Highlights
Artis Stevens Shares a Bold Vision for BBBS
“As we set a course for the future, our why and our how are only as strong as what we do to bring them to life."
1 to 1 Plus, builds upon our powerful support for Littles, supported by a broader village
In his opening remarks, Artis Stevens charted a bold path to a big future for Big Brothers Big Sisters. He took us on a journey through Big Brothers Big Sisters’ history of serving young people, especially young people at life’s crossroads, choosing between following their peers or their own dreams. He emphasized how essential it is that young people have not only mentors who guide them in one-to-one relationships but also a whole community of adults working to ignite and defend their potential. He called this approach “1 to 1 Plus” and announced that the National Office would work with NLC and affinity groups to define, test, measure, and scale this model across the country.
SPECIAL GUESTS
U.S. District Judge Wilkins
“What Big Brothers Big Sisters can do by matching people with different backgrounds…is to help people and children understand how to meet people where they are and respect them for who they are.”
Judge Robert L. Wilkins was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2014. In his career, he has had an enormous impact on American Civil Rights law and also played a key role in the establishment of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Judge Wilkins is also a former Little Brother, matched with Big Brother David through BBBS of Greater Cincinnati. Check out the full video about their 45+ year friendship.
2021 National Youth Poet Laureate Alexandra Huynh Shares Message with BBBS
"It’s not so impossible when you stop to consider, that we are Bigger Together, as brothers and sisters.”
In January, the world fell in love with former National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. The new National Youth Poet Laureate, announced in May, is Alexandra Huynh, a freshman at Stanford University and a second-generation Vietnamese immigrant. Alexandra shared a spoken word performance—especially for Big Brothers Big Sisters!
UPDATES
JEDI-focused Commitment and Training
Big Brothers Big Sisters is and has always been focused on inspiring youth equity and empowerment to help kids reach their full potential. Born out of JUSTICE, to create EQUITY for youth, bringing together DIVERSE communities, so that all kids can feel INCLUDED for the promise of opportunity and a better life, Big Brothers Big Sisters ongoing commitment to being a JEDI-focused youth empowerment organization is a top priority. In support of this dedication, the Nationwide Leadership Council’s DEI committee has launched a comprehensive JEDI curriculum with the goal of training every staff, board member, and volunteer in these key principles. Artis Stevens also announced that Big Brothers Big Sisters is forming a new JEDI Council later this year, composed of external experts, volunteers, and alumni, which will advise agency leaders on JEDI strategy and best practices.
BBBSA Reignites Partnership with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters launched a partnership more than three decades ago and today as we recalibrate priorities, especially after a challenging year, we are excited to reignite that partnership, with more structure, and a defined goal of attracting more Alpha men as mentors, local board members and advocates. More details will be announced during the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Convention in July.
New National Board Members
The National Board is setting goals to be more representative of the communities we serve, developing board policies to advance greater equity and attracting board members who share in these values. During the Annual Meeting, BBBSA Board Chair Ken Burdick will announce four new and dynamic National Board leaders who affirm these values and are committed to help grow our mission.
Alumni Campaign
Big Brothers Big Sisters will be working to harness the power of this vast network of alumni Bigs, Littles, board and staff members from across the country. With the goal of attracting 1-million alumni and champions to our Network over the next 10 years, the campaign will require every agency to reconnect with former Bigs and Littles and find ways to keep them engaged as advocates and supporters
Leadership Development
The 1 to 1 Plus model requires supporting young people and their families in a more complete way, and this will require the highest level of commitment and competence from all agency staff members. Artis Stevens announced that in 2022, Big Brothers Big Sisters will launch the first phase of the BBBS Leadership Village, a robust network-wide training, content and learning development effort to deepen a culture of mentoring, sharing and certification for every BBBS professional and volunteer.
National Youth Advisory Council
To truly live the mission of empowering young people, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and its agencies must listen to the voices of those young people with an equitable seat at the table. To that end, Stevens announced the launch of the National Youth Advisory Council. The group will advise our national direction, be a voice for our board members, and serve as ambassadors for the mission of our organization.
Executives from Comcast NBCUniversal, Nike, Chipotle, Land O’ Lakes and SHRM convene for Equity Panel
“When I think about 2020 and the pandemic--and what we saw from a social unrest perspective--what it did for all of us is bring some perspective and tangibility to the topic of social justice.” - Dalila Wilson-Scott, Executive VP and Chief Diversity Officer, the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation
What role do successful corporations play in defending the potential of young people and in increasing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion? Johnny Taylor, President and CEO of the Society for Human Resources Management, asked questions related to JEDI and mentoring to a panel of executives from Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, Nike, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Land O’Lakes. The panelists discussed the challenges facing youth today, the inequities exposed by the pandemic, and the role that organizations like theirs can have in bridging the digital divide, increasing economic opportunity and access, and promoting mentorship. Check out the full panel.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Nikki Clifton, President, Social Impact and the UPS Foundation
Artis Stevens introduced the second in a new video series called Little Big Chats, which will be a new forum to have conversations with thought-leaders, influencers and innovators in short form. The second episode features an interview Nikki Clifton, President, Social Impact and the UPS Foundation. Check out the full video above and subscribe to our channel to be sure you never miss an episode.
