Within the last year, I have come across a lot of people who do not understand this organization. Because it is an organization that only West Chester has, it is something SO important, and something I am SO unbelievably proud to be a part of. For this reason, I decided to take the time to explain Sister to Sister and hopefully help people understand and love it as much as I do.

Sister to Sister is an organization at West Chester that helps raise awareness about eating disorders through programs that we spend our semesters working on, as well as coming up with fundraisers to raise money that we donate to the National Eating Disorder Association. During the fall semester, we spend our time training. The training entails learning about the different disorders, the signs, and what to do when you believe that someone is suffering. After the fall semester and completing the training process, we become "Peer Mentors." With this title, we are expected to portray a positive body image to our campus and help out in any way we can with someone who is suffering. We hold multiple programs per semester, that each sorority member brings to her chapter, to help their own sisters become aware, and to give them a safe space to reach out if it is needed. Although this is an organization composed of only sorority women, we really encourage positive body image throughout the campus as a whole and we encourage everyone to join in on the events we put on, free of charge.

As mentioned, you must be in a sorority in order to apply for Sister to Sister. There is an interview process that everyone must go through. I love this about the organization. I love that I have made so many friends outside of my own organization. And when we are in our classes or holding programs, we are so united that our letters do not even matter. We all believe in the importance of positive body image and encouraging empowerment in both men and women, and somehow this makes us forget completely that we are all in different organizations.

I remember the first time I went to a Sister to Sister event. It was the Love Your Body Fashion Show, which takes place in October sometime near Love Your Body Day. I sat in the seat and watched all of the peer mentors smiling, having a great time, and just being happy with who they were. This was something I wanted. Almost everyone has had trouble accepting themselves at one point or another, and I certainly had this problem growing up. However, that day, that moment when I sat in my seat, watching my surroundings, and the positive atmosphere, and the videos encouraging me, and reminding me how beautiful we all are, flaws and all, I knew that I would be making this a part of my life. This same day, I turned to my roommate, a sister of Alpha Delta Pi, and told her that I would someday be in this organization, whatever it takes. Shortly after, when the president of the organization, a senior in Zeta Tau Alpha, told my roommate that being president of such an amazing organization would be an amazing honor.

Now, I sit here and am so thankful for this organization, and thankful that in May, my dream came true and I was elected president of Sister to Sister for the upcoming school year. Yes, I said it, and yes, I did it. Not only has it changed me into the person that I want to be, not only has it made me more aware of those around me and more appreciative of others as well as myself, but it also showed me how wonderful we all are. Black, white, thin, bulky; we are all perfect. We are all unique, and we are all worth it.

Thank you, Sister to Sister, and everyone involved in this program. I would not be the same without the empowerment, encouragement, and involvement. So for those of you who did not understand the organization before, I hope by reading this, you have fallen in love with the concept as much as I have.