C
HE
EA HA ALP
ST
WA Y
ATED 速
ALPHA PH
OR
IA
RP
L
T E R NI T Y , IN FRA
O
A PH
-F
G IN IRS T OF ALL, LEAD
T
journal
EASTERN REGION OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC.
VOL. I | ISSUE IV
FALL/WINTER 2015
Justice for Freddie Grey ALPHA PHI ALPHA OUT FRONT IN BALTIMORE CITY
ALPHAEAST.COM
FALL/WINTER 2015
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
1
C OR
ATED ® WA Y
CONTENTS
HE
L
IN
RP
ST
TY,
AF
O
PH
-F
G IN IRS T OF ALL, LEAD
T
Announcements PAGE 2
What Makes Black Men Run PAGE 4 After Freddie Gray Riots PAGE 6 From Beaus to Brothers PAGE 8
6
Chapter News PAGE 10
AFTER FREDDIE GRAY RIOTS
STAFF DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Bro. Ramon E. Peralta, Jr. EDITOR -IN- CHIEF
Bro. Jarrett Carter Sr. GRAPHIC DESIGN
Bro. Byron Holly Contributors Bro. Elijah Brown Bro. Kirk D. Carrington, III Dr. La Keita D. Carter Bro. Tony Crutchfield Bro. Dr. Anthony M. Chandler Bro. Will Jawando Bro. Dr. Lopez D. Matthews Bro. Rick Taylor
Submission Guidelines If you would like to contribute to the AlphaEast Journal with your chapter’s news, please submit a brief summary that details the article and why you think the information would be pertinent to the region’s brotherhood. Please include: »» Author’s Name »» Chapter »» District »» Text should be a maximum of 150 words »» Photographs should accompany written submissions (captioned with all brothers photographed) Please submit in Microsoft Word accompanied by photos or artwork of high resolution (300 dpi) attachments (no bigger than 10 MB). Please note: chapter newsletters are not considered acceptable submissions.
ANNOUNCING THE NOVAK INSTITUTE 2016
Eastern Region Vice President Bro. R. Anthony Mills Eastern Region Assistant Vice President Bro. Augustus Tolson, III
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
The Novak Institute for Hazing Prevention 2016 will be held on the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA June 8 – 11, 2016!
Executive Director Bro. Steven King, Jr. Chief of Staff Bro. Dr. Dontae Ryan
2
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
Registration will open in December. Be sure to visit our website http://hazingprevention.org/the-novak-institute for updates and more information as it becomes available, and register before early-bird rates expire!
FALL/WINTER 2015
ALPHAEAST.COM
421 NORTH ALBANY STREET DECLARED AN HISTORICAL LANDMARK
Another Step Towards Reclaiming, Restoring, and Reviving Our History BY BRO. ERNEST ERIC ELMORE
A
lpha Phi Alpha Fraternity reached another milestone in its storied history. On Wednesday, April 1, 2015, the Ithaca Common Council unanimously granted a request from the Jewels Heritage Project Inc. to designate Edward Newton, Sr.’s house at 421 North Albany Street, in Ithaca, New York a city historic landmark. In 1905, this place hosted the first meeting of the Alpha Phi Alpha social study club, a precursor to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity - the first African-American intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity in the United States. Because of the city’s historic landmark designation, an important part of history for both Alpha Phi Alpha and the nation will be recognized and preserved.
Evolution and Efforts of the Jewels Heritage Project
CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
The Jewels Heritage Project, Inc. evolved from the initial efforts of members of the Iota Iota Lambda alumni chapter. Saddened by the neglect and rapidly deteriorating condition of the house at 421 North Albany Street, these brothers, with the support of then-Eastern Region Vice President Darren Morton, created the “Save 421 Committee” and laid the groundwork to rescue the house. As chair, I immediately faced the same obstacle that the committee faced before my arrival: an intransigent and derelict owner, unwilling to sell his property or prevent its rapid deterioration. We found it difficult to contact the CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Retirement After 29 Years of Active Duty BRO. TONY CRUTCHFIELD
Brothers of the Theta Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. in Frankfurt, Germany recently honored Brother Chaplain (Colonel) Rod Lindsay for his retirement from the United State Army after 29 years of service. His ceremony was held in Weisbaden, Germany. Also in attendance and in the photo are Alpha Brothers From left to right, Bro. Chaplain (Colonel) Sherman Baker; Bro Brigadier General (Ret) Arnold Gordon-Bray; Bro Chaplain (Colonel) Rod Lindsay; Bro Colonel (Ret) Melvin Jones; and Bro Chaplain (Colonel) B. Gregory Edison.