Joan Garry Outlines 5 Strategies to IGNITE INNOVATION, Drive Power, Create Longer Term Impact and Invite More People into our Work to be BIGGER TOGETHER
“You can do all the things or you can do the RIGHT things” - Joan challenges the group to be BIG and BOLD for our Littles, our Bigs, for our mission!
Joan Garry, Founder of Non-Profit Leadership Lab, Author and Executive Coach for Non-profits, reminded us all that we don’t have to be superheroes to serve our mission, in-fact we have a people who will rally around our mission, and help us lift our load and we will find them when we widen our circle. Coming off the heels of Artis Steven’s Opening Keynote address challenging the organization to a Bold Path to a Big Future, Garry was able to connect with attendees on 5 tangible strategies to ignite and rally around our bold vision. Some of Garry’s central themes centered on board optimization, engagement and community partnerships, focus on the fundamentals and the process of piloting to learn and optimize, while we take the time to celebrate what we have done and clearly sharing where we are going. Garry left the audience with some challenges on goal setting and growth from the impact on the youth served by the mission to how the network can use our unique voice to rally around a Bold Vision. Remember, to use 2020 as the igniter for innovation!
UPDATES
Beyond School Walls Pioneers Receive President’s Award
More than 350 organizations have participated in Beyond School Walls, the workplace mentoring model that John Alchin and Hal Marryatt were key in developing at Comcast NBCUniversal, now the largest workplace mentoring network in the world. We are honored to present them with this year’s President’s Award. This award is the highest honor BBBS awards each year and proudly recognizes the commitment and leadership of Comcast NBCUniversal in creating opportunities for youth mentorship.
New Partnerships Are Fueling the BBBS Mission
Six new partnerships have been confirmed in the past month with support of over $2.6 million for the mission from: KFC, Express, Five Guys, UPS Foundation, and the Lilly Endowment. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is honored to work with these purpose-led companies and organizations to expand opportunities for mentorship to more youth across the country.
These six new partners will join The Starbucks Foundation, Merrell, Old Spice, and iHeartMedia, which came on board as partners earlier in 2021, since Artis Stevens took the helm as President and CEO of BBBSA. So many companies, including long time national champions Arby's Foundation, Comcast NBCUniversal, Centene Corporation, Federated Insurance, Neora, & Nordstrom Rack, have been inspired to put their philanthropic dollars toward igniting potential and empowering youth equity, and we are excited to work alongside them. To learn more about partnerships
iHeart Media presents “Men, Myths, and Legends” for BBBS, with Big Boy, Caron Butler, Makola Abdullah, and Ed Gordon.
“What we want to say is that ‘You’ve been through trauma--so have we. You can overcome that trauma, and here are the tools’.” -Makola Abdullah, President, Virginia State University
Ed Gordon, television journalist, hosted a panel called “Men, Myths, and Legends,” a conversation about men and boys in the Black community and the role of mentoring. Panelists included Big Boy (aka Kurt Alexander), actor and radio celebrity; and Makola Abdullah, the President of Virginia State University, and Caron Butler, Assistant Coach of Miami Heat. Each of these icons shared a real and authentic conversation on the role of mentors in their own lives, generational trauma, and mental health in the Black community. The panel also focused on the importance of reaching diverse audiences and breaking down the stereotypes revolving around black men.
These multi-generational stars and household name legends discuss, in a barber shop style format, using their platform in media, sport and higher education institutions to tell their stories, share their personal journeys to overcome trauma and adversities, and the influence of the mentors by their side to support them in becoming the men they are at today.
Attendees were challenged to start local conversations on gaining a deeper cultural awareness for the purpose of better connecting with today’s youth in fresh and relevant ways, and addressing obstacles and solutions on connecting with Black men in becoming volunteer mentors.
UPDATES
#GreaterOutdoors + #BiggerTogether
Throughout the month of June, Merrell and Big Brothers Big Sisters have been magnifying the importance of getting outdoors through a social campaign that culminated at today’s general session. Agencies were challenged to take a photo throughout the month of June, use the #GreaterOutdoors and #BiggerTogether hashtags for a chance to win up to $5000 in funding to support their mentoring programs.
The goal of the multi-year partnership is to break down the barriers youth face and offer additional outdoor activities for Bigs and Littles to enjoy together. In addition to providing shoes, product and gear, the partnership will bring more awareness and increase equity for all youth, who may not have adequate access to nature, natural parks, or public trails. The need for connecting is even stronger now, with young people facing social isolation due to the pandemic. The program is anchored in our Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work that builds confidence and empowers our nations youth.
We believe that the power of 1 to 1 mentoring can be even more impactful when we introduce our Littles to the power of being outside.
In addition, Merrell Ambassador and Alumni Big Sister, Manuela Baron was highlighted for her work, advocacy, and passion for the outdoors and being a strong voice for inclusion and youth empowerment.
