Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities Earns LGBTQ+ Ally Certification in Partnership with Mentorist and Mentor MN
December 19, 2024
At Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities, we believe that creating spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued is essential to amplifying the power and potential of youth through mentorship. Today, we are proud to share that we have completed a transformative two-year journey in partnership with Mentorist and Mentor MN to earn our LGBTQ+ Ally Certification!
This milestone represents not just a certification but a deeper commitment to ensuring LGBTQ+ youth, mentors, caregivers, staff, board members, supporters and partners feel safe, affirmed, and celebrated within our community.
“Our team is dedicated to fostering a welcoming environment for all our participants. This badge represents not an endpoint, but a commitment to ongoing learning and ensuring our programs remain inclusive and relevant as times evolve,” said Princess Awa-Ada Kisob, Vice President of Programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities.
Why LGBTQ+ Ally Certification matters for our mission of youth mentoring
For us, this journey was about creating lasting change as part of our ongoing commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. While we’ve always worked to foster welcoming spaces, we recognized the need to explicitly affirm and support LGBTQ+ youth and adults. By committing to this certification process, we have taken intentional steps to align our actions with our core values of Belonging and Continuous Learning & Improvement.
This effort also allowed us to reflect on where we’ve been and where we want to go. As an agency, we’ve grown in our understanding of how to best support LGBTQ+ individuals, and this journey has strengthened our resolve to do even more.
“This work is deeply meaningful, and I’m proud of our commitment to ensuring that members of the LGBTQ+ community see us as a place where they belong” said Corinne Castro, Senior Director of Program Operations. “Creating a sense of belonging for everyone is at the heart of what we do.”
Goals of the LGBTQ+ Certification for inclusive youth mentoring
From the outset, our goals were clear:
- Foster inclusivity: Continue to build a more affirming and inclusive organization for LGBTQ+ youth, volunteers, staff, board members, and stakeholders.
- Clarify our stance: Ensure every member of our team has the information, training and confidence to support LGBTQ+ individuals.
- Deepen intersectionality: Integrate LGBTQ+ inclusion into our broader Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) work to address the interconnectedness of identities and experiences.
LGBTQ+ Inclusion Certification process, from learning to affirmation
Over the past two years, we’ve taken deliberate steps to learn, grow, and act:
- Listening to our community: Through agency-wide surveys, we gathered insights from staff and board members. We heard a mix of excitement, curiosity, and a desire for clarity in how we support LGBTQ+ youth and families.
- Learning together: All staff participated in a series of virtual and in-person trainings facilitated by leadership, staff and QUEERSPACE collective. These sessions covered topics such as LGBTQ+ terminology, implicit bias, historical marginalization and harm, and creating inclusive youth spaces.
- Reviewing and revising policies: We conducted a full review of our policies, practices, and materials to ensure they reflect inclusive language and best practices.
- Declaring our commitment: We crafted and published our LGBTQ+ Affirmation Statement to publicly share our stance and commitment.
Reflecting on the certification process, Andy Collins, Assistant Manager of Volunteer Match Support said, “Through this work, we have built upon foundations of care and respect to ensure our program is not only as safe and supportive as possible for our LGBTQ+ community members, but that we celebrate the many identities and lived experiences we all hold.”
LGBTQ+ Affirmation Statement is a reflection of our vision
At BBBSTC, we envision a world where every young person has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.
Our LGBTQ+ Affirmation Statement is a reflection of that vision:
“We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and are committed to creating spaces where all individuals, especially youth, feel seen, heard, and valued. Our work is rooted in the belief that diversity is our strength, and we strive to build a world where everyone can live authentically.”
This certification is not the end of the journey. It’s part of the foundation upon which we’ll continue to build on our national and local commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
“We are incredibly proud to receive the LGBTQ Certification, a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire organization. This certification is more than an achievement—it’s a clear statement of our values. It’s a step forward in ensuring that our organization is a safe, inclusive, and affirming space for everyone we work with and support,” shared Jennifer Bartels, VP of People and Impact at Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities.
Join our inclusive mentoring journey with Twin Cities youth
We invite our entire Twin Cities community to celebrate this milestone with us and to join in our ongoing work to create a more inclusive world. Together, we can ensure that every young person, no matter who they are, has the opportunity to explore their potential, connect with caring mentors, and belong to a community that champions their dreams.
This work aligns deeply with our values of Belonging and Continuous Learning and Improvement, and it underscores our unwavering commitment to affirm and include every young person and adult we serve.
Thank you for your dedication to creating an inclusive and equitable organization for all.
In gratitude,
Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities
Learn more about our LGBTQ+ Affirmation Statement and our commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
New Year, New YOUth Mentor!
Being Big means helping youth belong and being there for them! Youth in your Twin Cities community are waiting for you to be that advocate, friend and mentor. Sign up to volunteer this new year during National Mentoring Month in January.
