Cincinnati women’s organization aims to support, heal one another

The My Sister’s Keeper organization is bringing women together to build each other up and help stop gun violence, among other issues they see in the community.

Whether it's trauma, gun violence, domestic violence, poverty or other issues, that's the list of what women, and the community around them, could go continually deal with in life. That's why My Sister's Keeper is working to create a safe, uplifting place for women in the Tri-State.

Founder Tonia Sanderson is an open book when it comes to relating to the women she mentors.

“Baby at 15, pregnant at 16, baby at 17, pregnant at 18, baby at 19, poverty, jail, drugs, alcohol, abandonment, rape,” are just a few things she shared with me about her journey.

In the thick of it all she always thought "when will this end?" and the straw that broke the camels back was her son going to jail.

“In 2018, he actually murdered someone,” Sanderson said.

“His whole childhood flashed before my eyes,” she said. “I was a 15-year-old trying to give him the tools I didn’t have.”

After that, My Sister’s Keeper was born.

“I thought if I help women, it would minimize my hurt,” Sanderson said. “But what I didn’t know is the women I was helping were actually sent to help me. So God built a village around me.”

My Sister's Keeper meets every Saturday at 11 a.m. for the next 90 days. Organizers said they have open arms to any and everyone.

Following those 90 days there will be a ceremony echoing each person's growth called “I Made It.’ Resources like financial, mentorship, housing and more will be available.

Sanderson said My Sister’s Keeper is a way to open the floor to heal and have tough conversations revolving around topics like gun violence, incarcerated children and trauma.

“It’s not just gun violence, poverty, mentality, women who don’t have their GED, women who struggle with domestic violence, mothers with children who are incarcerated,” she said. “Once they go so do we.”

“We have got to be more about our people,” said Patricia Hill, who's known as the mother of the My Sister's Keeper church. “I hope that these young ladies will come in and understand that we want to be here with you.”

“That’s the main thing you’re not in it by yourself and even though you can’t find a way out there is a way up,” Sanderson shared.

For more information or to join My Sister’s Keeper you can call (513) 375-2109 or email Shekinahglorymissionarychurch.com .

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