The Sphinx: Answering the Call of Servant Leadership [Winter 2021-22 Edition]

ON THE COVER

This issue of The Sphinx highlights the ‘Answering The Call of Servant Leadership’ – the final component of General President Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III’s ‘Elevating The Alpha Spirit’ platform. We also recount the 70th Alpha Anniversary Celebration for the 27th General President Dr. Charles C. Teamer, Sr. and highlight the recent discovery of a rare recording of Jewel Founder Dr. Henry Arthur Callis.

Official Organ of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

ANSWERING THE CALL OF SERVANT LEADERHSIP ISSUE | Volume 107, No. 4 apa1906.net

EDITOR OF THE SPHINX

Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC EWebb@apa1906.net

CONTRIBUTORS

Willis L. Lonzer, III, Ph.D., Sean L. McCaskill, Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC, Adrian Stratton, MBA, PRP, Elliot Stubblefield, Robert L. Harris, Jr., Ph.D., Willie M. Heard, III, Ph.D., Curtis Bunn, Michael E. Jackson

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Ramon E. Peralta, Jr., L.H.D., Chair

Donald L. Ross, LaMarcus J. Hall, Philip Wilkerson, III

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Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 2313 St. Paul Street Baltimore, MD 212I8-5211 www.apa1906.net

COVER DESIGN BY: Jessica Saval and Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC

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Willis L. Lonzer, III, PhD General President GeneralPresident@apa1906.net

Letter from the General President Brothers,

Answering the Call of Servant Leadership from our dear Fraternity is the final component of my Administration’s Elevating The Alpha Spirit platform and vision as well as echoes the centerpiece of our motto as ‘Servants of All.’

As Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. strengthens the Brotherhood and improves operational excellence, we become better positioned to provide relevant advocacy and leadership in our communities. As a business executive and Fraternity leader, I believe in center-out leadership as opposed to top-down leadership. Therefore, we have worked to Elevate the Alpha Spirit through service and advocacy that builds on the expertise of our fellow Brothers to meet the demands of our time.

To this end, we are enhancing volunteerism as well as planning and engaging in impactful advocacy. That is demonstrated through our International Day of Service and our coordinated regional advocacy days of action. In addition, we are soliciting the intellectual and professional capacity of our expert Brothers on key social issues and soon revamping Alpha University to offer curriculum to increase capacity and operationalize advocacy and action at the chapter level.

On the chapter and individual levels, this is also showcased through our persistent desire to mentor young African American males and collaborate with other organizations, including our National Pan-Hellenic Council counterparts. This ensures we leverage capacity not only across the country, but globally.

Leaders help develop more leaders, and I can think of no better way than strengthening and leveraging our Go-To-High School, Go-To-College National Program as well as other mentoring and enrichment programs chapters currently have in place to do so as well. In addition, our General Committees as well as our Ad-Hoc Committees are beginning to play a more strategic and tactical role in our initiatives and Fraternity-wide programming.

Overall, however, we must also endeavor to create a brain trust of Brotherhood capacity and community support. As with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, trainings and community discussions on virtual and digital platforms have become vitally important and more widely accepted. We are utilizing these means to further our purposes as noted with our various Surgeon General and partner co-sponsored webinars and townhalls.

Our calling as Servant Leaders is specific and critical to our brand as ‘Men of Distinction’ and what has led many of us to the portals of Alpha. Whether we now heed this calling through Fraternal office, elected office, or community service through our chapters or our personal lives, it is what affirms that ‘We Shall Transcend All!’ S

Sean L McCaskill Interim Executive Director seanmccaskill@apa1906.net

Letter from the Interim Executive Director

My Brothers of Alpha,

I hope this letter finds you mentally and physically well. Please allow me to introduce you to the latest edition of The Sphinx Magazine on “Answering The Call To Servant Leadership.”

In the previous edition, we highlighted our efforts to improve operational excellence within the General Office. This has been achieved through ensuring operational alignment; measuring and evaluating programs; and growing revenues. With the brand as a central focus, the General Office has sought to ensure consistency as well as reinforce and guard our brand identity. In addition, the new brotherhood engagement department also became more aligned with the communications department. Membership and IMDP revamped its systems and adopted a personal approach to servicing the Brotherhood. We have also worked to elevate the purview of the development and fundraising arm of the Fraternity, where we expanded our engagement with our partners to extend beyond the General Convention to our National Programs and Special Initiatives. We also taken a more conscious role through the internal control of our licensing program.

Under the leadership of General President Lonzer, we have embarked on the final component of his Elevating The Alpha Spirit platform – “Answering The Call To Servant Leadership.” As a General Office, we are working diligently to ensure the Brotherhood has the infrastructure to fully exercise their duty and role as ‘Men of Distinction’ to provide service and advocacy to our communities globally. This is accomplished not only through new tools, resources, and processes, but through our communications campaigns and creative collateral to showcase the servant leadership and work our Brothers are engaged in.

This issue is a product of that effort as we continue to recognize and celebrate you, Servants Of All! S

Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC Editor

ewebb@apa1906.net

Letter from the Editor of The Sphinx

Greetings Brothers,

This volume of The Sphinx magazine highlights “Answering The Call of Servant Leadership,” the final component of General President Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III’s Elevating The Alpha Spirit vision and platform. The cover feature examines answering the call of servant leadership and the Fraternity’s efforts to enhance volunteerism and deliver impactful advocacy. In addition, members of our Brotherhood offer their definition of and motivation as servant leaders and discuss how they and their chapters demonstrate it through volunteerism and activism. Other features recount the 70th Alpha Anniversary Celebration for the 27th General President Dr. Charles C. Teamer, Sr. in New Orleans and highlight the recent discovery of a rare recording of Jewel Founder Dr. Henry Arthur Callis.

Among some of The Sphinx’s departments, in General News, a County renames courthouse in honor of Brother Judge Mickle, Sr., and Bel-Air – the dramatic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot depicts ‘Uncle Phil’ character as an Alpha. In addition, ‘The Most Prestigious Fraternities in America’ and ‘Best Fraternities in The US’ rank Alpha Phi Alpha among top for celebrity alumni and overall.

In What Every Alpha Should Know, we discuss the display and usage of the Fraternal Design while our General Parliamentarian discusses ‘Electing Leadership’ in Alpha Chairmanship.

Under Education and Professional Development, I introduce the Brotherhood and others to my The 7 Life LawsTM as a new practical guide for mastering life’s challenges and achieving success in health, relationships, and careers. In Literary and Entertainment, we also showcase three new books by Alpha authors.

In History, our General Historian examines Brother Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s inner circle and how many of the men were or would become members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. while Advocacy highlights one Texas chapter’s efforts to clear more than $2.8 million in medical debt for 1,330 families in San Antonio, Texas.

We also continue to highlight notable accomplishments of several of our Alpha Brothers in Alphas on the Move, including College Brothers, Kekutah Bah, who was selected as among the top college DJs in the nation, and Ronnie Williams, Jr., who made history as the first ‘Mister Stillman College’ as well as Alumni Brothers, Marcus Johnson, a philanthropist and entrepreneur, who had North Carolina A&T University track renamed in his honor, and Christopher G. Ellis, the Fraternity’s Eastern Regional Vice President, who was named state director of legislative affairs for New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams along with a host of others.

As always, I look forward to your readership and feedback. S

County Renames Courthouse in Honor of Late Brother Judge Mickle, Sr.

The Alachua County Commission unanimously approved renaming the courthouse after Brother Judge Stephan P. Mickle in March 2021, two months after he died from cancer at age 76. An official ceremony was held in January outside the main entrance of the Alachua County Criminal Courthouse in Gainesville.

Brother Mickle was born in New York in 1944, and grew up in Daytona Beach; Camden, South Carolina; and Gainesville. He graduated with honors from Lincoln High School in 1961. Although the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1954 that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, Lincoln remained an all-Black secondary school until 1970. The renaming ceremony was billed as a highlight of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida’s 2022 events celebrating the slain civil rights leader’s legacy.

He was a member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church as well as the local chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the NAACP, among other organizations.

After the ceremony, Brother Aaron Daye, a multimedia specialist with the UF Advancement, praised renaming the courthouse after Brother Mickle.

Brother Mickle, a 1963 Epsilon Pi Lambda initiate of the Fraternity, broke many racial barriers as a pioneer in Alachua County and Florida. He was the first African American to earn an undergraduate degree at the University of Florida, and the second Black student to graduate from its law school, in 1972, he became the first Black man to practice law in the county since Reconstruction, in 1979, the county’s first Black judge, and in 1984 the first Black judge appointed to the Eighth Judicial Circuit. In 1998, he became the first Black federal judge in the U.S. District Court at the Northern District of Florida.

“It’s a living legacy of his impact and what we should all strive to become – just like him,” Brother Daye says.

His widow, Evelyn Mickle, UF’s first Black nursing school graduate, said during the ceremony that her husband of 52 years was forever giving back, building bridges, and looking forward.

“Today, it is our honor and our hope,” she says, “that this renaming of the Alachua County Criminal Courthouse with Judge Stephan P. Mickle Sr. will spark hope, hope and more hope, as it is passed from generation to generation.” S

‘Uncle Phil’ Featured As Alpha In Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reboot

Bel-Air – the new Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot, which premiered on Feb. 13, 2022, depicts its Uncle Phil character as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. One of the prominent scenes highlighted in its trailer features the character stepping with Fraternity members during a charity benefit.

In the original sitcom, the character, portrayed by James Avery, was a member of a fictitious fraternity. In the reimagined version, producers wanted to shine a light on HBCUs and HBCU culture.

“We reached out to the Alpha’s leadership with our request. They requested to see the script and we did

something you NEVER do in film, we let them read the script,” says Executive Producer Rasheed Newsom. “They only had one show note – instead of having the Alphas play dominoes, leadership requested they play chess. We happily obliged.”

The actor, who currently portrays Uncle Phil, Adrian Holmes, is not a member of a Greek organization, and does not appear in Fraternity paraphernalia, but steps with actual members in one of the scenes. He explains that a choreographer and Alpha Brothers taught him the steps.

“I had one day to learn all the new steps, like that day. I’m just grateful that I was able to learn it.” Holmes says the biggest takeaway, next time wear gels in his shoes. “I had on dress shoes that were flat. By the end of all the takes (like 15), my knees were sore for two weeks.”

Newsom says the scene was powerful for him. “I was standing off camera crying behind the monitor because I don’t remember the last time, I’d seen that many Black men in a scene and there was no crime, there was no violence.”

Western Regional Vice President Brother Wayne Kimball, Jr. was also present during the taping of the scene.

The new series features an ensemble cast that introduces Jabari Banks as Will and a creative team that includes Morgan Cooper, who serves as director, co-writer, and executive producer, and co-showrunners and executive producers T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson. S

The Most Prestigious Fraternities in America and Best Fraternities in The US Rank Alpha Phi Alpha Among Top for Celebrity Alumni and Overall

The Most Prestigious Fraternities in America and The 15 Best Fraternities in the US – two separate polls – recognized Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. among the top for celebrity alumni and overall in 2021.

Selecting the “best” fraternity is nearly impossible so The Most Prestigious Fraternities in America surveyed how popular men’s fraternities are within the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), ranking Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. for Celebrity Alumni and other organizations for Best Leadership Program, Most Undergraduate Chapters, and The Biggest. The listing has appeared in both Men’s Health and Town & Country magazines with the Fraternity maintaining that ranking since 2017.

NIC is a trade association representing 56 inter/national men’s fraternities. NIC member organizations also represent a diverse range of fraternity men and interfraternal interests, including fraternities founded for leadership and business interests as well as faith-based, multicultural historically Black, and new or emerging fraternities.