ALPHAEAST.COM
FALL/WINTER 2015
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
3
WHAT MAKES
BLACK MEN
RUN FROM THE
POLICE? Originally Published: The Root, August 27, 2015 BRO. WILL JAWANDO
4
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
FALL/WINTER 2015
D
oes anyone think men of color living in America are blind to this reality? When the threat of violence and lifelong stigma looms so large, the impulse to retreat at the slightest suggestion of that threat is hardly mysterious. The reason I thought about running from the police was that I knew that even if I were able to avoid being charged, convinced to take a plea deal or convicted, I would still be confronted with the dim prospect of an arrest record. An arrest can appear on background checks when one applies for a job, credit or housing, not to mention the societal shame that often follows. Although one could argue that this is true for anyone, the issue hits particularly hard in communities of color, which already face disproportionate rates of unemployment, poor housing and lack of available credit. What we’re talking about is the denial of a second chance to people who didn’t even use up their first one. In my case, the charges were dropped, but now you can understand why I worked so hard to have the courts seal any record of my confrontation with the police. Unfortunately, for many, record expunging or sealing is costly and complicated and typically does not guarantee that the arrest won’t someday turn up on a background check. You think I don’t frequently check Google to see if mine has leaked out? Until now I have never disclosed any of this to anyone other than close friends and family. And I expect that some who know me (and many others who don’t) will see me differently after reading this piece. But I would ask them, when did I cease to be human? Am I not the son, husband, father of three, attorney and former White House aide I was before you knew this about me? My sincere hope is that by lifting my voice, I will encourage others to do the same. The statistics tell us that there are many of us who have similar testimonies about what our nation’s heavy-handed approach to criminal justice is doing to communities of color and society at large. Right now we find ourselves at a critical moment in history. We stand at the precipice of passing the most sweeping bipartisan criminal-justice reform legislation in a generation. But it won’t happen if this is seen as a problem for “them,” as opposed to all of us. Democracy is what got us into this mess, but I’m confident that democracy can help alleviate it and bring us markedly closer to our country’s highest ideals in the process. *Editorial Note* Bro. Will Jawando is a candidate for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District seat. ALPHAEAST.COM
ALPHAEAST.COM
FALL/WINTER 2015
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
5
JAMAL HARRIS KENDALL BLACKSTON, JR.
TREVOR HOLMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
JAMAL HARRIS TREVOR HOLMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
After Freddie Gray Riots,
ALPHA PHI ALPHA Out Front in Baltimore City BRO. JARRETT CARTER SR.
O
ne day after pockets of violence and looting captured the attention of the nation, more than 50 brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha made national headlines last April, joining hundreds of Baltimore City activists, neighborhood associations, clergy and community members in peaceful demonstrations in the midst of civil unrest. Led by Maryland State Delegate Bro. Keith Haynes and Eastern Region Vice-President Bro. R. Anthony Mills, brothers from several city-based chapters walked through the city’s Western district in an effort to provide media and police an alternative perspective of community outreach at the outset of, what would ultimately become, six days
6
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
FALL/WINTER 2015
of flames, destruction and controversy. “This is our Pettus Bridge,” Bro. Mills said, as quoted in the Baltimore Sun Newspaper. “It’s our opportunity to take this and move it to the next level.” Brothers continued the work in the following days, assisting with cleanup and rebuilding in the eastern and western districts, helping to clear damaged store fronts and communities which collectively sustained more than $30 million in damage and lost revenue. “We know that we don’t have all the answers, but also part of the solution is us working together and being together on the ground,” Bro. John Bullock told WJZ-TV. ALPHAEAST.COM
Alpha Phi Alpha Receives
$1 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT to Promote Mentoring, College Readiness BRO. JARRETT CARTER SR.
