2005-06-18T00:55:00.000-07:00

I have been the perpetual BIG Sister for as long as I can remember. Often I was reminded in no uncertain terms, to keep one little sister, then another and even a baby brother safe and cared for. My unfortunate little siblings tolerated my shadow with some resentment and yearning for freedom and independence to shine on their own for as long as they too could remember.

How fitting should it be then, when struggling to name this minuscule hope of an idea for a business venture should I resort to the metaphoric symbol of sisterhood. Thus, Sister Media was born . . .

Hello, my name is Maria. I am the President, Gatekeeper, Official Corporate Rebel and General Big Sister of a different kind of company. Think of Sister Media as the Big Sister you wished you had. Yes, at times she's tough, but you know you can always count on her to take care of cuts and bruises, stand up for you when bully's seem to get bigger and badder every day and always give her perl of wisdoms, not because she was smarter but rather because she had already ventured that road, usually pushing forward, not knowing any better, trusting in the process. There was, after all, those who depended on her. Failure was not an option permitted nor considered.

Although this blog's intent is one of sharing, it is not autobiographical...not on purpose, anyways. I wanted to create a supportive environment that helped solve problems and create opportunities for creative, ambitious, hopeful and talented women and the men who followed them, joined them and supported them.

Am I biased? Maybe. Men have had plenty of opportunity to lead, invent, create, and do their part and many still do. Most are strong, confident, and boldly go where no woman has gone before...sometimes leaving a legacy of war, torture, pollution, poverty, broken homes, and homeless and hungry children.

Although the women's movement has made some progress for women as a whole...the fallacy that women can do it as well as a man, we are comming to terms with, is a wonderful metaphorical slogan. It has been a grand experiement still in the making. It has not made room for cramps, painful breasts, pms, preganancy, post partum hormonal changes, peri-menaupausal partial amnesia, single parenthood, continued discrimination and poverty.

Women are the leaders of youth, as role models, mothers, teachers, and nurses.
They are e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d and burning out physically, psychologically and financially as the great divide between rich and poor increases. They are still doing everything their mothers used to do....AND their fathers as well. They are, by default, caring for their children full time, while maintaining one or two or sometimes three jobs and squeezing in studies for certificates and diplomas to improve their lots in life, then go home to do laundry, cook, and clean.

Meanwhile, as you sit at your desk at work, with your boss supervises you looking over your shoulder, reading your email and monitoring your calls and not far away hundreds of thousands of children are UNsupervised, walking to and from school or the bus stop, left at home as latch key kids, or in their bedrooms with the door closed learning how to build bombs on the internet.

We, as a society, can't continue living this way. We must not conform to our present lifestyle and accept defeat with our hands on our wallet as consumers trying to feed our sense of guilt and insecurities.

The first step, is to raise our heads, look out to the horizon and be thankful for having come so far, and plan, then take action to make a better future.

"Huh?" You might ask...scratching your head.

"Did I stutter?" I most likely would have responded as any decent Big Sister would have responded..."Don't make me repeat myself !"

Until the next time. . .

Cheers!

Maria
President
Sister Media