“In popular culture, frats have an unfortunate reputation for being drunken, boorish, and sexist—but the truth is that many top fraternities provide deeply meaningful experiences and close relationships that resonate for a lifetime,” according to the article published in Men’s

Health and Town & Country. “A 2014 Gallup survey found that men who join fraternities are not only happier than their non-Greek counterparts, but are also less stressed about money, physically healthier, more engaged in the workplace, and more fulfilled in their social relationships. And with alumni reportedly including 18 US Presidents, 85 percent of Supreme Court justices since 1910, 76 percent of Senators, and 85 percent of Fortune 500 Executives, men who pledge are in top company, too.”

Famous Alpha Phi Alpha members include Martin Luther King, Jr., NAACP Founder W. E. B. DuBois, Frederick Douglass, Paul Robeson, Lionel Ritchie, Jesse Owens, Justice Thurgood Marshall, Billionaire Robert F. Smith, ESPN Sportscaster Stuart Scott, Academy Award winning Moonlight director Barry Jenkins and Actor Omari Hardwick to name a few.

Online Schools Center “The Most Prestigious Online Schools’” 15 Best Fraternities in the US ranked Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. #2 in 2021. It ranked Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, also known as “PIKE,” an international fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1868, as #1. The listing considers connections, standout resumes, community involvement and volunteerism, lasting friendships, and drive for academic excellence.

Published reports contributed to this article. S

BY BROTHER ADRIAN B. STRATTON, MBA, PRP [OMICRON ZETA LAMBDA ’08]

Electing Leadership

Democratic election is one of the fairest systems created to ensure representative government. Through nomination and selection, the members decide who among them shall lead. Organizations that exist in perpetuity elect leadership at frequent intervals. Whether annually1 biennially, or quadrennially, expected changes in leadership must be planned for. Regardless of election frequency, it is always good practice and in the best interest of members to periodically review election procedures.

A nomination is the process of suggesting a candidate for an elected position. An election is the process of

selecting from among qualified candidates who will fill an elected position. Bound by the beginning and conclusion of a defined time interval called a term, an officer’s service, for instance, is temporary. The office itself, however, remains until dissolved by the organization – even if temporarily vacant.2 Electing leadership is a process with many important considerations to fit unique needs. Elections may be held at any level of an organization. Delegates, board members, officers (such as president and secretary), and even committee members may be elected. As a rule, organizations may elect any office or position of their choosing so long as it is established by rule to do so.

Clarity in the rules is the foundation of successful elections. The unique electoral process in each organization is usually defined in the bylaws. Further clarifications may be adopted in an election manual and found in the parliamentary authority. Who is entitled to vote and how they are to vote are critical to identify. Elections are typically done by ballot. However, an organization may choose to vote for candidates another way. Finer details include clarity on if an individual may simultaneously hold multiple offices and conflicts of interest. The rules should also establish if an election is to be decided by a plurality (the largest number of votes cast) or a majority vote (one candidate receiving an amount greater than 50% regardless of the number of candidates). Any rules the organization wishes to impose on campaigning should be clearly described as well in addition to being enforceable and enforced.

Unforeseen events can delay the planned date of an election or interrupt one in process. The rules should state how to complete an election if it does not conclude as scheduled. A vacancy in an elected office can be filled by election or appointment based on the rules.3 The process to resolve a vacancy should be described so that the appropriate steps can take place to fill a position. Additionally, measures on how to replace an individual once elected may not be often needed but are necessary to avoid confusion if the need arises.

Executing a transparent election encourages leadership to emerge. Having rules in place beforehand is necessary to begin the important work of conducting an election. It is important for both candidates and members to understand the rules. Communicating the rules, procedures and results in a transparent way will bolster confidence in the election results. Knowing from the rules who is entitled to vote, how nominations will be handled, how disputes will be resolved, who will preside, and who will tally the votes will allow everyone to understand their responsibilities. If a customary

practice has been in place for some time and it conflicts with the rules it is best to change the rules prior to election. Failure to do so invites a challenge and if there is a conflict, the custom cannot be upheld if a point of order is raised. If it is important to the organization, it should be made a rule for clarity and transparency.

Preparing for the leadership transition will reduce unnecessary organizational disruptions post-election. The organization must move forward regardless of who the declared winner is in a particular election. Having a defined transition process demonstrates a commitment to the ongoing success of an organization. Much of the guidance will come from established rules. Defining what date an elected candidate will assume office, for what amount of time, and requirements of office are essential. Establishing by rule the information or property to be provided to the successor and the expected date of delivery will also assist in an orderly transfer of responsibilities.

Electing leadership is one of the most important functions an organization can undertake. At all levels, one of the highest forms of servant leadership is service in an elected capacity. Qualified candidates should be encouraged to serve, and leaders should be selected based on their ability to complete defined duties. Establishing a clear election process, executing a transparent election, and defining the leadership transition will help ensure each candidate enjoys a fair process regardless of outcome. By periodically refining the entire electoral process an organization can become better at the task with each election. S

Brother Adrian Stratton, MBA, PRP [Omicron Zeta Lambda ’08] is a member of Kappa Theta Lambda Chapter and serves as General Parliamentarian for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Notes

1. ΑΦΑ chapters elect officers annually; chapters determine limits – if any – on the number of times a candidate may run for or serve in an office.

2. When an appointment is made, the office itself is still considered an elected one, even if it is filled later by an appointment.

3. When filling a vacancy, an individual officially appointed to the elected position has all the responsibilities, privileges, duties, and obligations of the position unless restricted.

BY BROTHER ELLIOT STUBBLEFIELD [SIGMA PHI ’09]

Organ donation: Something to talk about

Organ donation is usually at the top of the list of things we never talk about. I get it: Who wants to contemplate their own death? Who wants to think about the death of a loved one? It’s unpleasant, to say the least, and even if it wasn’t, the idea of donation just isn’t at the top of most people’s minds.

Recently, the Indiana Donor Network served as a recent sponsor for the 96th General Convention and 115th Anniversary Convention, encouraging an opportunity for men of Alpha Phi Alpha to educate ourselves on what we can do to help.

Death is a tough subject, but the reality is that 20 people die each day because the organ transplant they needed didn’t become available in time. That’s more than 7,300 people a year; the equivalent capacity of more than 17 full Boeing 747 planes.

If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking, “how did I not know that?” The truth is most of us just don’t think about it until there is a personal need. But there are three reasons that we really, really should. First, in the U.S., there are more than 100,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Second, one donor can save

up to eight lives through organ donation and heal up to 75 people through tissue donation.

And finally, most of the people waiting for a transplant are people of color.

Take Dawn Arch as one example. Arch received a kidney transplant after nearly a decade on the organ transplant waiting list. If it weren’t for someone saying “yes” to donation, she may not be with us today. Most importantly, she may not be with her daughter, Darrian. “If you see me, you usually see Darrian, and I talk to her every day,” Arch says. “Since her dad died, I’m all she’s got, and she’s all I’ve got.” Arch’s story highlights the fact that donating not only saves a life but can also keep a family together.

Especially in the Black community, we often stay away from the subject of donation. It’s partially due to an earned mistrust in the medical community but also because we often just don’t know enough about it. Donation advocate William Lewis puts it like this, “There are so many in the Black community in need of organ donations, but not many of us agree to donate.” He and his wife had a conversation about donation and decided, “Let’s just do this, and then if something happens, we’ll be able to help people.”

Tragically, something did happen. Kimberly died suddenly of a stroke in 2014. William and their six children were devastated. However, donation soon became a light in a dark place for all of them.

“My kids are grieving too, but to see their mom’s name on the donor memorial wall…has really helped them,” Lewis explains. “As hard as it’s been for them – and it’s been very difficult – I can see, particularly with my older ones, how much they can see something positive in what’s happened.”

To learn more, or to sign up as an organ donor, visit DonateLife. net. S

Brother Elliott Stubblefield, a Spring 2009 initiate of the Sigma Phi Chapter and member of the Sigma Kappa Lambda Chapter in Bloomington, Indiana, is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Immediate Past Indiana District Director. He serves as multicultural community outreach coordinator for Indiana Donor Network. His work focuses on discussing the importance of donation and transplantation in minority communities.

Dawn Arch, 49, received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor in July 2020.

William Lewis’s wife, Kimberly, became a donor in 2014 after dying suddenly of a stroke.

BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV., CPLC. [NU ’89]

The 7 Life LawsTM

A NEW PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR MASTERING LIFE’S CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN HEALTH, RELATIONSHIPS, AND CAREERS

The most educated and talented among us doubt and question our self-worth, our abilities, and even our prior choices, particularly when various lifetime milestones are reached or when friends and peers achieve success or receive their desires.

The questions and criticism echo in our heads.

Why am I not further along in life? I should be doing something greater. Why don’t I have a better job? Why do I always end up in bad relationships? Why do I keep making the same dumb decisions? Am I’m good enough. I don’t deserve better. I’m a failure!

Life can be a cruel game where most have not been given the rules, or least of all, an effective playbook. We find ourselves in patterns or cycles we cannot break

and unfulfilled, thus compensating for what we are lacking in lives through negative habits, promiscuity, overeating, alcohol, and other substances.

It is not surprising that personal and professional development is a multi-million-dollar market with a plethora of self-help gurus and experts pontificating about what people should do and how they should live, earning millions through books, courses, workshops, and conferences.

Ironically, what many seek can be condensed into seven guiding principles I developed in 2018 and call, The 7 Life LawsTM The collection of principles combine the essence of universal ancient secret teachings and modern personal development theory into simple, easy to understand principles to help navigate day to

day living and master life’s challenges to prosper and achieve success in health, relationships, and careers. But while these life laws may be simple, they take practice, honesty, and commitment.

Unfortunately, people aren’t honest with themselves about their character, personal baggage, or willingness and commitment to change to even benefit minimally. Without that, people’s efforts often become complicated and doomed to failure.

Ultimately, people must first position themselves to receive them. That often comes once a person realizes their pattern or cycle, reaches their pivotal level of frustration, or hits rock bottom.

LIFE LAW #1 – THE PAST HAS PASSED.

The past cripples us. It is a deadly albatross around our necks that we must release. It is an anchor that ties us to mistakes and regrets of our experiences we have no power to alter. While we should not forget the memory of it, we must forgive ourselves for our transgressions against ourselves. We cannot win a race or succeed looking backwards. Otherwise, we are destined to stumble and fall over the obstacles in front of us. Our power and control are in the present. We must not relinquish it through fear, indecisiveness, procrastination, or apathy. The future depends on what we do now while the present is meant as a reflection of lessons learned from our past.

LIFE LAW #2 – ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND BE ACCOUNTABLE.

We must own our mistakes. For better or for worse, we made them. The question is how does one move forward and ensure that we and others become whole for our transgressions. If others were not wronged, then we solely owe the debt to ourselves. If our mistakes injured others, we must make amends and do what we can to compensate others for the injury. Fear of judgment often holds us back from doing what we must. Resistance to responsibility and accountability also represent an individuals’ inability to forgive themselves. Some view admitting their wrong or bad behavior as a permanent indictment of their character – a scarlet letter defining who they are, not who they were at that prior moment. Accepting responsibility and being accountable is the first step to true liberation.

LIFE LAW #3 – BE GRATEFUL.

Some people mistakenly equate being grateful with being thankful. The two are not synonymous. Gratefulness is not simply appreciation, as is thankfulness, but it embodies a state of acceptance and understanding. It is the acknowledgment that all we have experienced has worth and beauty, especially

those things that have caused us pain and hardship. Gratefulness accompanies the gift of recognition. It is therefore incumbent upon us to receive and reflect on the lessons offered through our experiences and the process. For example, gratefulness allows us to appreciate and not curse the storms in our lives as well as the havoc and destruction they bring. While our storms dismantle all that we have become comfortable with and accustom, they force us to withdraw from the action and cause us to seek shelter and remain still as they perform their function. If we chose to resist or fight against our storms, we find ourselves drawn into their chaos and confusion. We become swept up in the devastation. As a result of our desperation, we move blindly, ultimately making harsh, thoughtless decisions that pull us further into the abyss. But when we chose to be still, our storms eventually remove all foes that have overtaken us. They turn our enemies against themselves and make them part of the destruction. Debris is everywhere. In the end, our storms reveal who and what our enemies really are to us and the world. They are the broken ones and stood no chance. Suddenly, we can see clearly, and are better for it.

