About Sisters’ Sanctuary™
Sisters’ Sanctuary is a movement that celebrates the mental, physical, and emotional well being of womanhood to reclaim ownership of their families and to take holistic responsibility for the rearing and nurturing of our youth.
My name is Lacey C. Clark! and I’d like to share with you the story of how and why I created Sisters’ Sanctuary™.
The inspiration for Sisters’ Santuary™ came to me the first time I heard Jill Scott’s poem, “The Thickness”. Upon hearing that poem I cried. I was that “baby” Scott eloquently speaks about, who sought attention from men by putting on tight jeans, or short skirts. I didn’t feel attractive unless some random man validated my sexiness with a vulgar comment from the window of his car.
Hip-Hop music videos also inspired me. Quite frankly, I’m sick of women being denounced to decoration; sexual objects and trophies for male pleasure. Rarely do we hear songs or see images that praise the depth and grace of women. We’ve been reduced to Baby’s, Mommas, “Boo’s”, “Shawties”, “Hot Chocolates” , “Dimes”, “Chyna Dolls” and straight up Bitches.
Women are radiant and powerful beyond their thongs and stilettos. Sometimes even we forget our depth believing that beauty is cleavage, “phat asses”, diamond studs, weaves, hazel contacts lens, acrylic nail tips, wigs, juicy lipstick, fur coats and trendy clothes.
I began on my journey by fighting my own way out of the cycle. I worked hard, graduated from NYU as a Founder Scholar and went to work in the development department of Spike Lee’s production company, 40 Acres and a Mule. Then I spent some time teaching abroad in Ghana, West Africa at the National Film and Television Institute. Ultimately I realized that what I wanted to do with my life was to support other young women to realize their divine potential. I wanted to create a safe place where we women could encourage each other and restore or develop self-worth and self-love beyond materialism.
I designed SISTERS’ SANCTUARY™ to start the self-work early, helping young women to begin to make sense of their past for a more peaceful fulfilling future.
I believe young women need a space where they can reflect on who they are and how they got to be that way. A space where they can learn important life skills to help them develop a healthy and peaceful lifestyle…. A place to focus on themselves.
SISTERS’ SANCTUARY™ participants learn how to claim their personal power, value responsibility and accountability, value their bodies beyond sexuality, dress for personal respect and success, practice peace, create healthy boundaries, practice self-love, embrace and celebrate excellence, honor and respect their elders and design and execute their goals.
I believe SISTERS’ SANCTUARY™ is necessary because MTV and BET are parenting our children. Music Videos have replaced cartoons and the “Village to raise a child” African concept has been exchanged for minding our own business.
Self-hatred is a billion dollar industry. Society creates a standardize image of beauty which is usually unrealistic or unattainable. And those images are what these corporations condition us with. Selling young women “hope” in advertising for relaxers, perfume, clothes, jewelry and feminine products.
SISTERS’ SANCTUARY™ is not just for urban young women. My program is also for the Sister who believes that life is only about a wall full of college degrees and Doctorate titles.
SISTERS’ SANCTUARY™ is for the sister who will try to hide behind her car, her house and her marriage because that is what she is supposed to do.
It’s for the Sister who refuses to enjoy life until she has a “boo” or lover to “complete” her.
SISTERS’ SANCTUARY™ is also for the Sister who feels so “damn unpretty,” and fills voids with sex, shopping, over-eating, alcohol and drugs; and believes love is synonymous with sex.
When I say sister I include all women of color who have been strongly influenced by these ideals. Regardless of who their parents may be, all of the workshop participants are sisters.
I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with SISTERS’ SANCTUARY™. In the 6 years since we started we’ve been able to reach hundreds of thousands of women, young and old. I was invited to present Sisters’ Sanctuary™ at the World Federation of Mental Health Biennial Conference in Melbourne, Australia in February 2003.
We’ve created and produced:
- The Sisters’ Sanctuary Inner BeauTea Party™
- The workbook/journal, Celebrate HER Now!
- The Annual Community Celebration- The 13 Days of Self–love, February 1-13
- The Sisters’ Sanctuary Self-love 101 Curriculum
- The Sisters’ Sanctuary Summer Self-love Celebration