A
lpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will work to reduce juvenile delinquency and to broaden college access in communities nationwide, thanks to a $1 million grant awarded by the US Department of Justice earlier this month. The funding supports the fraternity’s national Go-ToHigh-School, Go-To-College program, and will target more than 5,000 males ages 6-17 in 22 states, including Maryland, Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois and California. “This comprehensive truancy and juvenile delinquency prevention effort offers high school and college readiness training and common sense direction for program participants, providing them with the resources, skills and relationships they need to make positive decisions that help
ALPHAEAST.COM
them to become productive members of society,” said Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity executive director and COO, William Douglass Lyle. Alpha will establish mentoring networks to help students remain in school and on track for graduation, and to promote community safety and college preparation. The fraternity will develop a mobile app to offer resources and support for students participating in the network, and will report to the DOJ as a ‘Category 2’ community outreach initiative to for crime prevention. Established in 1922, the Alpha Phi Alpha Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College® program concentrates on the importance of completing secondary and collegiate education as a road to advancement, and it the fraternity’s oldest national program.
FALL/WINTER 2015
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
7
FROM BEAUS TO
BROTHERS BRO. KIRK D. CARRINGTON III, BRO. JARRETT CARTER SR.
M
ore than 600 relatives, friends and supporters attending the Delta Lambda Chapter’s Annual Black and Gold Ball last May, stood and applauded 16 young men who completed the Delta Lambda Beautillion Scholars program. All college-bound Baltimore Metropolitan Area residents, these young men studied for months in areas of personal enrichment, in preparation for an evening of pageantry, and a lifetime of personal achievement. Brother Reginald Wallace [Delta Lambda, ‘14] who was among the crowd of onlookers that evening, knows well the feeling the honorees hold. A 2008 Beautillion inductee, he cites the program as a key element in his personal and professional development. “The Beautillion has continued to have an effect on my development to this day,” says Wallace, who earned a degree in health science from Virginia State University in 2013 and is studying for licensure as a physical therapy assistant. “Not just the bonds that I made with my fellow beaus, but the retreat and multiple sessions were a prime
8
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
FALL/WINTER 2015
example of giving back. Seeing brothers who were not being paid or rewarded for helping ‘a bunch of high school kids’ was inspiring. Despite their success and busy schedules, they made time to pass their knowledge down to us, which is what I aspire to do as a brother and as an African American man.” The scholarship program, founded in 2002, has provided academic, cultural and personal development training for more than 422 high schools students in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. For eight months each year, participants engage in weekend forums, retreats and training sessions on college preparation, dining etiquette, professional dress and participate in the Fraternity’s National Programs. Delta Lambda chapter presents this “Rites of Passage” to college-bound men from a variety of economic, cultural, religious and social backgrounds, ensuring that each participant knows he can always transcend to another level in his personal development. ALPHAEAST.COM
“The Beautillion Scholars Program engages a mix of underperforming and advancing high school students confronting significant barriers outside of the classroom by providing each one with a network of committed brothers and increased access to community resources,” says Brother Antoine Banks [Delta Lambda, ‘08]. We foster students’ personal growth into self-motivated, well-rounded, resilient, and responsible citizens of the Greater Baltimore area.” According to Banks, 100 percent of Beautillion participants have graduated from high school, 98 percent were accepted to two-or-four year colleges, and 94 percent have completed a degree or certificate program, and have garnered more than $350,000 in scholarship funds raised over 13 years.