LIFE LAW #4 – EMBRACE A SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION AND PRACTICE.

We all possess an inner yearning, a thirst for answers, a hunger for completeness. Often, we silence that yearning with physical pleasures or material things and are left feeling empty. Having a spiritual foundation and practice is central to navigating both the triumphs and challenges life offers as well as providing a desired sense of fulfillment. Spirituality imbues life with hope, direction, and purpose. It also offers practices that encourage contemplation through meditation, prayer, yoga, and journaling. These practices reveal and emphasize that we are all an intricate part of something greater than ourselves. When we embrace a spiritual foundations and practice, our beliefs, values and, ultimately, our actions become inspired, directed, and centered to one consciousness. We become able to interpret incidents and experiences with a transcendent, inner wisdom to make healthier choices. We encouraged and able to forgive both others, and ourselves, which is one of the primary keys accepting responsibility and becoming accountable. And with that overall knowledge and inner wisdom, we realize most importantly that we possess and can access limitless potential.

LIFE LAW #5 – DECLUTTER YOUR LIFE AND ENVIRONMENT.

Clutter is overwhelming and prevents clarity, breeds procrastination, and restricts any thoughtful action in all endeavors. It is one of our fiercest, mental

QUICK TIPS & ACTVITIES TO HELP YOU LIVE THE 7 LIFE LAWSTM

LIFE LAW #1 - The Past Has Passed.

• Write an apology letter to yourself regarding your biggest regret(s)?

• Memorize & Practice The Serenity Prayer.

LIFE LAW #2 - Accept Responsibility & Be Accountable.

4 Ways to Reinforce Accountability

1. Embracing challenges

2. Experienced accountability

3. Consistent and regular feedback

4. Self-reflection

LIFE LAW #3 - Be Grateful.

• Counterfactual Thinking meditation – For two minutes each day, reflect on a past, positive event or relationship in your life. Imagine what your life would be if it never occurred or existed. Reflect on how your life would be different and what you’d not possess.

• Develop your own Grateful Rituals (Meditation, Affirmation, Journaling - Additional suggestions at www.tinybuddha.com)

LIFE LAW #4 - Embrace A Spiritual Foundation And Practice.

• Establish a sacred space in your home.

• Meditate, pray, adopt Tai Chai or Yoga practice.

LIFE LAW #5 - Declutter Your Life And Environment.

• The Philosophy of In & Out – For every new item you purchase, you must discard an old item.

• Everything has its place. Return it.

• Establish a cleaning day or a daily cleaning ritual.

• Do Relationship checks. Are you getting out what you are putting in?

LIFE LAW #6 - Do Your Best Today But Pursue Better Tomorrow.

• Keep your word. Be consistent.

• Make a daily To-Do list. Complete every item before you go to sleep every day.

LIFE LAW #7 - Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously.

• Find ways to remain humble. Perform acts of kindness.

• Pick up trash in your neighborhood.

opponents. For most, it manifests itself both literally and figuratively in our lives. Its most common forms characterize and consume our intimate relationships and physical environments. In relationships, toxic people, whom we cling to, offer discouragement instead of support and conflict instead of tranquility. In our homes, clutter steals our time and energy. It prevents us from valuing or enjoying our homes as a place to entertain, or as a sanctuary against our everyday stressors. Even in its physical, material form, however, clutter usually represents something else, and that is, unaddressed emotional baggage or benchmarks of the past. Consider the unnecessary trash in a hoarder’s home, to them, it symbolizes deceased loved ones, memorable experiences, or a fear of lacking. Clutter then becomes difficult to dispense with because they feel they are not throwing away trash, but rather, abandoning the people, experiences they love, or threatening their own security. (Types of Clutter: Physical

Clutter, Emotional Clutter, Human Clutter)

LIFE LAW #6 – DO YOUR BEST TODAY BUT PURSUE BETTER TOMORROW.

Change can be daunting. The people we are today versus the people we strive to ultimately become often are dramatically different. As a matter of fact, the distance between the two may even appear as polar-opposites and the mere thought, let alone, the actual undertaking, will intimidate and dissuade most. While everyone desires to be the best versions of themselves, few people act. Changing one’s life takes courage, commitment, and most of all, patience. It forces oneself to confront one’s unpleasant truths, accept responsibility, be accountable, develop a plan, take-action and remain consistent. Consistency gets us to the finish line, which is our transformation. Transformation, however, doesn’t happen overnight. Making multiple, dramatic lifestyle changes all at once are rarely sustainable. True change is a gradual, step-by-step, day-by-day process. Therefore, we must develop a habit of self-improvement, around all aspects of our lives, mind, body, and spirit, to achieve it. Each day, we must endeavor to do the best we can with what have, using the prior day as the least, or starting point, of our efforts. Affirmative habits always generate momentum, and momentum achieves dramatic, never-before attainable strides. Those consistent, strides are what leads us to achieving our goal.

LIFE LAW #7 – DON’T TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY.

Ego has led to the downfall of the world’s greatest and most powerful individuals. It is the Achille’s heel of the so-called invincible. In fact, when we are selfconsumed, we become arrogant, and careless in our actions as well as neglect wise counsel. We believe no one can offer us assistance nor should we ever require it since we have all the answers. Therefore, we not only become patronizing to others, but underestimate them as well. All of which makes us easy prey for our enemies. Thoughtful leaders, however, realize the risk and take precautions against themselves. In Ancient Rome, when crowds would cheer and praise Emperor Marcus Aurelius during his triumphs, he had a slave continuously whisper in his ear, “Remember yourself mortal.” Ultimately, he realized the necessity to remain grounded and open-minded. Overall, we can still possess and exude focus and intensity – typical qualities of leaders and innovators, without embracing arrogance, obsession, stress, and tension. Humility, therefore, extends our growth by allowing us to receive and not overlook worthwhile feedback even from the unlikeliest of sources. No one can be all-powerful, and all-knowing. These are traits reserved for the Divine. We are entitled to make mistakes, but most of all, find humor in them as well as our inadequacies. In doing so, we recognize the commonality in our own humanity, making us more cautious and less likely to error, because we accept that it is possible. S

Brother Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC, a 1989 Nu Chapter initiate, a Life member, and member of Rho Tau Lambda Chapter, is the Fraternity’s director of communications and editor of The Sphinx. Brother Webb is also a National Black Authors Tour bestselling author of five books, including the 2013 Phillis Wheatley Book Award Finalist for Best First Fiction, “The Garvey Protocol: Inspired By True Events.” He speaks and conducts personal and professional development workshops at universities, colleges, institutions, and corporations nationwide. In addition, he has been featured in or on The Washington Post, Thomson Newspapers, National Newspapers Publishers Association News Wire, ESSENCE, HBO, BET, The Learning Channel, SiriusXM, and the Voice of America. www.wordsbywebb.com

OWN YOURSELF: KEYS TO MASTERING YOUR LIFE AND DEVELOPING SOVEREIGNTY

Brother Abdoul Mohammed [Beta Alpha ’14] & Alex Covington provides a guide that will help you understand exactly how you can own every facet of your life and take charge of it, whether it is your mind, environment, or just about everything. Ralph Waldo Emerson aptly put it; “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” The fact that you are here, according to the book, means you understand the need to be 100% yourself, and you are passionate about unlocking the person you believe you truly are deep inside so you can take full charge over your life by living an authentic life. amazon.com S

THE TRUMAN COURT: LAW AND THE LIMITS OF LOYALTY

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are at the forefront of every organization worldwide. Executives and Chief Diversity Officers are working tirelessly to move the DEI needle. But what theoretically seems simple is not. Many professionals are asking, “What can I do?” Diversity Starts with You presents thought-provoking questions and provides proven strategies of success for DEI. This book is compiled with 15 years of experience, giving you a roadmap to become the change within your organization. Brother Dr. Marlon Moore

[Beta Gamma ’96, General Organization] creates a DEI Operating Plan with strategic objectives, initiatives, and core elements designed to recruit and retain diverse talent while building a sustainable approach to accountability and continuous improvement. amazon.com or DEIStrategyGuide.com S

BLACK FACES IN HIGH PLACES: 10 STRATEGIC ACTIONS FOR BLACK PROFESSIONALS TO REACH THE TOP AND STAY THERE

Black Faces in High Places is the essential guide for Black professionals who are moving up through their organizations or industries but need a roadmap for how to get to the top and stay there. Brother Dr. Randall Pinkett [Kappa Phi Lambda ’07, Theta Psi Lambda] and Brother Jeffrey A. Robinson [Kappa Phi Lambda ’07, Theta Psi Lambda] highlight the experiences of other Black faces in high places who were able to navigate various crossroads, reach the top, and stay there, including insights from President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Cathy Hughes, Bob Johnson, Ursula Burns, David Steward, Angela Glover Blackwell, Ken Chenault, Senator Cory Booker, Geoffrey Canada, and others. This groundbreaking book:

• Provides a lens into the careers of other prominent figures, across several industries and sectors.

• Identifies the 10 strategic actions successful Black leaders and executives must take.

• Empowers readers with models and steps to follow these 10 strategic actions on their own journeys to becoming a prominent leader.

• Outlines the unique challenges that come with a leadership role and how to overcome them.

• Walks readers through the changes in mindset, skillset, and toolset required to travel along the success path while helping others at every step along the way. S

amazon.com

Two iconic photos of Brother Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee show his close interaction with members of the Divine Nine Fraternities. One photo was taken on April 3, 1968, the day before his assassination and the other was taken on that tragic day, April 4th, of his assassination. In the first photo, Brother King is pictured with Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.’s Hosea Williams, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s Jesse Jackson, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.’s Ralph Abernathy. These men formed part of Brother Dr. King’s inner circle, although most of its members belonged to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The second iconic photo depicts Brother Andrew Young pointing to the direction from which the fatal shot came.

BY BROTHER ROBERT L. HARRIS, JR., PH.D., GENERAL HISTORIAN [THETA ’63]

Brother Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Inner Circle

In August 1957, after the successful conclusion of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the favorable Supreme Court decision on November 13, 1956, a group of Black leaders, primarily ministers, met in New Orleans to form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to coordinate efforts against racial segregation. The group selected Brother King as president, Brother Rev. Joseph Lowery as chairman of the board of directors, and Brother Rev. T. J. Jemison as secretary. Brother Jemison had led a successful boycott in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1953. During the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Brother King consulted with Brother Jemison on the use of private vehicles to transport boycotters. SCLC established its headquarters in Atlanta with a small office and staff. The initial executive director was Ella Baker, an effective field organizer for the NAACP, but she had difficulty managing the ministers not accustomed to taking directions from a woman. She lasted only three years until Brother King persuaded Brother Rev. Wyatt T. Walker, a Civil Rights activist from Petersburg, Virginia, to become SCLC executive director. Brother Walker had led successful demonstrations in Petersburg, especially desegregation of the public library and lunch counters, aided by his assistant, Dorothy Cotton. Brother Walker insisted on

bringing Dorothy Cotton with him to Atlanta, where he improved the SCLC administrative and fundraising capacities .

Brother Dr. Bernard Lafayette, a young freedom rider from Nashville, where he attended the Baptist Theological Seminary, interested Brother Andrew Young in moving to Atlanta to work for SCLC. Brother Dr. Lafayette later became SCLC’s program coordinator. Brother. Young together with Dorothy Cotton ran SCLC’s Citizenship Education Program. Numerous organizations, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., conducted citizen education programs for basic literacy, rights as U.S. citizens, and preparation for voter registration. It was through its Education for Citizenship Program, established in 1933, that the Fraternity developed its signature program, A Voteless People is a Hopeless People. Alpha chapters worked with ministers, NAACP branches, and the Urban League to register African Americans to Vote.

