MEET OUR TEAM

Lilly Marcelin

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Meet Lilly

Lilly Marcelin is a community activist and organizer who has dedicated herself to a lifelong journey around racial and social justice equity. Ms. Marcelin has worked on a broad range of issues from gender-based violence, human trafficking, health and socioeconomic disparities to women’s reproductive health and rights. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Resilient Sisterhood Project (RSP) with a mission to inform and empower women and young adults of African descent about the common diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. Ms. Marcelin strongly prefers to work in partnership with–rather than on behalf of–black women to address deeply rooted systemic racism.

Ms. Marcelin holds educational degrees from:

Wellesley College
Tufts University
Boston University School of Management – Certificate from the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership (INML) program.

Katie Durant

COMMUNICATIONS AND OPERATIONS MANAGER

Meet Katie

Starting in 2022, Katie Durant is the Communications and Operations Manager at RSP. After graduating with a BA in English from Wellesley College, she went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Bennington College. Besides having more than 15 years’ experience in writing and editing for various companies, Katie has taught high school and college-level English, writing, and publishing courses for over 10 years. As a writer and an editor, she has worked on or contributed to several publications including literary and college magazines as well as English and writing textbooks and open educational materials. She is also an author of multiple published short stories and articles.

I work for RSP because I want to engage with and make a difference in the world around me. RSP gives me an opportunity to use my skills in a way that is full of meaning and purpose.

Aleyana Momsplaisir

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Meet Aleyana

Aleyana is a graduate of Northeastern University, where she studied Political Science and will complete her graduate-level coursework. Because of her personal experiences and work at the Resilient Sisterhood Project, Aleyana is passionate about how Black women are treated in the American healthcare system and continues to understand the impact government policies have on access to supportive, conducive care. Aside from the U.S. government and reproductive health, Aleyana has several interests, including language learning, visual arts, housing and education, and development in Caribbean nations. As she learns more about government and public health, Aleyana hopes to incorporate visual arts to share crucial information and messages through different media forms.

I work with the Resilient Sisterhood Project because the environment allows me to learn. Not knowing is not shamed, and research for social media work and projects is encouraged. I have learned a lot since starting seven months ago, and there is no end in sight to that at RSP.

Kadriana Saintelus

PROGRAM ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT

Meet Kadriana

Kadriana is a recent graduate of City College of New York, where she studied and received her Bachelor's in Psychology with a pre-med concentration. Because she has witnessed her family members endure reproductive diseases, Kadriana views knowledge and community as powerful tools to help overcome the impact those diseases have on generations. She also weaves her passion for mental health into her interest in reproductive health, considering the mental toll and trauma Black women can unwillingly experience when seeking medical care.

I work for RSP as a way to contribute to positive change. Using my voice and energy to advocate and educate, I know I am helping to achieve better reproductive health care and outcomes for Black women.

Meet our Young Advisory Leadership Council

A Message From Our Founding Director, Lilly Marcelin

A message from our founding director, Lilly Marcelin:

I am often asked what motivated me to start the Resilient Sisterhood Project. I always wish that I could respond with a quick and simple answer. In reality, the concept for this organization is a culmination of my steadfast beliefs in women’s rights and health, my love of science, and many years of advocating and working in partnership with underserved women who experience(d): incest, domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, domestic servitude, labor exploitation, and other forms of social injustice.

While working with many of these women I became keenly aware of their countless health burdens, particularly around diseases of the reproductive system. This awareness compelled me to inquire about the prevalence and impact of these diseases in women of African descent. The findings from my inquiries gave me a more in-depth understanding regarding the seriousness and consequences of these diseases in our communities.

In addition, I gained greater insights into

the prevalence of these diseases in many women of African descent including young adult girls.
the pervasive under-diagnosis and under-treatment by medical professionals.
the general lack of attention to these diseases for this racial group.
class and racial stereotypes.
stark medical and social inequities.
limited or no knowledge of these diseases.
emotional, familial, financial, and other hardships.
a culture of silence and secrecy in dealing with these diseases.
the impact of environmental toxins and synthetic hormones in our food and common household products.

These are some of the reasons behind the genesis of RSP—with its unwavering commitment for transformative social change toward more equitable reproductive health education and policies, as well as healthier women in our communities.