My Big Brothers Big Sisters Journey from a Little to Leading as VP of Programs in the Twin Cities
May 16, 2024, Princess Awa-Ada Kisob
My name is Princess Awa-Ada Kisob, and I’m the Vice President of Programs. But my journey with Big Brothers Big Sisters started long ago, when I was a Little in this program. I was first matched at about 8 years old. I am grateful to my amazing mom who understood the power of youth mentorship.
I owe much of my success to mentorship. It propelled me to pursue higher education and ignited a passion for giving back to my community. I know you know, and we all know mentorship has the power to change lives. Now, obviously my journey continued far beyond being a Little, look at me now, VP of Programs, making that little girl proud.
I’ll be honest, when I was first looking at the position and the organization, I was a bit skeptical. Yet I recognized, there’s something incredible about large non-profits like Big Brothers Big Sisters and how they can serve so many youth, over 2,200 (see our impact report for 2023)! But someone like me, who’s been in the work (for a decade), also knows big organizations can sometimes lag in staying relevant with their communities and truly understanding the young people they support.
Just over a year ago, during the last step of the interview process, Pat and I met for coffee. He thought he was interviewing me, but let me tell you, I was really interviewing him! I found myself asking, is this guy for real? Is this organization really going to pivot to meet the community?
But there was something there. Something in the organization’s confidence, and humility. I believed it. And now that I’m here, and can help lead and bring it to life, I know it’s true. We are listening to the community, to ensure we’re delivering the impact that they are asking for from us.
At Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities, we know that trust is at the core of any strong relationship. We strive to create meaningful connections that help build pathways so all youth can own their future success. We’re committing to representation and belonging so our youth feel reflected by the Big Brothers Big Sisters community. We aim to cultivate lasting bonds that empower individuals to thrive. And you know what else? We have a lot of fun. We work with young people, of course we do.
I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative effects of mentorship. From bolstering self-confidence to opening doors to new opportunities, mentorship yields profound and enduring results. The essence of mentorship lies in its reciprocity. Being a mentor is a journey of mutual growth. It’s about learning and evolving together.
Thank you for joining us on our journey through mentorship, for supporting us as we support youth and our community. And thank you for letting me share my story!
This is Princess Awa-Ada Kisob’s speech from the 2024 Big Night Gala, our annual fundraiser and celebration of the power of mentorship.