On Johns Island off the coast of South Carolina, Esau Jenkins, a produce farmer, who with his wife purchased several buses to transport students for education in Charleston and workers for jobs. During

travel to Charleston, he instructed the adults about requirements to become registered voters. Septima Clark, a teacher in Charleston, urged Jenkins to attend workshops on adult education and voter rights at the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tennessee. The Highlander Folk School, established in 1932, was one of the few integrated adult education centers in the South. It focused initially on labor organization and later civil rights. Rosa Parks and Brother King both attended workshops at the Highlander Folk School. Septima Clark became workshop director in 1956 after she was fired from her job as a schoolteacher in Charleston because of her work with the NAACP. She and her cousin, Bernice Robinson, a beautician, started the Citizenship Education Program at Highlander in 1957.

The state of Tennessee in 1961 revoked Highlander’s charter on charges that it did not meet requirements as a non-profit organization and closed the school. The Citizenship Education Program was transferred to SCLC, and Brother King asked Bro. Young, Septima Clark, and Dorothy Cotton to run it. Brother Young became the program administrator, Dorothy Cotton, education director, and Septima Clark, the supervisor of teaching training. The Citizenship Education Program conducted many of its early workshops at the Dorchester Center in Liberty County, Georgia. After Septima Clark retired, Brother Young and Dorothy Cotton ran the program, often in areas prior to demonstrations. They prepared protestors for marches and lunch counter sit-ins, instructing them on how to protect themselves and to respond nonviolently to physical and verbal abuse. After Bro. Young became Executive Director of SCLC in 1964, Dorothy Cotton was in charge of the program.

Brother Young was one of Brother King’s closest members of his inner circle. He assisted Brother King and Southern Christian Leadership Conference administrator, strategist, and negotiator. He frequently traveled with Brother King at home and abroad. The photo below is one example of their travel abroad in 1964 to the European Baptist Federation Congress meeting in the Netherlands.

Clark with questions about their rights as citizens and boldly told Clark that he could turn his back on him, but he could not turn his back on the idea of justice. Sheriff Clark in trying to get the protestors to leave the Courthouse steps lost his cool and punched Brother Vivian in the face sprawling him down the courthouse steps before television cameras. Brother Vivian maintained his composure, brushed himself off, and insisted that they had a right to register to vote. Given that this confrontation and opposition to African Americans registering to vote was caught on television and broadcast throughout the country, many historians called it one of the defining moments in the movement for voting rights.

Another former Freedom Rider, Brother Rev. C.T. Vivian joined the SCLC staff at the invitation of Brother King. He helped to orchestrate demonstrations in Birmingham, St. Augustine, and Selma. Brother Vivian is perhaps best known for his confrontation with Dallas County Sheriff Jim Clark on the steps of the County Courthouse to which he had led Black citizens to register to vote. Brother Vivian peppered Sheriff

Sources

While members of the Divine Nine were strong supporters of Brother King, SCLC, and the Civil Rights Movement, Brother King surrounded himself with men who were or became members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Moreover, in a recent interview, Brother Young reminisced that whenever they went into different cities and towns, Alpha Brothers were always there to support them.

Dorothy Cotton. If Your Back Is Not Bent: The Role of the Citizenship Education Program in the Civil Rights Movement. New York: Atria, 2012.

C.T. Vivian. It’s in the Action: Memories of a Nonviolent Warrior. Montgomery: New South Books, 2021. See especially, pp. 85-88.

Andrew Young. An Easy Burden: The Civil Rights Movement and the Transformation of America. Waco, Tx.: Baylor University Press, 4th edition, 2021. See especially, pp. 196-220.

(ALPHA HISTORICAL / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO)

BY BROTHER WILLIE M. HEARD, III, PHD [PI THETA LAMBDA ’02]

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Clears $2.8 Million in Medical Debt For More Than 1,300 San

Antonio, Texas

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. – Pi Theta Lambda Chapter (“Alamo Alphas”) has cleared more than $2.8 million in medical debt for 1,330 families in Bexar County in San Antonio, Texas. Pi Theta Lambda Chapter – the San Antonio-based chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. recently commemorated 30 years of Brotherhood, volunteerism, and altruism in the Alamo City, and sought to leave an indelible imprint on the community via this philanthropic initiative.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many citizens of Bexar County struggled with paying their medical expenses. The Brothers of Pi Theta Lambda Chapter empathized with this challenge; understanding that many of their neighbors lost employment, experienced underemployment, or have had to make difficult decisions as to securing necessities versus avoiding medical bankruptcy. To demonstrate their commitment to the greater San Antonio area, Pi Theta Lambda Chapter partnered with RIP Medical Debt, a New York-based charity, to erase medical debt for some of its neighbors.

“As a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and a healthcare administrator for over 35 years, I am intimately familiar with the ravages of medical debt,” says Brother Odis R. Blueitt, vice president of the chapter. “This was an important initiative because medical debt adversely impacts millions of Americans causing bankruptcy, delayed or omitted care, homelessness, bad credit scores, and a

host of other second and third order effects.”

“Despite most of Alpha Phi Alpha’s community-facing activities being suspended due to the global health crisis, Pi Theta Lambda Chapter successfully adapted by seeking alternative means of fulfilling Alpha’s Mission to ‘…provide service and advocacy for our communities,’” says Brother Dr. Willie M. Heard III, PhD, director of educational activities for the chapter. “This led to our Chapter establishing a partnership with RIP Medical Debt to help some of these families in Bexar County to retire their medical debt.”

RIP Medical Debt can purchase large, bundled medical debt portfolios on the secondary debt marketplace (and directly from hospitals) for a fraction of their face value. On average, approximately $100.00 of medical debt can be forgiven for each dollar ($1.00) donated. In early December 2020, Pi Theta Lambda Chapter launched a RIP Medical Debt campaign to raise a minimum of $10,000 to eliminate at least $1 million worth of medical debt in Bexar County. Supporters of the Alpha’s campaign were able to make tax-deductible donations online or mail their donations directly to RIP Medical Debt.

“I donated because I understand how crippling medical debt can be on an individual. It affects credit worthiness and keeps people from seeking medical attention. All too often, it affects those who don’t receive public assistance, who are working hard to keep their families

afloat while trying to stay healthy,” says Brother Marcus Green, the chapter’s financial secretary. “Healthy, thriving families in Bexar County are part of Pi Theta Lambda Chapter’s service to all mankind.”

The RIP Medical Debt campaign to benefit Bexar County families ended on March 31, 2021. Through the generosity of Pi Theta Lambda Chapter members, other Alpha Phi Alpha Brothers, and people of goodwill, $12,509.71 was raised. RIP Medical Debt was then able to leverage the funds collected from the Alpha’s campaign to purchase Bexar County area medical debt; thereby, forgiving a total of $2,860,114.57. RIP Medical Debt was adept at helping the Alpha’s campaign to surprisingly eliminate approximately $228.63 of medical debt for every $1.00 donated, which is over twice the expected average.

Recipients of this medical debt abolishment are random, based on those debts available for the charity to purchase. RIP buys debts belonging to those in the most financial need (two times or below the federal poverty level/insolvent). Recipients were notified via a branded RIP letter in the mail if their debt or debts had

been abolished. Those letters arrived late June 2021.

“In San Antonio alone, it is estimated that medical debt is over $300 million,” said Michael G. Torres, Jr., the chapter’s president. “This is why we decided to team up with RIP Medical Debt for providing relief to those who need it in the San Antonio community. As president of Pi Theta Lambda Chapter, I want to thank RIP Medical Debt in assisting us in our vision and the community for their support and their donations. I am proud of the brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha in exceeding our goal.”

Given the success and reach of the campaign, the chapter will launch another campaign in early December 2021.

Brother Willie M Heard III, PhD, a 2002 Pi Theta Lambda Chapter initiate, serves as Director of Educational Activities for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. – Pi Theta Lambda Chapter. Brother (Dr.) Heard III is presently employed with the Health Care Business Group at 3M.

BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV., CPLC [NU ’89]

ANSWERING THE CALL OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP

When Alpha Phi Alpha strengthens the Brotherhood and improves operational excellence, we will be better positioned to provide relevant advocacy and leadership in our communities. Brother General President Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III believes in center-out leadership as opposed to top-down leadership. As a proven business executive with demonstrated results-driven leadership in Alpha, we are Elevating the Alpha Spirit through service and advocacy that builds on the expertise of our Brothers to meet the demands of our time.

Since the beginning of the Lonzer administration, the Fraternity has embarked on an aggressive effort to identify untapped and underutilized potential by focusing the organization on strengthening the Brotherhood; improving operational excellence; and finally answering the call of servant leadership in our communities. This article explores that

final component of the Elevating the Alpha Spirit platform of answering the call of servant leadership by enhancing volunteerism and delivering impactful advocacy.

“We are going to expand to international days of service, and in doing that, also encompasses us taking on being a better partner in the community and realizing that we are a community stakeholder,” says General President Lonzer in a prior interview. “Making sure that these programs align with our mission statement in our fraternity-wide programming, (as well as) the collaborations that we do with Big Brothers Big Sisters and other organizations.”

He also adds that we also ensure that if there aren’t these programs at the chapter or local level that we either alone or in collaborations with other National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations ensure that we are mentoring boys and girls as well as those who are college worthy or college eligible.

The Fraternity’s General Committees and its Standing Committees are also being employed to promote our ability to execute on the Fraternity’s strategic and tactical plans, including our Voteless People Is A Hopeless People Committee and others. In addition, the Fraternity has been tasked with developing a non-partisan political agenda that can be leveraged during our Days at the U.S. Capital or at any state capital.

“How would I ever have believed that ‘A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People’ and our voter education, and registration and empowerment components, (should be a focus today, but) it needs to be all of that,” General President Lonzer explains. “Because quite frankly, in the 21st Century they’re taking away our right to vote. So, all the programs that we thought might have been passe are becoming relevant again.”

We are also seeking to identify celebrity level Alpha Brothers to “lean into the fraternity, get on board, and help us promote our initiatives” to become a physical, visible force.

Says General President Lonzer: “I think (Brother) Roland Martin has been good in utilizing his platform to help advocate and to push the Fraternity as well as (to help) us to stay relevant and engaged.”

Brother Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC., a 1989 Nu Chapter initiate, Rho Tau Lambda Chapter and Life member of the Fraternity, is the Fraternity’s director of communications and editor of The Sphinx as well as a National Black Authors Tour bestselling author and an empowerment strategist. He is the author of five books, including the 2013 Phyllis Wheatley Book Award Finalist for Best First Fiction, The Garvey Protocol: Inspired by True Events. Brother Webb, who speaks and conducts workshops on mindset, media and marketing at universities, colleges, institutions, and corporations nationwide, has been featured in or on The Washington Post, Thomson Newspapers, National Newspaper Publishers Association News Wire, ESSENCE, HBO, BET, The learning Channel, SiriusXM and Voice of America. www.wordsbywebb.com

Recently, The Sphinx magazine asked Alpha Brothers across the Fraternity to offer their definition of and motivation as a servant leader and how they and their chapters demonstrate it through volunteerism and activism. These are their responses.

Brother Eric S. Smith, Delta Epsilon ’80 Sigma Mu Lambda –Montgomery County, PA Life Member

Since the time that I crossed into Alpha 42.5 years ago as a 2nd semester Freshman at Buffalo State College, I have attempted to honor our motto of “First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All,” throughout my adult life. As a Leader, I believe that it is critically important to put the needs of others first. In fact, in any of the roles that I’ve played in my life as a church elder, soccer coach, individual contributor, 1st line manager, vice president of sales at a Fortune 500 company, etc. – putting the needs of others first is part of my DNA, because to whom much is given, much is expected. This same mindset is embedded into the DNA of my graduate chapter, Sigma Mu Lambda (SML). Since its establishment, the chapter has endeavored to serve the Northern and Western suburbs of Philadelphia, PA., more specifically the cities of Coatesville, Norristown & Pottstown, PA. While we are a fairly “new” chapter (3.5 years old), we are more than 80 Brothers strong and growing, and we’d rather serve as leaders vs. talking about it.

