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My Sister's Keeper provides women with a place to connect

March 31, 2014

Reed, who had a troubled childhood because of an abusive home and academic issues, had never known sisterhood.

So Reed, a graduate student, began her own organization, My Sister’s Keeper, in November 2012 with the support of her friends.

My Sister’s Keeper is an organization for women to come and build relationships, learn about themselves and give back to the community. Every Sunday, the group of 15 to 20 active members get together to do community service in places like local women’s shelters and hospitals.

Reed said the main objective of the organization is to empower women to achieve their full potential.

Sommer Simpson, a communication junior, has found fulfillment through her involvement with the organization.

Prior to joining, her life was focused on scho ol and work. She had no outlet or group of friends to connect with. After meeting Reed through her work, she decided to try My Sister’s Keeper.

Simpson said she felt an immediate bond with the rest of the group members.

“My life is totally different,” she said. “It gives me something outside of school to look forward to.”

Since joining, Simpson has gone with the group to volunteer at various locations, including a visit to cancer patients at Sparrow Hospital.

Members of the organization created and performed a dance for the patients to a song written by the church that the group attends.

“It’s an inspiring song,” Simpson said. “A couple girls did the dance and it really just brought everyone to tears.”

Afterward, the members walked around the hospital talking to patients individually. The women listened to the patient’s stories and tried to encourage them.

“They ended up encouraging us, because they just had these great experiences of what they were going through,” Simpson said. “They ended up giving back to us, and that was a good experience.”

My Sister’s Keeper was one of the first organizations that advertising junior Ka Lee joined at MSU.

“I really wanted to do something with the community,” Lee said.

But for Lee, My Sister’s Keeper is about more than just coming together and doing community service.

“(It’s) kind of a support group for women,” said Lee. “It’s for building relationships and learning about yourself as a woman.”

The organization meets every Wednesday in the Eppley Center at 6:30 p.m.

My Sister’s Keeper will host its second annual women’s empowerment conference, Relentless Love: Repair, Rebuild and Restore, on April 19.

The conference, located at Kellogg Center, will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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