The Power of Community: SistaBees Uplifting Youth Voices & Shaping Behavioral Health Services
SistaBees Helping Youth ‘Take Up Space’
Community support for youth and young adults has the power to transform lives. Youth involved in SistaBees—a Sacramento non-profit helping girls, women, and femmes (GWF) connect, learn, heal and lead—have experienced this transformation first-hand.
SistaBees was started by South Central Los Angeles native Nakeya Bell – who was inspired to create safe youth-led spaces and give voice to GWF of color to lead, celebrate joy and make a change in their own communities.
One of their most popular offerings is Camp S’MORE—an annual summer retreat all about taking up space for youth ages 13 -18! The retreat includes workshops dedicated to amplifying femme voices, stories, and power through storytelling, leadership, self-care, and celebrating joy.
Erioni, a high school senior and member of SistaBees since freshman year, admitted she isn’t sure how her teenage years would have been like without the organization. She credits SistaBees with providing her a space to feel safe, meet friends and support her mental health.
“SistaBees is definitely a safe space. In my community, there is not many places for girls like me to go and come together with each other. When I joined, I made more friends, learned how to communicate and it helped with my mental health too. I can go to them when I need anything, they’ve always been there.” –Erioni
SistaBees Youth Shaping Behavioral Health Supports for California Youth and Families
In addition to supporting youth with free school and community-based programs – including youth healing circles, peer mentorships, virtual workshops and events designed to uplift, educate, and inspire – SistaBees is a member of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative’s (CYBHI) Children, Youth and Family (CYF) Network and an Elevate Youth California grantee (funded by the Department of Health Care Services).
The CYF Network is made up of Community-Based Organizations across the state that have been advising the CYBHI since the beginning.
“Through the CYF Network, we’re able to connect with these amazing organizations leading similar work across the state. We get to learn and share best practices, and we get to work in real collaboration. I’ve never been part of a network where the work is supported and celebrated. We have had amazing opportunities to meet so many people across the state including Dr. Sohil, the Director of CYBHI. I have so much gratitude to be connected to a network that leads with intention and authenticity for organizations like mine leading the work to impact and heal youth across California.” –Nakeya Bell
Being a member of the CYF Network gives youth such as Jordyn and Erioni an opportunity to help shape the future of behavioral health services in California.
Recently, Erioni joined a focus group to advise updated guidance for schools and families related to confidentiality and the sharing of health information.
“I felt heard. Someone was actually listening and wanted to hear what youth had to say.” –Erioni
Jordyn joined her parents to create content for the Office of the California Surgeon General’s Live Beyond ACEs and Toxic Stress Public Awareness campaign by showcasing a few of their favorite stress busters.
“I participated in a social media project to showcase activities to protect mental health. It was special to me because I could take care of my own mental health, show my art and how I take care of my little sister, and try to help other people by bonding with my family.” -Jordyn
Additionally, they both joined with other SistaBees and community members to participate in a photo shoot capturing many of the youth and families the CYBHI aims to serve. These photos were featured in the 2024 CYBHI Annual Report: A Golden State of Mind.
Community Based Organizations Involvement Vital to Systems Change
The support and involvement of CBOs like SistaBees is critical to the success of initiatives like the CYBHI—which aims to reimagine a more integrated, youth-centered behavioral health system that meets the needs of all young people.
To date, the CYBHI has awarded funding to more than 1,300 organizations to conduct more than 1,800 activities that advance behavioral health supports.
For example, the CDPH Office of Suicide Prevention’s Never a Bother Youth Suicide Prevention Media Campaign partnered with 33 CBOs and Tribal grantee partners across California to amplify campaign messages within their communities and implement local youth suicide prevention programming.
Over the life of the campaign, engagement activities by grantee partners led to more than 106,000 interactions with youth and caregivers across 4,600+ local engagement activities.