stand in the gap for black families. “I’ve realized that there is a lack of fathers doing their jobs to guide boys as they become men and I want to help bridge that gap in society. I want to become a mentor to young men and teach them the way the brothers of Delta Lambda taught me, promoting brotherhood and academic excellence.” Beau Zachary Byrd conveyed that the program helped him to see Alpha has a network of professional men working to improve communities around them - a network he one day hopes to join. “The Beautillion has shown me that there is a group of men who cares about their community, and wants young men to do well in all aspects of life,” says the Johns Hopkins University mechanical engineering student. “And I
Before the BEAUTILLION, I knew nothing of fraternities or fraternal life. After my experience with the beautillion, I knew there was no other BROTHERHOOD I wanted to be apart of... Beaus work alongside Alpha men, enabling more than 4,000 community service hours. As well, they’ve studied for more than 3,200 hours under pro-bono advisement in college preparation, personal finance and etiquette training conducted by active brothers. For some, the connection with brothers fostered interest in fraternity membership. Brother Jayson Glenn [Beta Alpha, ‘12], a test engineer and business analystgraduate of Morgan State University, notes his 2009 Beautillion experience as shaping his outlook on fraternities before arriving at Morgan. “Before the Beautillion, I knew nothing of fraternities or fraternal life. After my experience with the Beautillion, I knew there was no other brotherhood I wanted to be apart of….I did not bother to research or inquire about other organizations. The program gave me a magnificent foundation on what fraternity, brotherhood, and college men were all about.” For others, the Beautillion program offers a blueprint for service and advocacy for youth. Brother Isiah Burman [Mu Upsilon, 13’], a 2009 Beautillion scholar and graduate of Frostburg State University is employed as a technician with Under Armor, expresses that the program helps to
ALPHAEAST.COM
hope one day, I’ll be able to be a member of this fraternity, so that I can have the same kind of impact.” Delta Lambda Immediate Past President Steven D. King [Delta Zeta, ‘87] reveals that the true purpose of the program is not to serve as a recruitment tool for Alpha, but a community resource promoting Alpha as a force of committed service. “I look at it more as a segway, rather than an introduction. I would hate to think that just because we put on the Beautillion, that the young men would all become Alphas. It gives an idea of what a fraternity is like, so it serves as a launching board; but we hope that it primarily works as a way for the young men to grow and develop as men, first and foremost.” “It’s definitely an opportunity to see us giving back to the community, but it gives a great joy for brothers to be role models. It allows them to be a brother, a father, an uncle or a mentor, for some young men who have none of those.”
FALL/WINTER 2015
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
9
#ALPHAHISTORYMATTERS Help Us Preserve Our History
Photo: Alpha-Eta Chapter Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; The Sphinx Magazine, 1923. BRO. DR. LOPEZ D. MATTHEWS
I
“
think knowing one’s history leads one to act in a more enlightened fashion. I cannot imagine how knowing one’s history would not urge one to be an activist.” These are the words of Brother John Hope Franklin. As the first intercollegiate fraternity founded for African American men, the history of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is intertwined in the history of African Americans and in tandem the United States as a whole. Preserving the legacy of this great fraternity is the responsibility of every chapter and every brother. The work started by Brother Dr. Charles H. Wesley in writing the history of Alpha Phi Alpha is not done. Last year, the Eastern Region established a committee to chronicle its history. Much like the history of Mid-West region, the history of Alpha East seeks to tell the story of every chapter in the region. This can only be done with the support of the brothers. So far, several chapters have submitted histories and great photographs of their chapters throughout the years. If you have not done so please submit your information to the committee so that your chapter’s history and contribution is recorded in history. The proper storage and pres-
10
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
FALL/WINTER 2015
ervation of our history is imperative to maintaining our heritage and legacy. Each chapter can deposit its historic documents and photographs to the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University (MSRC) for preservation. Often, our history is lost because it found its way into a brother’s home or is left in the basement of a chapter house to deteriorate. The Moorland-Spingarn Center is the official archival repository for the fraternity, is one of the largest repositories of material on African Americans in the world, and shares a special connection with the fraternity. Brother Jesse E. Moorland, regarded in the history book as the “inspirer to the Alpha Phi Alpha brotherhood,” is memorialized in the naming of this center. To quote Jesse Moorland in his speech at the 16th General Convention “Let us be what we demand others to be.” Let’s all work together to preserve our history through projects like the History of Alpha East. Let’s deposit our most precious historic items in the archival repository so that it may be preserved for generations. It’s up to us. For more information on the history of Alpha East project contact Brother Paul Brown at historian@alpaeast.com.
