Match Profile: Tori and Kiyah

Date: February 28, 2021

Little Sister Kiyah was on our waiting list for five (5) months before being paired with her now Big Sister Tori. A smart and outgoing child, Kiyah freely expressed her love for arts and crafts, sports like soccer and swimming, dogs, dancing, and doing make-up tutorials. When Kiyah was asked what she wanted from a Big Sister she said she wanted a Big Sister who was “nice” and with who she could go “everywhere.”

Big Sister Tori is a registered nurse who considers her mom to be the most influential person in her life. Tori had known about Big Brothers Big Sisters for a long time and was excited to finally take the mentorship step. During her interview, Tori shared she could help a Little Sister in her “study habits, willingness to try new things, confidence, social skills, and encouragement.” Reflecting back, Tori shared, "When I first interviewed, I was very candid about being paired with a Little that looked like me. Since being paired with [Kiyah], I have seen her self-esteem improve exponentially. I appreciate that I’ve had a hand in her developing more awareness and appreciation for herself and her culture."

Kiyah and Tori’s first outing was playing mini-golf at Frankie’s Fun Park, and that was over a year and half ago now! Since being matched, the pair has been inseparable and they have spent a great deal of time together exploring their mutual love for arts and crafts, dancing, computer games, and going to parks and flea markets to walk around. Tori describes their relationship as a sisterhood where they can “be real with other.” When describing her Big Sister, Kiyah shared, “[Tori is] fun because we always find something different to do and [she] surprises me with activities.” During a recent match support meeting, Kiyah’s mother happily shared that, “I love that Tori helps Kiyah with things like reading and helping her to mature like speaking up for herself more.” We cannot wait to hear more stories about their friendship and growth in the years to come!