Big Sisters, Bigger Sisters... and Sisters of the World

Big Sisters

Do you worry about youth culture? Are you concerned about how difficult it is to be an inner-city adolescent in this crazy new world? Would you agree that girls have an unusual amount of tough choices, nowadays especially?

Put your concerns in motion – it’s not difficult and a small donation of your time could make an enormous difference to a young lady that needs solid, trustworthy companionship and guidance.

The Big Sister Association is looking for volunteers in the South End to work with kids from . Participants are matched with a Little Sister for a one year commitment: once a week for the first 3 months, then twice a month thereafter. 

Once paired, you and your Little Sister will decide when to meet and what activities you will enjoy together--visiting museums, playing sports, doing arts and crafts, watching movies… there are plenty of healthy options.

“We try to keep it as inexpensive as possible,” said Big Sisters Association of Greater Boston’s Highland Street Corps Ambassador of Mentoring, Natasha Threatts during a recent Union Park Neighborhood Association meeting. “What we’re trying to do is get kids out in the community so they can see a bigger world than what they’re used to.”

“Right now is an exciting time to become a Big Sister because it is our 60th anniversary,” said Maren Johnson, Big Sisters Director of Marketing and Communications.

“We currently have 14 girls waiting to be matched with a Big Sister at the Blackstone," she continued. "The commitment is perfect for women working in that area. The Blackstone is in the backyard of so many major companies in Boston, and women in this program visit their Little Sister once a week at the school during lunch time. What better way to spend a lunch break than getting out of the office for a bit and being a kid again by reading, playing board games, or doing crafts?”

For more information visit www.bigsister.org or call Natasha Threatts directly: 617-236-5303.

Bigger Sisters

Bingo needn’t be about spinsters in church basements… It can just as easily be about wisecracking drag queens in an Irish pub (!).

If you’re looking for a memorable pre-Valentine’s Day twist why not head over to , February 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. for a wacked-out ‘drag’ version of Granny’s favorite game hosted by the South End Business Alliance and a sharp-tongued personality called Trampolina.

It’s all for a good cause and there are plenty of worthwhile prizes to be given away! This is a 21+ event. Tickets are available at at on Tremont or .

Call Stacy Koppel 617-304-4421 or e-mail stacy@southendbusiness.com for additional information.

Sisters of the World

If you enjoy investigating local music and you haven’t seen Zili Misik yet, that needs to change. The good news is you’ll have your chance since their residency at the starts up again this Saturday at 10 p.m. (although due to scheduling constraints it will only run once every two months).

A true one-of-a-kind on the Boston scene (and unusual on the grand scale as well), Zili Misik is an eight-piece, all-woman powerhouse of world beat rhythms—a celebration of life in song with some political overtones. The band name is taken from a Haitian deity, Ezili, and the sound is a jazz-tinged amalgam of African, Caribbean and Cape Verdean musical idioms with plenty of quirk (and skill!) peppered in.

“We’re excited to return to our regular residency at the Beehive on Saturday,” said founder Kera Washington. “If you haven’t seen us before, be ready to dance! We fuse Haitian roots, reggae, jazz, samba, highlife and soul in a highly energized musical, visual and kinetic experience.”

Additionally, the band will be playing a benefit in Somerville tonight called "Word. Dance. Misik." 8 p.m. at the Armory on Highland Ave. It’s to honor those that lost their lives in Haiti’s devastating earthquake a year back and to celebrate those that survived. Click here for more info.