ALPHAEAST.COM
BEATING THE
GIANTS THAT BEAT OUR
FATHERS BRO. DR. ANTHONY M. CHANDLER
B
ible students may have heard of the man Caleb in the book of Numbers (Numbers chapter 13) when the Lord told Moses to send 12 men to search the land of Canaan. For 40 days they scouted out the land. They said, “Pastor Moses we’ve seen this land and we have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that this land is filled with promising possibilities. There’s some good fruit in that land. However, Pastor Moses, we also have some bad news. This land is good, but the only thing wrong with the land is that in order for us to conquer the land, we’ve got to overtake the people who live there. But here is the problem. The men there are giants.. Caleb, being the leading spokesperson, interjected and said, “I saw the same land that you saw. And….yes, I saw the same giants that you saw, but I ain’t scared…we can do this.” Caleb is a man and certainly a father to be admired. The Bible says that the other men said, “We can’t do this!” But Caleb was like Lebron James. He was saying, “We we can do this, but I can’t be the only one trying to win this game. And now in this text, it’s 45 years later. At the age of eightyfive, Caleb says, “...lets revisit this thing one more again” and in this 14th chapter of Joshua notice he is not making a request, but he is making a demand. This is not the season for you to settle or accept what others want or think you should have. Let me share with you three things that you have to do to get to your promise land and to conquer the land that our fathers never defeated.
Don’t allow fear to keep you from your future According to the Bible the other spies couldn’t move forward because of fear. They could only see themselves as grasshoppers. What they didn’t understand was this; as a man thinketh in his heart….so is he. That’s why you’ve got to watch the words that come out of your mouth. Your words have power. For you see the ten spies compared the giants with or ALPHAEAST.COM
to….themselves, but Caleb compared the giants to his God. The ten spies saw the giants, but all Caleb could see was his God! Brothers when you are going through a situation that seems to be insurmountable, look for God.
Don’t allow failure to remain a factor The plan failed 45 years prior, but for 45 years now, Caleb couldn’t get this thing out of his mind. 45 years ago, Caleb had a plan, but the plan changed. People don’t like to be honest, but where you are right now, is not where you want or thought you would be because somewhere down the road, the plan changed or it failed. Your plan…may have changed, but God….is still the same. Even if you have failed or even fallen, the Bible says….in Psalm 24:16…..that a righteous man falleth seven times, but rises up again. If we are going to beat the giants that beat our fathers, we can not allow fear…to keep us from our future.
Don’t forget to stand firm in your faith Caleb wasn’t a chump. He told Joshua, “I’m old, but I’m still alive. And I am as strong today, as I was…..45 years ago.” Here in verse 12 he also said, “I don’t care how big these giants are, this is what I know….God is with me! Caleb said “Give me this mountain!” And according to the text, he received all because, he stood firm in his faith. Friends, in times of fear and during seasons of worry and uncertainty, you’ve got to remain firm in your faith. Stand firm in your faith and you will defeats giants of racism, sexism, hatred, inequality and envy. Excerpts from a sermon preached at the Cedar Street Church on June 21, 2015, following the murder of nine worshipers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church Charleston, South Carolina.
FALL/WINTER 2015
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
11
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
owner to discuss the condition of the Newton house. When we finally managed to contact the owner, he told us that he was aware of the house’s historical significance, but that he wanted to keep the house and restore it himself. We were discouraged by the owner’s response; he had owned the property since 1982 and had left it vacant and unattended for over a decade as the property continued to deteriorate. While the Save 421 Committee searched for alternative solutions to save 421, we also explored the possibility of acquiring the vacant lot at 411 East State Street, the actual site where the fraternity was formed. But, there was a problem here, too; the house at 411 East State Street had been torn down long ago. We contacted the owner of the vacant lot and told him of its significance. He graciously agreed to donate the lot to us, and we are working with this owner to acquire the 411 East State Street site and to build a monument that will reflect the history that occurred there.
Historic Significance of 421 North Albany Street The Ithaca Common Council designated 421 North Albany Street a local historic landmark for two primary reasons. First, the house possessed special historical and aesthet-
12
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
FALL/WINTER 2015
ic interest and value because of its association with Norman Dennis and Edward Newton. Dennis built the house at 421 North Albany Street around 1868-69 and his daughter, Lula, later inherited the house and transferred the deed to her husband, Edward Newton, Sr., a porter at Cornell and longtime employee at the Psi Upsilon fraternity house. More importantly, the Newton House at 421 North Albany Street possesses special historical significance and value through its association with the formation of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Edward Newton, Sr. welcomed into his home African-American students who desired a place for socialization and mutual support. The students later decided to form a study group and literary society.
