SAFIRE Alumnae Kick-off: family, love, happiness and success

By Ngoc-Y Mai, SAFIRE Alumni Intern

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then success must be felt by the individual who lived through the accomplishment. Was the SAFIRE Alumnae Kick-off event a success? YES! I KNOW so and can vouch for it!

We had a good amount of SAFIRE Alumnae and a couple of ACRJ staff come out to join the event last Saturday, which turned out to be a great and successful event, and an even bigger accomplishment for myself, as this was my very first big project, here at ACRJ. The day started with warm greetings from old and new friends (AND with yummy, personally catered food by some alumnae). This was followed by a comical and playful speed-date activity that did a great job breaking away the awkward, "Hi, I don't know you" tension between SAFIRE alumnae who didn't know each other and current ACRJ staff. The icebreaker was able to bring the alumnae to ease and be comfortable with each other, which was the perfect condition for the main activity, since the recipe for sharing stories called for lots of trust and comfortableness.

The alumnae shared personal stories about their families within their small group, and a volunteer from each group was asked to share a story with the entire crowd. The stories were touching and heartfelt, and some stories struck home for certain people, as you can see people relating to each other through hugs and comforting words. I, brought out the full-blown waterworks when I shared my story, and I couldn't joke about it then, but I can now, because the experience was uplifting for me, and it helped to alleviate some of the emotions that I kept bottled up inside for so many years. It's nice to have people listen and actually care. I think many of us live similar lives and need many of the same things to keep us sane and happy, but we never have the chance to come together and share, to see how closely related we are to each other. Sometimes, it just takes a simple gesture such as lending an attentive ear to change someone's outlook on things, especially when you can relate to a situation. You find that life isn't so hard, mishaps and roadblocks are just simply mishaps and roadblocks, and they can be overcome, plow to the ground; you just need to find the right people who understand and can help you through it. That is why the SAFIRE Alumnae Network is so great, because it gives us sassy girls the space to come together and have each other’s back, through everything and anything.

The SAFIRE Alumnae Network is a service that connects past alumnae, but it is really the participants within the network who build the circle of trust to keep the network ongoing. It takes a lot of work, effort, and trust to build a strong family that can do great and powerful things to benefit society; I think the SAFIRE Alumnae Network is shaping up to be just that. With a planned agenda to meet up again soon.

The SAFIRE Alumnae Network plans to focus on some of the following points:
• Collect Stories
• Attend conferences on behalf of ACRJ and SAFIRE
• Building sisterhood with each other
• Organize workshops
• Work with the current SAFIRE girls

The network is organized and has a good head on its shoulders, and whatever the alumnae choose to do; I can't wait to embark on the new adventure with them!

WE LOVE SUPPORT AND SEEING HAPPY FACES (NEW OR OLD)! If you have some time, do come, join us for our 3rd General Meeting:

Date: March 12, 2011
Time: 3-5pm
Location: 1440 Broadway, Oakland CA Suite 301