Life Member

My definition of and motivation as ‘a servant leader’ encompasses humility, vision, trust, empowerment, and service to one’s community. As a community member in San Diego, California I strive to leave a person, place, or thing better once I leave than it was before I made the encounter. My Chapter and I demonstrates being a servant leader by volunteering in the city of San Diego, CA. Recently we painted the men and women restrooms at Grace Unity Baptist Church (GUBC), in which I attend. I serve as a trustee at GUBC. I also serve as the project manager for the church, where I ensure that the grounds and the church is safe for members. Most recently, I arranged for a gun expert to speak to the congregation on what to do in case of an active shooter. Being proactive, it’s my duty and responsibility as a servant to protect God’s people. In addition, I am always looking for ways to give back to my community, including providing brown bag lunches once a quarter for the less fortunate with my own money as well as organizing

Brother Dr. Sammie L. Scales, Jr.,

Zeta Sigma Lambda ’19

Zeta Sigma Lambda - San Diego, CA

one of the largest peaceful marches/ protest under the banner of Black Lives Matter (BLM).

Servant leadership. A word that is too often thrown around like it is common. Servant leadership is not for the weak or lazy. It takes great talent, dedication, and motivation. The secret ingredient is passion. Without passion, servant leadership is just another term that we use without any action. To me servant leadership is bringing oneself down to a level where leadership can be seen and felt. I also call it serving from the heart. Servant leadership is twofold. We show others how to lead and serve. In return, they teach us how to be effective. My motivation for being a servant leader is knowing where I came from and what it took to get me where I am at in life. I can remember the days as a youth behind K-mart dumpster diving looking for dinner at times. Those days being without pushed me towards greater things. I was determined I will never allow anyone to go through what I went through. I wanted to make a difference. It pushed me to take on the role as a servant leader. All praises be to The Most High, because I had many servant leaders in my life who served as exemplary pillars in my life.

Servant leadership is built on the foundation of serving with a grateful heart. I am grateful that I get to serve and lead daily.

For me, I see a servant leader as one who understands that holding a position of leadership does not exempt him from doing the work. The goal of a servant leader is to uplift and empower those he serves, and not himself. I demonstrate servant leadership through my work as a mentor to the young men I serve on the campus of Savannah State University. It is a labor of love, but I firmly believe we must poor into young people, and specifically our young men, as they navigate an ever changing, unforgiving selfish world. In the work I do, I do not seek attention or recognition, for my satisfaction comes from seeing those I have led and served achieve success. Servant leadership is exhibited through my chapter, Beta Phi Lambda, as we put our aims into action. Our initiatives such as Team Up to Clean Up where we take to and clean the streets of Savannah, and our Voteless People is a Hopeless People (Political Action) Committee where we have gone door to door in low election turn out neighborhoods and encouraged residents to vote. As Alphas, we should always be found representing the underserved and giving voice to the voiceless.

ministry for over 20 years, mainly working with youth and young adults throughout the New Orleans community. Much of my work has focused on helping our youth and young adults to just survive. New Orleans is #1 for mass incarceration in the world and had been titled “The Murder Capital of the World.” As servant leaders, several interfaith leaders have come together on a grassroots level to train men to be conflict resolution specialists within the community. We worked to raise funds to put up billboards in our high crime areas that read “Stop the Beef Before the Grief” with a large casket in the forefront of the billboard. There is also a conflict resolution hotline listed on the billboard so that those affected by violence, or the threat of violence, can call us to come in and help ease some of the tensions before it results in another death. This initiative has called us, as servant leaders, to be available at all hours of the day to make sure we address the needs of our community. This is how servant leadership is lived out and we witness two of the aims of our beloved fraternity - manly deeds, and love for all mankind. If it takes a village to raise a child, it will take that same village to save that child.

Brother Philip Linwood

Wilkerson III, Theta Rho Lambda ’17

Theta Rho Lambda – Arlington/ Alexandria, VA

Ansel Augustine, Rho Epsilon ’96 General Organization

Being a servant leader means taking time to assess and address the needs of the community. I have served in

We state that you should not look to join Alpha to become a leader, but that membership should enhance the leadership qualities that already exist in your core. I remember thinking of how accomplished, and confident everyone seemed when I went to my first chapter meeting. There was no way I could be like all these extraordinary gentlemen around me. But, as my commitment to my chapter and community grew

Brother William Ellis, Jr.,

Delta Zeta Lambda ’00

Delta Zeta Lambda –Orangeburg, SC

Brother Marius L. Davis, Beta Phi Lambda ’18 Beta Phi Lambda Life Member

Brother Dr.

through service, so did my leadership confidence. It’s strange when you focus on just doing your best to help others; focusing on doing good and just work turns into a pursuit of excellence. Furthermore, as you look to serve others best, people take note and want to follow your lead. You sometimes become an unintentional leader not by barking orders at others, but through organizing a group of like-minded people focusing on the same goals. Through wanting to serve the chapter, I was tasked with things I had never done before. I was thrust into a mentorship role when I was asked to serve as faculty advisor to the Fraternity’s Iota Alpha Chapter at George Mason University, where I work. I was advising student leaders who were way more ambitious than me when I was their age, and now I was tasked with making sure they were heard and valued by me. I take that role with a lot of importance because I now have a platform to advocate for these students. That same summer, I became the faculty advisor for the GMU NAACP. Serving the students at George Mason University in these roles strengthened my commitment to Black students and forced me to become an example to the youth whether I wanted to or not.

Life Member

Servant leadership is the ability to follow a mission statement that has been adopted by a group that has policies, procedures, and regulations in place to guide the group’s focus, direction, goals. As a servant, we serve others to ensure that our greatest purpose lie outside of ourselves. Indeed, my desire, and I think I can

speak for my chapter, our motivation is our communities. A true servant leader possesses the qualities and characteristics of a person who genuinely cares, follows mandates, and ensure that the population outside of ourselves are the benefactors of our benevolence. I try to live by this code and for me, the most important characteristic is being and remaining humble. I started from humble beginnings. I come from a very large family whose parents had meager education – fourth grade for Dad and eleventh grade for Mom! Yet in my eyes, they had PhDs in common sense. They raised their children to seek education expecting that education would lead to a better life. My siblings and I reach back and tryp to help others as we impact their lives. As servant leaders, we want more for others than we want for ourselves. As a servant leader, we lead and follow. We respect others and respect their leaderships and skills. Servant leaders trust others. Servant leaders understand that to be successful, one must plan and then work their plan - incorporating others into the plan by sharing the plan and seeking buy-in from others. Servant leaders understand that criticism is constructive when one brings solutions to the table, not just complaints. In my chapter, we try to emulate and teach the traits of the servant leader. We plan our outreach and work that plan with action and after-action evaluation. We know we cannot rest on our laurels. Most importantly, we do not do our community outreach seeking recognition. We do our community service and outreach to resolve issues in our communities. We tend to want to leave this world better than we find it. Our reward is knowing that we contribute to society. As a chapter, we use orientation, and retreats to self-evaluate. Activities that work, we may tweak to improve, and we modify and revise any activity that does not work. We work to become better! We combine the servant and leadership so that they both, become our compass!

Brother Richard Norris, III, Omicron ’19

Alpha Omicron Lambda –Pittsburgh, PA

Life Member

A lesson that continues to echo throughout the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church today comes from the late Brother Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand, who once said, “Love the people, and the people will love you.” In other words, if you want to be effective in your ministry, just be intentional about serving the people. If you can do that, then everything else will fall into place. That, in my opinion, is the essence of servant leadership. To be a servant leader is to actively recognize that your service to an organization or institution is bigger than you. To be a servant leader is to be mindful of the long-term ramifications and precedents that will be set because of your leadership. To be a servant leader is to always do right by the people you serve. On Friday, July 26, 2019, I was elected to serve as the International President of the Young People’s and Children’s Division (YPD) of the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) of the AME Church. It has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life to superintend the work of the official youth organization of my denomination for the past 3.5 years. On the campaign trail, my slogan was “Believe with R3” because the overarching goal for my administration was––and still is––for my Zion to believe in young people in the same way that I do. That is particularly why as President I have always striven, in consultation with our International Director and with the support of my Executive Board, to help cultivate a culture in which our young people 1) can rest in knowing that someone is rooting for them to

Brother Dr. Alex C. Bailey, Gamma Iota ’73 Pi Upsilon Lambda - Largo, Maryland

make it, someone is standing with them, someone is supporting them, 2) are encouraged to develop their gifts (not in the gifts that we have already pre-selected for them, but the gifts that God and God alone has placed within them), and 3) have opportunities to actually use their gifts in the church. In planning our yearly leadership training institutes and various initiatives, my administration has purposefully endeavored to let our YPDers know that we believe in them. And it has so warmed my heart to see that, even amid a pandemic, young people across the breadth of our Connection have the enthusiasm to serve the YPD, and the AME Church, in ways I had not saw before.

Brother Rodney S. Jones, Epsilon Iota ’96 General Organization

My belief is there is no greater example of a servant leader than Jesus. Consider that He was sent from a position of royalty to live as a common man—removal of title; washed his disciples’ feet—did work that was seemingly beneath him; gave his life to save others—sacrifice for the benefit of someone outside of self. Those three attributes define servant leader. In my opinion, there should be no other definition. My motivation to be a servant leader has everything to do with my personal “why:” to empower the underdog to compete on a stage they are not statistically qualified to be on—and WIN. I’m motivated to see others take down the “Goliaths” in their life. I (like many other black men in this country) know what it’s like to live at a deficit yet “…watch the things you gave your life to broken, and stoop and build ’em up with wornout tools.”— excerpt from “If” by Rudyard Kipling. What motivates me

is knowing that somewhere there’s a young man trying to build a life of success with worn-out tools. To sit idly by and watch him struggle when I can help him with a better design is unacceptable. The best way to do that is to strip myself of the affluent title; meet this young man where he is; sacrifice my time, energy and talent and serve him…the way that God modeled servant leadership. I demonstrate this through my continued efforts with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). Since 2009, I have been a mentor. In the past 13 years, I have had the honor of serving five little brothers as their Big Brother/ Mentor. My contribution as a mentor was so impactful that the Houston region asked me to join their board of directors. I served in that capacity for two years before relocating to Atlanta. I may not have a board seat, but I continue to demonstrate my volunteerism through one-to-one mentorship with BBBS. Currently I am matched with a sixteen-year-old young man named Jaxon. We talk everything from financial education, college, fantasy football, and yes… girls. His mother trusts me to help shape her son into the man God has called him to be. That responsibility fuels my motivation to be a servant leader and defend his potential.

of personal gain.” I see these same virtues of servant leadership in my Brothers of the Tau Delta Lambda Chapter in which I am a member.

Brother Walter Hails, Eta Xi ’88

Iota Rho Lambda – Pontiac, Michigan

Brother Omar Morales, Pi Chapter ’05

Tau Delta Lambda – San Juan, Puerto, Rico

A “servant leader’ is a leader who focuses not on his goals and aspirations but on the people that he leads, on the community he serves so that they reach their highest potential. In my opinion, to be an Alpha Man means to be a servant leader is found in a line of the poem by Brother Fred H. Woodruff, To Be An Alpha Man. Brother Woodruff states, “It means an honest devotion, not anticipation

Servant leadership is a philosophy a leader or group of leaders live by, where they share power and put the needs of the organization and the growth of its members first. They don’t care about individual accolades or who gets the credit. It’s about making a difference in the lives of the people they serve. Servant leaders strive to understand the needs of the community around them and deliver stellar outcomes in whatever they do. They do this by being authentic, transparent, intentional, and displaying a willingness to serve the greater good. Iota Rho Lambda chapter, seated in Pontiac, within the heart of Michigan’s Oakland County is the epitome of servant leadership. A chapter chock-full of leaders with seventy Alpha men strong, they have a next man up mentality. They believe in one another and have learned to harness the synergistic effect and talents of its members to produce spectacular results. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has many national programs and partnerships. It’s often very challenging to complete everything and do it well, especially for small chapters.