Reclaim, Restore, and Revive History The mission is not yet complete. The Jewels Heritage Project needs help to “reclaim, restore, and revive” 421 North Albany Street and 411 East State Street. We seek to raise $5 million to acquire, restore, and preserve these historic and symbolic landmarks. We encourage those interested in preserving these two historic sites to visit the JHP website at www.jewelsproject.org or alphanet on the fraternity’s website at www.apa1906.net to learn more and contribute to the project.
ALPHAEAST.COM
CAMPAIGN PLATFORM PILLARS • Substantially strengthen our national advocacy strategy to confront critical issues impacting our community. • Develop a new generation of Alphas empowered for national and international positions of leadership. • Protect the House of Alpha and the traditions and protocols that are unique to us.
ALPHA PHI ALPHA LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND RECOGNITIONS
Bro. Everett B.
Ward
, Ph.D.
Candidate for 35th General President Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
“ We must put service before self and put aside all petty differences and undertake to meet the needs of our race according to the demands of the time. Jewel Nathaniel Allison Murray
“
follow bro. ward
@AlphasForWard visit bro. ward at
• Chair of First of All We Vote (2009-2012) • Southern Region Vice President (2005-2009) • Chair, Strategic Planning Committee (2005-2009) • Chair of Alpha Phi Alpha Building Foundation (1999-2000) • President — Phi Lambda Chapter (1998-2000) • Association of North Carolina Alphamen (ANCA) 2014 Award of Merit • Alpha Phi Alpha 2000 Meritorious Service Award • Life Member
NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND STATE LEADERSHIP • President, St. Augustine’s University (April 2015-Present) • Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Saint Augustine’s University, (2009-2011) • Democratic National Committee (DNC), Co-Chairman of the Credentials Committee • Vice Chairman of the DNC Black Caucus • Special Assistant to the Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party and Political Director • First African-American Executive Director of the North Carolina Democratic Party • Founder of 100 Black Men of Raleigh, North Carolina • Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (Gamma Sigma Boule) • NAACP Service Award (Wake-Wendell)
alphasforward.com
CHAPTER
NEWS
Zeta Upsilon Lambda Provides Awards, Inspiration for Students BRO. RICK TAYLOR
The Brothers of Zeta Upsilon Lambda (Reston/Fairfax, VA) hosted Project Alpha in April and its 31st Annual Academic Achievement and Scholarship Awards ceremony in May. The Project Alpha platform consisted of a series of educational and informative workshops catered to young men between the ages of 12-16. The full day of workshop included discussions on topics ranging from accountability in relationships, interaction with law enforcement, peer pressure and life choices. Several students from Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Northern Virginia attended the program, which was held at the Reston Community Center. One month later, ZUL honored approximately 150 students from 31 regional middle and high schools who received a 3.0 or higher grade-point average at its academic achievement awards event at Heritage Fellowship Church in Reston. Keynote speakers were previous scholarship winners Laura Vasquez-Bolanos and Anndi Liggett, who spoke about perseverance and urged the students to follow their goals.
learn more about crime prevention strategies and tactics, and to encourage participation in neighborhood watch programs. Brothers used the opportunity to encourage voter registration, with on-site registering, passing out voter education materials, and helping to build awareness of the chapters’ work in the city. Food, games, and live music provided the perfect complement to an evening of positive community relations for Alpha Phi Alpha.
Omicron Alpha Lambda Provide Support for Braswell Run/Walk Against Teen Violence BY BRO. ELIJAH BROWN
The brothers of Omicron Alpha Lambda (Fredericksburg, Virginia) assisted in the setup, coordination, and providing direction for the runners/walkers during the annual Braswell Run/Walk Against Teen Violence on September 26, 2015 in Fredericksburg, VA. Created to bring continuing awareness to the effects of teen violence on victims, attackers and the community as a whole, the race was designed to unite families and community members in taking a stand against teen violence and violence in our community. This event honors the memory of Baron “Deuce” P. Braswell II, a Courtland High School student who was murdered in a senseless act of teen violence. This run/walk supports the efforts of the Baron “Deuce” P. Braswell II Memorial Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to college bound seniors who have excelled both academically and athletically.