Partnership Announced with new documentary on Netflix, Sisters on Track
Big Brothers Big Sisters highlighted a new partnership with Netflix’s Sisters on Track, a coming-of-age story following the three Sheppard sisters, Tai (12), Rainn (11) and Brooke (10) from the 2016 media storm that propelled them into the national spotlight, when all three were chosen to be the Sports Illustrated Kids of the Year, and follows them into their final years of Junior High. The film offers a rare intimate glimpse into a tight-knit Brooklyn family’s journey to recover from trauma and tragedy moving away from their life in a shelter.
Guided by coach Jean Bell and her Jeuness Track Club, who inspires them to beat the odds, dream big and aim for higher education, the girls are finding their voices as athletes and as young adults. At the heart of the story is the bond between a family and a whole community of women, passing the baton of self-empowerment through track and field, from generation to generation of hopeful young girls.
Sisters On Track touches upon themes such as the power of education, sports building confidence in girls, the importance of empowering youth and communities, the transformational impact of mentorship, gender diversity in sports, the power of communal care and support for single mothers as well as racial and economic justice.
Also, check out the interview with Coach Bell, a mentor to so many young women, in the Little Big Chat Series here.
NFL Celebrated for their Inspire Change
For the last two years, NFL Inspire Change has helped create and support Big & Little matches in all 32 NFL markets, develop phase one of BBBS’s national JEDI training, and supported the organization’s efforts to attract more men, especially men of color, to join the BBBS mission nationwide - this incredible support has included a national PSA series created by the NFL that aired during every NFL game last November featuring BBBS, including the Super Bowl, and continued growth for BBBS’s national volunteer engagement campaign, The Big Draft. Attendees were commended for their work on the ground with their local NFL teams for driving change and creating positive impact. In addition, the Big Draft was magnified by one of the newest partners, Old Spice, who rolled out a series of mentoring stories between NFL veterans and draft picks.
Here’s a quick highlight reel of our work with NFL Inspire Change and Old Spice over the past year to advance social justice and access to opportunities nationwide.
The Importance of Building Trust takes the Main Stage during Closing Session
“We as leaders and our employees need to be the first authentic examples. You have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. To do that, we’ve got to be educated.” - BBBS of Hawai‘i President and CEO Dennis Brown
Today, Tanya Gibson, BBBSA VP of JEDI and Human Resources, hosted a panel on inclusion. Big Brothers Big Sisters defines inclusion as fostering a sense of inclusion by centering, valuing and amplifying the voices perspectives and styles of those who experience more barriers based upon their identities. Panelists included Roberto Rivera, Equity and Excellence Educator at the Pain to Propane Project; Dennis Brown, CEO of BBBS Hawaii; Becky James Hatter, CEO of BBBS of Eastern Missouri; and Nahnbah Ciccarello, mother of Little Brother from Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region. The group’s impassioned discussion was highlighted by Mrs. Ciccarello of the Navajo Nation, a dedicated mother of a Little, who shares, what impact it can have on your life—when you’re not included.
The panel ended with a special appearance and remarks from President of the Navajo Nation, Jonathan Nez. Check out the full panel.
UPDATES
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America launches new Leadership Institute!
As part of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ dedication to providing thorough training, coaching, and leadership development, BBBSA announced a Leadership Village program to start later this year. Staff and leaders across the country were invited to apply for this opportunity and the first cohort of members are being welcomed to the Leadership Institute. Congratulations on all for your selection and for serving as early adopters to this new experience.
This 6-month, cohort-based program was developed to provide new CEOs/EDs with intensive training in four core areas: BBBS Essentials, Leadership Development, Non-Profit Administration, and Board Development and Fundraising.
Artis Stevens and BBBSA Chief Affiliate Officer Mandy Bisceglia announced which Big Brothers Big Sisters agency leaders and staff were selected to participate in the new Leadership Village program. Take a look at the leaders from the Network who will be first to participate in the program as we launch Leadership Institute.
Congratulations to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Agencies and Boards of the Year!
Each year, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies strive to provide quality mentoring services to the youth we serve and to grow our collective impact in their communities. After an unprecedented year for our nation and the world, we proudly celebrate the outstanding work of our agencies and their boards by recognizing them as Agencies and Boards of the Year in each of the size categories. Below is the full list of winners:
Board of the Year
BBBS of Tennessee Valley
BBBS of Berks Country
BBBS of the Midlands
BBBS of Greater Los Angeles.
Agency of the Year
BBBS of the Laurel Region
BBBS of Acadiana
BBBS of Central New Mexico
BBBS of Miami
Congratulations to all our winners for leading with excellence throughout this unprecedented year.
Bigger Together 2022 Location Announced
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America National Conference announced that will be heading to Indianapolis in 2022. The dates are set for June 19-22, 2022 and will be the first time in two years that the event will convene in-person due to the pandemic.
Indianapolis was awarded Best Places to Visit in 2021 recognition by Travel & Leisure and Conde’ Nest Traveler and is known for a flourishing culinary scene, thriving cultural institutions, cool neighborhoods, and legendary hospitality. We look forward to seeing everyone in Indianapolis June 19-22, 2022. More details to come!