However, Iota Rho Lambda believes they have found that secret sauce. We don’t need the whole chapter at every event. Numbers are nice, but often small teams can do the trick. We simply assemble teams of five brothers, young and old, who have a passion in an area and let them plan, organize, and execute. We add brothers incrementally, if needed.

These nimble groups have produced successful outcomes. It all starts with understanding the community you serve. When you don’t care who gets the credit, or about photo ops, or even about winning awards, you can focus truly on what God wants us to do and that is to help uplift our communities and make this world a better place.

Sitting on a white stool in her hot kitchen, preparing mouthwatering Thanksgiving delicacies, I watched my grandmother labor in love to bring the family together over a hot meal. As hungry eyes and anxious feet scurry back and forth in the kitchen, I pause and recognize on the surface, this was just a meal but there is a power in her labor. Family who hadn’t been around in a while, neighbors who may have otherwise been lonely, and others had needs satiated through food prepared by my grandmother. She showed me exactly what servant leadership looks like through her ability to feed anyone who walked through that door no matter how they came. Servant leadership meets the community where they are, loves them despite the perception, and leads them through active engagement, listening, and resource development.

Alpha Xi – University of Washington

Servant leadership is about initiative,

being the one to stand up and advocate for your community. One of the greatest gifts that we can receive in life is a chance to make a difference, which depending on where you come from or the struggles that you have had to endure, becomes increasingly rare. These “forgotten communities” need a servant leader more than anyone. When a community and its needs are constantly ignored, when its people remain voiceless, we must take it upon ourselves to pay our gift forward. As someone who grew up in a forgotten community, I know just how seldom these opportunities are, and once I got my chance, I knew what I must do. I was gifted the opportunity to attend the University of Washington after I was accepted off the waitlist, and it was like this fire was lit beneath me, I had somehow slipped through with the untouchables, and I had everything to prove. I crossed the Alpha Xi Chapter of our fraternity in the winter of my first year on our Spring 2020 line and was shortly after that elected president of our National Pan-Hellenic Council, becoming the youngest in the university’s history. I now found myself within months of crossing, guiding the entire yard through the pandemic, hosting mental health seminars for the black community on campus, and re-negotiating the NPHC’s agreement with the University to secure more services for D9 members on campus. My work eventually led to the erection of NPHC Crests in our student center, one of the first instances on the west coast of a physical acknowledgment of Black Greek Culture. I now serve as the Director of the Black Student Commission on campus, where I continue to advocate for increased support and services for black students, such as establishing a Black Residence Hall and promoting ways to increase funding for black student activities. Our chapter has also spent the last few years working with the Black Student Union and University Administration on demands to create a better environment for black

students. Working to increase black mental health resources and remove statues of racist figures from campus and pushing for more racial disparity coursework for all students. As I near the end of my undergraduate years, I prepare to enroll in Law School in the fall to pursue my JD in hopes of returning to Los Angeles to become the District Attorney of Los Angeles County so that I can advocate for criminal justice reform in the community. I have my whole community behind me, I promised myself that when I returned, I would make them proud, for all the good times and support that I had received I would dedicate my life to its service. This is what servant leadership is to me, when you receive this gift, it is meant to be paid forward, in hopes of opening more doors for the servant leaders of the future.

A servant leader is someone who puts the needs of others before their own and uses their leadership abilities to serve and empower others. The motivation for a servant leader is the desire to help others and make a positive impact on their community. Servant leadership is especially important in the African American community, where we have a long history of facing injustice and inequality. By practicing servant leadership, we can work to create positive change and to improve the lives of others. The Nu Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. demonstrates this through its commitment to volunteerism and activism. One example of this is the chapter’s annual partnership with the Orange County Food Bank to honor the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther

Brother Marvin Q. Jones, Jr., Sigma Kappa Lambda ’19 Sigma Kappa Lambda –Bloomington, IN

Brother Calen Garrett, Alpha Xi ’20

Brother Dr. Stephen R. Glass, Nu Tau Lambda ’21 Nu Tau Lambda – Santa Ana, CA Life Member

King Jr. on his Day of Service. This partnership, which was established in 1999 by Brothers Bobby McDonald and Ken Hill. Presently, Bro. Michael Glass, following in the footsteps of his father, Brother Reverend Colonel Fredrick A. L. Glass, and his biological and fraternal brother, Fredrick Glass, serves as the Chairperson of this event since 2010. This shows our chapter’s commitment to serving and supporting those in need.

A-Road program and serving as a mentor in our chapter’s youth mentoring program, Alpha Academy, are just some of the ways I serve. I feel it is my duty as a man and my purpose because I am an Alpha man.

Brother Chris Morton, Theta Zeta Lambda ’17

Theta Zeta Lambda – Ann Arbor, MI

Life Member

Brother Carlton Riddick, Alpha Omicron ’89

Omicron Phi Lambda - East Point, GA

A servant leader is a person who understands that the foundation of leadership is service. That type of leader focuses on working for the greater good of the people and the organization. I am motivated daily to serve the African American community because of those that came before me and created the opportunity for me to become the man that I am today. I feel obligated to volunteer and advocate for my community because of that fact. Working on voter registration drives, cleaning up roads with our Adopt-

Servant Leadership is a concept that was introduced in literature in the late 1970s within management and organizations. Robert K. Greenleaf defined servant leadership as the desire to influence, motivate, and guide followers through the inspiration of hope and through a more caring experience. This motivation, influence, and guidance is attained through established quality relationships. Therefore, to be a servant leader is to have quality and established relationships within the community you are in. Servant leadership tends to the encouragement, empowerment, growth, and success of those they lead. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Theta Zeta Lambda Chapter (Key

#283) seated in Ann Arbor, Michigan was chartered on January 23, 1962, by seven men who was rejecting discriminatory practices of full employment and open housing in the Ann Arbor area for Black Americans. Theta Zeta Lambda continues to play a role in providing servant leadership to the Ann Arbor community through volunteerism and activism. Since 1987, Theta Zeta Lambda’s the Brother Dr. Thomas A. Bass Caring & Sharing Program, named in honor of one of the chapter charter members, is a a food basket program to provide those in need within our local communities. Annually, the program helps approximately 90 families during the Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasons by providing food boxes and gift cards for needy families. The chapter’s Esquire Leadership & Mentor Program (ELMP), which was started in 2004 as a partnership between Theta Zeta Lambda, Epsilon (University of Michigan), and Epsilon Eta (Eastern Michigan University), develops young Black men academically, socially, and personally with a central focus on higher education and service to mankind. I truly believe that Ann Arbor and surrounding communities are better because of the relationship that Theta Zeta Lambda has with the community.

BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV., CPLC [NU ’89]

FRATERNITY HONORS PAST GENERAL PRESIDENT TEAMER’S

ANNIVERSARY

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. recently honored and recognized 27th General President Dr. Charles C. Teamer, Sr.’s 70th Anniversary in the Fraternity at a luncheon in New Orleans in December.

The Fraternity’s board of directors, political officials, and other community leaders as well as family and friends paid tribute to PGP Teamer’s notable Fraternal and professional legacy and career. Over the weekend, the Fraternity also hosted a fireside chat at Xavier University with the fraternity’s General President Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III, PGP Teamer and other living Past General Presidents, except for Past General President Dr. Henry Ponder, who was unable to attend.

“Over the past 70 years, since my initiation on December 1, 1951, through the Alpha Phi Chapter (Clark College), Alpha has taught me many things and afforded me several opportunities,” he writes in the commemorative program booklet. “While reflecting on this period, I have concluded that there has been no better investment than the investment in the goals and objectives of the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men. As a member of this august brotherhood, I have

done my best to serve, care, and believe; and I did not do it alone. Because of Brothers and friends like each of you who have been significant influences, I have been able to achieve the levels of success that I have. I am grateful to have you as a part of my village.”

PGP Dr. Teamer, a distinguished business and civic leader, served as the 27th General President of the Fraternity from 1985 to 1988. A Shelby, N.C. native, he was born to parents, B.T. Teamer, and Mary Teamer on May 20, 1933. He later attended Clark College, now Clark Atlanta University, where he was initiated into the Fraternity and received his bachelor’s degree in 1954. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958, and later received his master’s degree from the University of Nebraska and his Ph.D. degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Over the years, he has served as Vice Chairman of the Board of First NBC Bank, but he is well known for his more than 40 years of work in higher education. In addition, he has held the position of Vice President of Fiscal Affairs at Dillard University and Clark Atlanta University. He has also served as chair on the boards of United Way, Metropolitan Area Committee, New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, Urban League of Greater New

Above: PGP Teamer recognized during PGP fireside chat.

Left: PGP Teamer smiling and offering remarks.

Orleans, Greater New Orleans Foundation, Board of Commissioners Port of New Orleans, and The World Trade Center. He has also served on other boards, including Children’s Hospital, New Orleans Council Boy Scouts of America, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, GNO, Inc., Entergy New Orleans, and Ochsner Medical Foundation. In 1983, Governor David Teen appointed Dr. Teamer as the first African American to serve on the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans.

In 1993, he co-founded the Dryades Savings Bank and served as chairman. He later retired from Dillard University in 1997 and continued to work as a consultant to Clark Atlanta University. Five years later, he led a partnership of investors in opening The Cotton Exchange and Holiday Inn Express Hotel in downtown New Orleans and became president of the World Trade Center of New Orleans in 2003.

Published reports contributed to this story.

General President Lonzer with PGP Teamer.

PGP Teamer with his family.

PGP Teamer recognized in Congressional Record.

Urban League’s Brother Marc Morial offering tribute.

PGP Teamer With Interim Executive Director Brother Sean McCaskill.

PGP Teamer at dais.

PGP Teamer Posing With All PGPs In attendance.

BY BROTHER CURTIS BUNN [EPSILON PI ’82]

THEY HEAR THE VOICE OF JEWEL CALLIS

When the now late Brother C. Perry Halstead, one of the founders of the Omicron Phi Lambda chapter, which serves

South Fulton, outside of Atlanta, came upon a box of old vinyl records at his home, one stood out so much that he yelled to his wife.

Alarmed, she ran into the room, expecting to call 9-1-1. Instead, she found her husband in a moment of shock and awe.

He had discovered a recording owned by his late father, Brother Clarence Perry Halstead, Sr., of Jewel Founder Henry Arthur Callis speaking at the Theta Rho Lambda chartering service on January 30, 1965 in Arlington, Virginia.

It was a rare find, so rare that it is perhaps the only known audio recording of a Jewel’s voice. Anywhere.

“The record was in pristine condition,” Brother Halstead says. “I hooked up my turntable—yes I still

have a turntable—and listened.”

Jewel Callis delivered a 15-minute speech that “was still relevant today,” he says. At the time, Jewel Callis was 78.

This discovery marks one of Brother Halstead’s greatest gifts to the fraternity since he entered Omega chapter on March 14.

Brother Halstead loved telling the story of this rare discovery, including how he excitedly called Brothers Sam Daniel, Donald Wheat, and Jim Christian from his OPL chapter with the news. Then he called Past General President Brother Darryl Matthews, who suggested he have the vinyl record converted into CDs.

As part of the Atlanta-area Founders’ Day Banquet on December 4, 2021, the recording was played for the nearly 200 Brothers in attendance. There was complete silence. When Brother Dan A. Sims, who chaired the week of events, asked if anyone had ever heard a Jewel’s voice, not one hand was raised—including from Brother Bob Willis and Brother Howard Kennedy, both in attendance, who had 72 and 71 years, respectively, in Alpha.