Xi Delta Lambda, Gamma Chapters Eta Epsilon Lambda Receives Encourage Voter Education During National Award ‘National Night Out’ BRO. T. NELSON WILLIAMS BRO. GREGORY MARCELLE
The Brothers of the Xi Delta Lambda Gamma Chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, are fast approaching the start of the fraternal year with several community-minded events and programs. The Seventh District National Night Out was held August 4 in downtown Richmond, VA, inviting more than 600 neighbors and community supporters to engage with police officials, to
14
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
FALL/WINTER 2015
MONROVIA. July 17, 2015. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia and Grand Master of the Orders of Distinction, conferred the distinction of Knight Grand Commander, Humane Order of African Redemption upon the Eta Epsilon Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated at an Investiture Ceremony held at the Monrovia City Hall on Friday, July 17, 2015. ALPHAEAST.COM
The distinction was bestowed upon the Fraternity through its President and Area Director, T. Nelson Williams, II in consideration of meritorious and distinguished services rendered to the Republic of Liberia through its educational programs, mentoring initiative, fight against gender-based violence and the deadly Ebola virus. Other Alpha brothers in attendance were Joe Sumo, Recording Secretary; Nathaniel Kevin, Treasurer; Robert M. Beer, Sergeant-at-arm; William Morris, Chaplain and Gariston Bailey.
Armed with training from UNICEF and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the brothers in collaboration with the Ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated embarked upon a major community focused and targeted awareness program. The organizations trained 1,948 community leaders and volunteers in 68 communities in Montserrado, Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties. The brothers of Alpha distributed assorted medical supplies to twenty seven (27) medical facilities in Liberia while partnering with Alpha Kappa Alpha and APM terminals to construct a 100 bed Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Virginia, Liberia. The ETU was turned over to the government in October 2014. In June, the Fraternity received a grant of $60,000.00 from ExxonMobil to implement a 12 month program that will cater to survivors and orphans of the Ebola virus disease. Bro. Alben Greaves was appointed by the chapter to serve as Project Manager for this worthwhile project, which launched in July of this year.
ALPHAEAST.COM
Beta Gamma Lambda Chapter Supports Community Through “7 Leaders 7 Scholars” Elementary School Program BRO. JARRETT CARTER SR.
Brothers of the Beta Gamma Lambda Chapter continue their work of supporting school-age children in the Richmond, Va. metropolitan area with their ‘7 Leaders 7 Scholars’ program. Now in its fourth year, the program provides fourth and fifth grade black male students at George Washington Carver Elementary School a monthly forum to discuss and gather insight from brothers life skills, peer pressure, and bullying “Because of their commitment to making sure these boys have a strong foundation and grow up to be responsible young men, they make themselves available more so on a weekly basis,” says Willnette Lightfoot, Program Director for Communities in Schools of Richmond, Inc. “Most of these boys come from single parent homes being raised by their mother or grandmother and the men of Beta Gamma Lambda provide that positive male role model for them.” Carver Elementary, a predominantly African American school with national accreditation, educates more than 550 students, with 100 percent participation in free breakfast and lunch programs. Lightfoot cites the chapter’s influence as a key factor in aiding one student who attempted suicide as a result of bullying. “The men of Beta Gamma Lambda made sure to connect with the boy’s mother while he was hospitalized and offered support to her. Once the boy came home, they visited him, took him out for a day of fun and when he returned to school, they talked about bullying with the group and got the boys to commit to an anti-bullying pact and encouraged them to support each other as apart of 7 Leaders 7 Scholars.”
FALL/WINTER 2015
ALPHAEAST JOURNAL
15
AlphaEast Journal Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity - Eastern Region P.O. Box 41362 Baltimore, MD 21203 www.AlphaEast.com
ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC.
84th EASTERN REGION CONVENTION March 30th - April 3rd, 2016 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania www.alphaeast.com hotel.alphaeast.com