sister.”
Sister2Sister members are always interested in more participants and encourage students to join for their next meetings in room BS 126 on Thursday April 19 and May 3 at 3 p.m.
“It’s open for all people,” Thompson said. “We are all sisters.”