Sister’s Circle is one of California Lutheran University’s clubs, and according to its webpage, it “exists to provide support and community for women of color and non-binary students who identify with the struggles of womanhood on campus.”
Sister’s Circle Secretary Bella Rose said the club is a “more intimate version” of the Black Student Union, but is open to all women and non-gender conforming people of color.
“We want to have a balance of having fun as well as building community, but we also want to stick to our core foundational beliefs of why Sister’s Circle started, which is to create that safe space and give members an opportunity to talk about some of the issues that we face on campus,” Vice President of Sister’s Circle N’dia Battle said.
Some of the activities they host during their meetings include “Spill the Tea Nights,” a “Paint ‘n Sip Night,” or planning Sister’s Circle dates for each of their members to get to know each other better outside the club as well.
“So our Spill the Tea Night, we get together in our cozy pajamas, drink tea of course, and also just talk about some of the struggles that we’re facing in our everyday lives, being a college student and being a black woman,” Battle said.
Rose said the impact of the Sister’s Circle dates, where the executive team pairs members together to plan little outings, has been amazing.
Battle said the team tries to include members as much as possible when deciding on the kinds of activities they want to host, such as providing feedback opportunities like surveys, so members can weigh in on what they want to get out of the club.
The club has hosted large-scale events, such as their Passion Gala, which they plan to do again in the spring. Battle said this allowed club members to dress up and give back to their community.
“People brought in food donations as well as pads and tampons that we donated to organizations that needed those resources,” Battle said.
Battle said while Sister’s Circle puts a lot of effort into its activities and events, by having a welcoming group that anyone can join, members are given a sense of belonging.
“I know for me personally, my freshman year, three years ago, I didn’t know where to go to make friends. I believe the vice president at the time reached out to me and was like, are you coming to Sister Circle? And just having that persistent communication, like checking up to see how I’m doing, it was good to know that I was wanted in that space,” Battle said.
Battle said a lot of first-years have come to her saying they are really glad Sister’s Circle is at Cal Lutheran. Members have also said to her that it is nice to have a group that has those shared experiences and can connect on a more emotional level.
First-year and member of Sister’s Circle Nadege Adibonou said it feels like you are part of a community.
“You guys already fit in with each other and have so much in common because of the cultural aspect, and having a bunch of women around you to empower you and to uplift you, it just feels like home,” she said.
Adibonou said she loves how open-minded and welcoming Sister’s Circle is. She said that no matter who you are, Sister’s Circle shows you love and care, and that you are a part of them.
“It’s not just one person leading either, it’s kind of everybody leading it together, so we decide what we want to do and everybody’s just a part of a big team, a big family,” Adibonou said.
Adibonou said she thought she was not going to be able to connect with many people coming into college, but once she found Sister’s Circle and the community, she did not feel as alone anymore.
She said she enjoys how the club never does the same thing in meetings, which is something that Battle and Rose said is a feature of Sister’s Circle. If members have had a long day and just feel like ranting about it, that is what they do, Adibonou said.
“I feel like we can all become very good friends and I already kind of see that happening,” Adibonou said.
Battle said her hope for the club is to continue expanding and letting everyone know that Sister’s Circle is not just for black women, but all women of color. She said the team would love to do more collaborations with clubs such as the Pride Club and the Latin American Student Organization
“Come on in, our doors are open. We’ll welcome you with open arms,” Rose said.
Sister’s Circle hosts meetings every Thursday evening in the Alexander Twilight Legacy of Black Excellence room at the Student Union.
