SOT New Haven

SOT New Haven
SOT New Haven and their Circle of Mentors

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

SOT Conference Overview

I know it's been two weeks since I last posted something... After my outburst, God woke me up in the middle of the night and had me to write a letter. Those who know me from College, know I'm a letter writing fool, who gets results...
I did just that, I wrote a letter to my 10,000+ distribution list of contacts (I've met and/or spoke to everyone on my list at least one time, during my 20 year career in the music/communications/journalism/nonprofit business) asking them to donate $100.00. Just imagine if 10,000+ people donated $100.00 to Sisters of Today & Tomorrow, that would have been so awesome and we would and could do so many things to have a big successful conference as well as grow the organization. Well that wasn't the case... Not even 1 percent of the 10,000 people donated, however I did get a few calls and that was good enough, because "Sisters of Today & Tomorrow", out did themselves with the 2010 International "Sisters of Tomorrow" Conference.
We took lemons and made lemonade... Instead of having a catered lunch, SOT Volunteers and Moms made the sandwiches, complements of our lunch sponsor: Alfreda Johnson, a DC Educator. We bought our meats, bread, chips, fruit and granola bars from SAM'S Club, our drinks were donated by Pepsi Company (Crush Soda and Aquafina Water is so good).
And between the fundraising the 1st group of SOT members did earlier in the year (selling cupcakes), we were able to get our t-shirts and give new SOT members a SOT T-shirt. And that wasn't even the kicker...
Every presenter from Author Tracy Nicole to Videographer Zina Brown was dynamic with the girls over the 2-day conference, and just when we thought the conference was over, we were invited by the Atlanta City Mayor's Office of Constituent Affairs to tour City Hall on that Friday; So in a round about way, SOT had a 3-day conference, in spite of lack of funding. We made a day out of Friday's tour of City Hall. We ate lunch at the Underground Atlanta and experienced the National Black Arts Festival at Centennial Olympic Park and to top it off, my girl Angela Jones of CNN treated the girls to ice cream and soda pop. God is good... And he always provides me with the right people to support me and my mission, at the right time.
I'm learning, when you decide not to be mad, but think and think strategically, you can accomplish so much more. SOT recieved additional donations and from people and places I didn't even think about, like my twin/original "Dirty Bird" mom Eartha Whitfield-Jackson (Former Atlanta Falcons' Bob Whitfield's mom) and my high school mate Malik Beyah. Thanks ya'll. There were so many others who donated (see the list below), but those two are resources I have that I didn't even think of tapping into and when I recieved Eartha's check with a note telling me to keep up the great work, it just touched my heart.
Forreal, Sista Chit Chat isn't making a dime right now. I know we SOT looks good, however you have to remember, I'm a journalist and a publicist, so I can make anything look good. My journalistic and publicist resources has helped me to get all that we have gotten and the fact that some people just recognize my sincereity to do something positive for our young people.
God is Good!!!!
I have a praying mother; And she as well as my daddy instilled some things in me that keeps me motivated to keep on keeping on. So no matter what my post may say, good, bad or ugly; trust, Sista Chit Chat aka Carla Morrison aka Sisters of Today & Tomorrow is here to stay. Where else we going to go?
During the conference, we also, recruited 2 new members: Jamallah & Kelsy. Really nice girls. And did I tell you we had a sister from Japan there? Nia, who is our SOT Conference sista. This is her second year attending the conference. Shout out to her dad Anthony and WAOK 1380am, where her dad heard me talking about the conference last year.
Next year you should attend SOT Conference. You are guaranteed to be inspired, empowered, become self aware and have a whole lot of fun...
Shout out to performers: South Carolina's own teen sensation Amina Gaines and Sister Singing Duo Chloe & Halle Bailey who performed during SOT Conference. You all were great!
And thanks to all our presentsers.

3 comments:

  1. SOT KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. BUDDY NEW HAVEN,CT

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  2. Carla, I can definitely relate to this post. I wish more people knew how challenging it is to run a non-profit without funds. Stay strong

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  3. Your passion and dedication to the group will keep it going no matter the obstacles. So kudos to you.

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