It turned out that it was the last speech for Jewel Callis, who had asked to not to be called

Brother C. Perry Halstead

DISCOVERY OF RARE RECORDING OF JEWEL FOUNDER DR. HENRY ARTHUR CALLIS

“Jewel.” He started the speech, delivered in a low and raspy voice, by saying: “If I could add just a little oil to the torch that has been burning for over a half century, I would be much satisfied.”

Some of the highlights of his speech:

• “We must be recognized because of our good work. Because things in this country and the world are getting a little better does not allow us to let up on forwarding our objectives. . . There’ve been two main objectives since the founding, since 1906 . . . Students were dropping out of school in the fifth and sixth grade. We put stay in school, go to high school, go to college in our program because we knew that without schooling there was not much of a future, regardless of color. . . The only avenue of success is still through thorough training.”

• “Our second purpose was to train leaders through our organization to make our young men sure of themselves, to become associated with young men in other colleges and to continue that association after our graduation. . . If we go through the rosters of those men scattered across the country, they are influential in making America better. . . You will find Alpha men have done it.”

• “We have changed America, but that change isn’t complete. Alpha Phi Alpha has work to do as civic leaders. . . political leaders, to see that America is not only the land of the brave, but also the land of the free.”

Brother Halstead was astonished when he later learned the recording could be the only one that captures a Jewel’s voice talking about

the fraternity and its responsibility. He had copies made and sent to all the Past General Presidents, “as a tribute of my father,” he says. A copy was provided for the Alpha archives at Cornell University, Howard University, and the General Office.

“I received letters, emails, and phone calls acknowledging how this treasure will be a permanent part of their Alpha materials,” he says. “And mine, too.”

Brother Curtis Bunn [Epsilon Pi ’82], a member of Omicron Phi Lambda chapter is an awardwinning journalist at NBC News, is the best-selling author of 10 novels and the founder of both the national

ALABAMA

| DELTA PHI LAMBDA CHAPTER

Delta Phi Lambda Chapter, in conjunction with the Tuscaloosa Emergency Service, Whatley Health Services, 105.1 radio station, and 14 on Wheels, offered free COVID-19 vaccination shots.

committed members of St. Timothy Community Church and community partners.

Lady Cheville initiated this event four years ago after St. Timothy Community Church assessed the surrounding communities and determined there was a great need for food, clothing, toiletries, employment, and other community resources. Lady Cheville commented, “St. Timothy Community Church’s mission is “Serving God while serving and helping to reach our community.

In addition, the chapter also collaborated with 14 on Wheels to provide 100 free boxed-lunches to individuals on a first come-first serve basis, and in the fall, welcomed Oakdale Elementary School students back to school. The chapter’s focus is on doing service and providing learning and involvement opportunities for people in the community and beyond.

CALIFORNIA

| MU XI LAMBDA CHAPTER

Mu Xi Lambda Chapter in Inland Empire, CA recently support St. Timothy Community Church’s 4th Annual Christmas Toy Drive to support less fortunate families in San Bernardino, Muscoy, and Rialto with toys for the children up to 16-years-old.

“As families grapple with the new normal, they continue to be faced with a range of challenges,” says Brother Joseph Williams, a chapter member and trustee for the San Bernardino Community College District. “We continue to support St. Timothy Churches efforts because they are at the pulse of the needs of the community.”

Brother Williams believes it is essential to engage in partnerships with community organizations and leaders like San Bernardino County Board Supervisor Joe Baca Jr., Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta Sororities who also provided toys and volunteers for the event.

Founder and coordinator for the event, First Lady Cheville McKenzie credits God for event success and for allowing her to carry out His plan. Lady Cheville also credits her husband, Pastor David McKenzie, for his leadership and guidance as well as the faithful,

“The Mu Xi Lambda Chapter has served the Inland Empire since 1977, ever since the organization was founded in the City of Rialto,” says Chapter President Ed McMillon, who is also the assistant principal at

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. had several of its members work as volunteers for this worthy cause.

Bonita High School. We see this effort as part of our civic duty. It’s our mission to develop leaders, promote brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities.”

GEORGIA | ZETA PI CHAPTER

The Zeta Pi Alumni Association, including current members of Zeta Pi, recognized the legacy of the Pearls of the Zeta Pi Chapter—1st of Firsts: The Legacy of Zeta Pi at the University of Georgia on Friday, October 15th, 2021.

Zeta Pi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. represents the University of Georgia’s first Black student organization and first Black Greek-Letter Organization on the campus. The chapter’s original seven charter members are known as The Pearls.

in solidarity to the Tate Northwest Lawn to attend the ribbon-cutting and commemoration for the newly installed NPHC Markers at the University of Georgia.

These markers, with the Fraternity’s marker placed at the head of all the markers, were recommended by the UGA Presidential Task Force on Race, Ethnicity, and Community, signed for by chapter representatives, and approved by President Jere Morehead.

The Pearls, who were in attendance,were given frontrow seats to witness history and further recognize their determination as trailblazers. Brother Brandon Mahone, Zeta Pi Chapter president, along with presidents from other NPHC organizations, and university officials cut the ribbon to dedicate the grounds and markers.

MICHIGAN | EPSILON UPSILON LAMBDA CHAPTER

The Alpha Esquires, a key mentoring program in Flint, Michigan, is preparing to celebrate its 25th Anniversary. In 1997, Fraternity members recognized the rapid decline of the manufacturing base in Flint as well as the need to develop and implement a youth program. The city, which has been home to two “Alpha” Chapters for many years – an alumni chapter since 1953 and a city-wide college chapter since 1973.

The alumni association’s event, which was held at UGA’s Richard B. Russell Special Collections Library, commemorated the chapter’s founding in 1969 as well as the 25th anniversary of the alumni association

On display were various pieces of Alpha paraphernalia from the Pearls – the chapter’s charter members, including, letters written to the national organization in the 1960s, photographs of the Pearls while on campus, and various other Alpha artifacts.

Current and past Alpha leadership, chapter members, and university officials also offered remarks, including Brother Jaquarius Raglin, the chapter’s recording and corresponding secretary, Brother Chester Wheeler (21st Southern Regional Vice President and 6th Georgia District Director), Brother Don Weston (Southern Region Associate Executive Director and 10th South Carolina District Director), and 3rd General President Brother Rev. Herman Skip Mason, Jr.

Following the event, all brothers in attendance walked

“Part of the success is that we have never treated the Esquire program as a drive-by,” says Brother Sam Wells, an Alpha Esquires lead advisor coordinator, who has served as a program mentor for 24 years. “It’s not the program of the month. We’ve committed within our DNA to want to be involved and engaged and make a difference

Since its founding, the program has grown and evolved, but continues to challenge Esquires to defy stereotypes and negative statistics and provide positive peer pressure and examples for one another and our community. The purpose is to teach and learn what it means to be a man and build a path for future success. The group’s name infers its outgrowth of the Alpha Phi

Alpha Fraternity as well as communicates its purpose: “Esquires” referring to a class of young noblemen groomed for knighthood.

Says Alpha Esquire Founder and Brother Omar Smith: “We grew up in Flint, stayed at the frat house, and talked about what can we do to help this next generation. Any success I achieved personally or professionally is the result of my mentors in my life.”

Brother Robert Matthews, also a founding program member who joined the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, said he realized that fraternity members could teach some of what they learned—and benefited from—in college to the next generation by mentoring local high school students.

"I'm a little brown boy from Flint, Michigan," he says. "I grew up in a single-parent household. My mother was a teen mom, and I vividly recall things that she did to go above and beyond to help me with. (There are) certain things, people, and places she tried to introduce me to. But I also recall vividly a point in my life where I felt like having a male role model or mentor was critically important."

Reflects Brother Wells on the program: “It’s just mind-blowing. You look at these young guys, when they were 14, 15, 16, 17, and (now) they’re in their 30s, and they’ve started families, they have careers or running businesses, you know, it’s hard to comprehend at times.”

“It’s our legacy,” says Brother Sims. “The impact of our obedience has been felt around the world.” We saw a need; did we know it was going to be 25 years, no.”

As the group gets ready to celebrate the 25th Anniversary, on June 25th, 2022, Brothers Matthews, Wells, and Sims hope that the program continues for another 25 years.

“We represent Flint,’ says Brother Sims. “We’re the best of what Flint has to offer. One thing Mr. Wells let his mentees know is that this is a mentoring program sponsored by the fraternity. It doesn’t mean you have to become a member of the fraternity. We’re not advocating fraternity membership. But the fact that they see the positive that fraternity provides and brings home. So, 45 of them decided, once they graduated high school went off to college. They wanted to become men of Alpha, Phi Alpha, and that is beyond gratifying.”

NORTH CAROLINA

| EPSILON RHO LAMBDA CHAPTER

On Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, Epsilon Rho Lambda Chapter joined the Chisholm Foundation, AKAs, Mary Kay beauty consultants and local citizens to deliver more than 2,500 Chemo Care packages to the Cape Fear Valley Health Cancer Center.

Chemo Care packages were delivered to cancer patients in the Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, and surrounding areas. Brothers volunteered more than 30 hours packing and delivering packages to the center.  Brothers also donated $1,500 to purchase 50 care packages for 50 cancer patients.  Always striving to live up to fraternity’s Aim of “Love for All Mankind,” the Chapter was truly blessed to be part of such a wonderful, important, and much needed support in their community. S

THERE GOES AN ALPHA MAN

BY BROTHER PETER CLARKE

There goes a man of high impulse

Of princely mien and grace

There goes a man of humble faith

A credit to his race

There goes a man of conscience

vast with will to reach his goal

There goes a man of lordly rank

Of heroes’ stock and soul

There goes a man of noble caste

Whom hardship cannot break

There goes a man in merit clad

Whom duty won’t forsake

There goes a man in cultured verse

Who hold a sportsman’s creed

There goes a man too vigilant

To bow to lust or greed

There goes a man whose life is spent in service not in scorn

There goes a man whose majesty

Shines like a May time morn.

BROTHER COBB AWARDED LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR MENTORING

Brother Daryle Cobb, a 1993 Alpha Rho Lambda initiate, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award as part of MENTOR’s 2022 Honorees of the Annual Excellence in Mentoring Awards on Jan. 27 during the National Mentoring Summit bringing together more than 2,000 experts, practitioners, advocates, and philanthropic partners to advance mentoring nationwide.

MENTOR is the nation’s unifying champion of the mentoring movement in the United States, and its Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual who has dedicated their life’s work to supporting youth through mentoring.

“The outstanding breadth and variety of this year’s nominees and honorees illustrate just how central mentoring is for both young people and their mentors,” said David Shapiro, MENTOR’s CEO. “As we celebrate (Brother Cobb and) these exemplars of the mentoring movement and work together to expand opportunities for our nation’s youth, we are motivated by their commitment and action to ensure our young people have the relationships they need to thrive.”

For three decades, Brother Cobb has demonstrated profound dedication to supporting youth with opportunities and connections.

Brother Cobb’s career has been centered on ensuring the safety, permanency, and well-being of Franklin County Ohio’s most vulnerable youth as a caseworker, kinship care worker, and director of the Simba Mentoring program.

The Simba Mentoring is a mentoring program with culturally focused and enriching programming that matches Black boys involved with the child welfare system with Black male mentors. He has also been a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio for three mentees over 25 years. Even after these matches formally ended, the mentees have continued to call on Brother Cobb for advice and support and to celebrate successes that were sometimes only possible because he taught them to believe in themselves. S

There goes a man who is a friend

To love and duty truth

There goes a man to help uplift

The lives of wholesome youth

There goes a man with industry and faith at his command

There goes the best man in and out

For he is an Alpha Man.

BROTHER LIEUTENANT COLONEL (RET.) DEWAYNE WELLS SWORN IN AS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN LOUISIANA SELECTIVE SERVICE STATE DIRECTOR

Brother Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) DeWayne Wells, a 1993 Epsilon Psi Lambda initiate, was sworn in as the Louisiana Selective Service State Director by U.S. Selective Service Acting Director Craig T. Brown. He is the first African American to serve in this position. Wells was nominated by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and appointed by Brown.

