I became a Mo Sista after my husband got connected to the Movember Foundation and I saw the impact of what he was doing to promote men’s mental health and well-being. He started bringing boys and men together to talk about the impact of gangs and gang culture in their lives. The stories. The tears. The memories. The compassion. The commitment. I was so moved. I wanted to be a supporter. I loved the way that men and boys shared their stories so willingly and so generously once a space was created to support that. My husband has a special gift for connecting with others and it’s wonderful to see how powerful the act of sharing openly can be. But, what I really love about what he’s doing is that he’s using his experiences as a Mo Bro to identify what schools, artists, musicians, community groups, police and workplaces can do differently to support boys and men wherever they are in their communities.
I want the boys and men in my life to be healthy. I want them to be surrounded by other boys and men who care about their health, provide a real support system, and allow each other to be vulnerable and compassionate and creative in their dignity as men and as humans. I can share what I’ve learned as a woman. I can stand up for Mo Bros and I can just be a Mo Sista when that’s helpful, too.
Manal Aboelata-Henry, Mo Sista since 2015
Visit Manal's fundraising page
