Rhonda Aaron - Sister Friends United Inc.

Sister Friends United, Inc

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by Rhonda Aaron

Her peers and community leaders widely recognize Rhonda Aaron as a true game-changer and trailblazer. For nearly twenty years, she has committed to supporting her community and establishing environments where minority women can flourish.

Rhonda Aaron is the Founder of Sister Friends United Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to empowering minority women to serve the community better. Established and incorporated in Arkansas in October 2007, the organization has left an indelible mark on the community. The organization has provided over $40,000 in college scholarships through grassroots fundraising efforts to support the future educational goals of minority female students desiring a college education. The organization recently received a handwritten note from one of last year’s 2023 Faith Scholarship recipients that said, “With this generous scholarship, I was able to focus on my academics, completing my first year of college debt-free and with a 4.0 GPA.”

In 2023, Sister Friends United Inc. received the prestigious Annie Abrams community service award from the Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus during their annual King Kennedy Dinner, a testament to the organization’s impactful work. The organization also partnered with the Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus to provide voter registration during their HBCU drive that provided college students with essential items, mental health resources, school supplies and lunch.

In 2018, Rhonda was recognized by Just Communities of Arkansas and received their prestigious Humanitarian Award, an honor previously bestowed upon former President Bill Clinton and legendary Civil Rights activist Daisy Bates. As a testament to her community service work, May 12th was declared as Rhonda Aaron Day in both her hometown of Dumas, AR and her current city, North Little Rock, AR.

Sister Friends United Inc. has created platforms to recognize the work of minority women through their annual Women of Excellence awards since 2010. The organization also provides support and awareness to other nonprofit minority organizations through their annual Hat Luncheon, with the 2023 recognition spotlight being “The Arkansas birthing project” to support awareness about the mortality birth rates in African American women that could be prevented.

The organization expanded its reach in 2021 and launched “The Girlfriends Conference” a conference that pairs together a girl’s trip with some amazing empowerment sessions and entertainment. The conference theme is F.U.S.E which stands for fun, uplift, sisterhood and empowerment. The inaugural conference was held in Orlando, FL, with a video greeting from Mayor Jerry Demings, the first Democrat and African American to hold that office welcoming the conference to the city and also a Cameo greeting by artist, Tamar Braxton. The weekend concluded with a live music performance by Grammy nominated artist, Raheem DeVaughn. The organization and attendees collectively contributed over 1,000 toiletry items to benefit the Orlando Coalition for the Homeless.

The organization received such powerful feedback from the positive impact the conference had on the attendees' lives and how it inspired them to want to grow personally that Sister Friends United Inc. decided to charge forward through the growing pains to host the next one. The organization hosted the 2nd conference in 2022 in New Orleans, LA with a special music performance by the Prince of Southern Soul, Mr. Calvin Richardson and a host of great speakers with topics that ranged from Self love to Finances. Dj Emcee from Orlando, FL, provided music and audio for both conferences, and everyone enjoyed all the activities from dancing, comedy, and the All White Affair brunch.

The organization decided to make the conference a biennial event, and in 2024, they took the next conference to Las Vegas, NV. The 3rd Annual Sister Friends United Inc. event happened in the latter days of June, with the premier sponsor being DIVAS in Power Inc., a West Coast-based women’s organization led by Patrice Vance Ables. Since its conception, the conference has brought out many celebrities and speakers to create life-changing moments for our attendees.

Under Rhonda’s leadership, The Girlfriends Conference is steadily gaining momentum, with each year’s attendees eagerly recommending it based on their impactful experiences. This conference offers opportunities to explore new destinations, form new connections, and leave feeling rejuvenated – all of which are assured benefits of the Girlfriends Conference.

Rhonda is truly dedicated to creating spaces where women can thrive and have their voices heard, and this was one of the reasons she created the conference. The organization's motto is “United We Stand, United We Make A Difference,” and we will continue to work to make a difference in our community.

Rhonda currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer for Mid State Counseling and Recovery Service, a mental health agency located in North Little Rock, AR. She has held this position since 2017. Additionally, Rhonda is the owner of BL Brand PR Agency, which was birthed in 2022. She is a 2024 business mentor for Women Achieve and holds the position of 2024 Board President for the University of Arkansas-Little Rock Alumni Association and is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.