Major General Keith Waddell, the Adjutant General for the Louisiana National Guard presided over the ceremony. The event took place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 7, 2021, at the historic Jackson Barracks, Louisiana National Guard, 6400 St. Claude Ave, New Orleans.

Wells replaces former long-time State Director Colonel (Ret.) Everett Bonner, in his role as liaison between the Selective Service System and the Governor’s office. He will represent the Governor and the Selective Service Director regarding agency matters in Louisiana.

“I am truly honored to serve as the Louisiana State Director for the Selective Service System,” Brother Wells says. “I look forward to continuing to enhance registration, local board membership and readiness programs. It’s a critical mission and registration provides numerous state and federal benefits to individuals who register and to the nation.”

Brother Wells completed a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Southern University and A&M College. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science and completed ROTC at Grambling State University. He graduated from Peabody Magnet High School. Wells’ military career spans more than 33 years, including 14 years as an Army Reserve officer assigned to the Selective Service in Louisiana, culminating in his promotion to Detachment Commander. He also served as an Army Drill Sergeant before he received his commission as an officer.

In his civilian career, Wells is the Director of Safety & Security for East Baton Rouge Parish School System. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and is a Prince Hall Mason. S

BROTHER WILSON NAMED FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT OF HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Brother and Secretary of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development

Dr. Shawn Wilson has been named the first African American president in the history of the 107-year-old American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Dr. Wilson, who served as AASHTO’s 2020-2021 vice president, has been the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development since January 11, 2016. Today, Dr. Wilson manages a workforce of 4,200 employees and a $2.7 billion budget. In this AASHTO Presidential Profile video, Dr. Wilson speaks candidly about his life, professional career, and presidential emphasis areas. Topping his list of priorities is to expand opportunities within the state DOT community by creating a culture that identifies, trains, and empowers individuals in under-represented populations covering age, gender, ethnicity, and race. S

BROTHER WILLIAMS MAKES HBCU HISTORY AS FIRST MISTER STILLMAN COLLEGE

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Brother Ronnie Williams, Jr. makes HBCU history as the first Mister Stillman College on Nov. 21, 2021. Brother Williams is a senior business administration major. He is a member of the Pre Alumni Council, Campus Activity Board, the P.L.U.G. (Power, Leadership, unity, Guidance) and the Black Male Initiative, which is an integrated program model addressing various educational and social challenges through academic engagement, mentoring, peer connection and student involvement.

“I plan to create and set the standard of who and what Mister Stillman stands for,” Brother Williams says. “I will exude high values and establish a favorable image of what the male population of Stillman should be. Encouraging young men to achieve academic excellence and the respect of womanhood is what I thrive on. I will leave a legacy of honor, discipline, and manhood of the Stillman male for generations to come.”

As Mister Stillman, he serves as an official representative for the college, serving as the student director for the Black Male Initiative, and serving as an ex-officio member of the Student Government Association. S

BROTHER BAH SELECTED AMONG TOP COLLEGE DJS IN NATION

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Brother and McDaniel College senior Kekuta Bah selected among top college DJ’s in the nation. The inaugural National Collegiate Performing Arts (NCPA)TM College DJ Championship selected him among the top 32 college DJs in the nation. Brother Bah is a senior accounting, economics and business administration major from Silver Spring, MD.

Brother Bah, known as DJ Kk, is the No. 1 seed in the Mid-Atlantic region in the competition and is competing on behalf of the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation. Winning DJs will receive $10,000 in cash prizes split among themselves and their chosen charity, plus $20,000 in high-end DJ gear.

At McDaniel College, he serves as vice president of both the Black Student Union and the college’s Phi Iota Chapter of the Fraternity. He is also treasurer of McDaniel’s Africa’s Legacy student organization and is involved as a member of the Student Government Association and the college’s NAACP chapter. In addition, brother bah is a student ambassador for the Center for Experience and Opportunity (CEO) and has assisted in providing free income tax preparation services through McDaniel’s Economics and business Administration department’s Volunteer income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

The first round of the NCPATM competition takes place Nov. 16-21 with winners of the regional brackets, semifinals, and finals determined through online voting at UpstagedU.com. S

NORTH CAROLINA A&T UNIVERSITY RENAMES ITS TRACK AT TRUIST STADIUM FOR PHILANTHROPIST AND BROTHER JOHNSON

North Carolina A&T University to rename its track at Truist Stadium for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Brother, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur Marcus Johnson after significant charitable donations.

The university acknowledged Brother Johnson’s recent $350,000 donation to the university and his support of minority-owned and -operated nonprofits during the football team’s last home game on Nov. 20, 2021.

“I believe representation is important,” Brother Johnson says. “This by no means levels the playing field, but it helps address persisting disparities. It is am honor to invest in our scholar-athletes as they continue the pursuit of excellence.”

Brother Johnson, a Beaufort, north Carolina, native, he was raised in Tarboro, North Carolina, is an accomplished entrepreneur with enterprises spanning multiple industries. He operates Johnson Automotive Group (JA) – one of the largest Black-owned franchise dealer groups in the country with locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is also a champion for minority advancement in leadership and commerce, as well as is devoted to closing the wealth gap through opportunity and access. S

BROTHER DR. CHARLES O. DILLARD HONORED AMONG GREAT LIVING CINCINNATIANS

The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber has named Brother Dr. Charles O. Dillard among new 2021 Class of Great Living Cincinnatians at its annual dinner in February 2022.

Selected by the chamber’s Senior Council, Great Living Cincinnatians are recognized for service to the community; business and civic attainment on a local, state, national, or international level; leadership; awareness of the needs of others; and distinctive accomplishments that have brought favorable attention to their community, institution, or organization. Over the last 50 years, the Great Living Cincinnatians program has honored more than 160 individuals, spanning the business, nonprofit, entrepreneurial, medical, and commerce sectors.

“In medicine, I’ve always advocated that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege,” says Brother Dr. Dillard. “I just felt that the poor and disadvantaged need quality healthcare and unfortunately, to those without the means, it’s rationed. Money talks and buys the best healthcare. I was instrumental in setting up a neighborhood health center where we didn’t turn away the people without health insurance of other resources.”

A Fisk University graduate and Meharry Medical College, he became one of the first African American medical officers in the country to attain the rank of brigadier general. Through his work with caring Partners international, both as a doctor and as a board member, Brother Dillard serves as a medical missionary and collects much-needed medical supplies.

In 1980, he purchased a building and transformed it into a medical center, which eventually became the community and business center – the Charles E. Dillard Memorial Building named for his father.

He also remains active with A few Good Men, a 100-year-old organization that helps the poor in the city, serves as a backup physician for the Clermont County Board of Development Disabilities center in Batavia. He is also an active member of the Fraternity, the NAACP, the Zion Baptist Church, and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. S

ALPHA BROTHERS HOLMES AND THOMPSON RECEIVE $1 MILLION GOOGLE GRANT TO SUPPORT NONPROFIT

ENCOURAGING BLACK AND LATINX STUDENTS TO PURSUE STEM CAREERS

CodeHouse, a nonprofit founded by Alpha Brothers Ernest Holmes and Tavis Thompson to encourage Black and Latinx students to pursue careers in STEM, was recently awarded a $1 million grant from Google.org.

The funding will enable the nonprofit to expand its initiatives to students attending historically Black college and universities (HBCUs) in Washington, D.C., and North Carolina over the next two years. It also will allow the Atlanta-based CodeHouse to further its reach and strengthen its mission to build a diverse tech workforce in the U.S. The grant enables the nonprofit to grow CodeHouse Scholars Initiative (CHSI), its four-year mentorship and scholarship program.

“Since CodeHouse’s founding, we’ve been able to reach thousands of students of color in the Atlanta area and equip them with the tools they need to successfully pursue careers in tech,” says Brother Holmes, CodeHouse’s president and co-founder, in a published report. “With this grant from Google.org, we’re able to take our efforts to the next level and impact the lives of thousands more.”

While STEM fields are projected to experience the highest growth in job numbers between now and 2030, only 28% of the STEM workforce is female, and just 7 % is Black, and 6% is Latinx/Hispanic. The STEM workforce has also reportedly risen in recent decades. Yet, Black, and Hispanic workers remain underrepresented in STEM jobs versus their share of the U.S. workforce, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of federal data.

“As a Morehouse College graduate and current Google software engineer, securing this funding from Google.org means the world,” Brother Holmes continues. “ Not only does this grant help CodeHouse support even more HBCU students throughout their tech journeys, but it also reaffirms that my employer is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the industry. To find synergies like these between your personal and professional endeavors is truly what it’s all about.” S

BROTHER THOMAS FEATURED AS EMERGING BIRMINGHAM EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LEADER

Brother Cameron Thomas, M.Div., Samford University’s director of diversity enrichment and relations, has been listed in the Birmingham Business Journal’s NextGen BHM: Education and Workforce Development Awards. The awards honor professionals under the age of 30 who are shaping the future of Birmingham’s talent pool.

Through his role in Samford’s Office of Diversity and Intercultural Initiatives, Thomas is committed to helping shape the future of Samford through progressing critical diversity initiatives. He oversees the development of an enhanced and diverse curriculum across all undergraduate and graduate programs, manages and directs office sponsored diversity development grants and works with the deans of all academic units to assess and formulate opportunities for diverse candidate pools in hiring. His responsibilities also include overseeing the university’s Ragland Scholars program, an intentional academic cohort for multicultural students, facilitating office assessments and working to increase minority alumni engagement.

“I am honored at this recognition,” says Brother Thomas. “Samford has been a place that has offered so many opportunities to me as I have developed as a person and as a professional. The relationships with mentors who have become colleagues display the intentionality of the community here. My hope is always that my service reflects the investment of so many who have empowered me by seeing more out of me than I could see out of myself.”

Previously a member of Samford’s Office of Admission, Brother Thomas worked to recruit students in numerous territories and leading office initiatives for recruitment of underrepresented student populations.

Aside from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he is the senior pastor of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Cropwell, Alabama, serves on numerous boards and foundations across the state of Alabama. S

BROTHER GATHE TO BE FIRST PRESIDENTIALLY APPOINTED AFRICAN AMERICAN U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA

IN BATON ROUGE

U.S. President Joe Biden recently selected Brother Ronald Gathe, Jr., 46, as the first presidentially appointed African American United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Brother Gathe would succeed Brandon Fremin, who had been the Trump administration’s appointee until he resigned at the end of February with the Biden administration planning to appoint a replacement. Ellison Travis has been serving as the interim. He will also be the first Black person nominated by a president for the position in the Middle District of Louisiana. The district was created in April 1972.

Brother Gathe, a graduate of Xavier University and Southern University Law Center, has spent the last two decades working as a prosecutor for parish district. He spent 19 years as an assistant district attorney in East Baton Rouge Parish and since January 2021 has been the chief of trials for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which encompasses the parishes of Iberville, Pointe Coupee, and West Baton Rouge.

The U.S. attorney for the Middle District essentially acts as the federal district attorney for a nine-parish area: East Baton Rouge, Ascension, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana. The office has 60 attorneys and support personnel.

Brother Gathe, also an adjunct professor at Southern University Law Center, is vice president of membership for the National Black Prosecutors Association. He was previously the group’s national treasurer and a regional director and started the association’s Louisiana chapter. S

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS NAMED ONE OF CHICAGO’S TOP AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Brother William Collins, chief advancement officer for Surge Institute, was named to Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Black Leader and Executives for 2021.

Surge Institute was founded in 2014 to educate and develop leaders of color who create transformative change in urban education. Brother Collins maintains its financial stability by growing a diversified investor base. Since 2018, he has secured more than $25 million in funding from philanthropists and funders in education and social justice. Working with a team of six, he focuses on building efficiencies of scale to keep revenue goals manageable and reduce the cost per fellow while expanding Surge’s mission to new markets, most recently Indianapolis, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Las Vegas. To date, nearly 300 Black and Brown leaders have matriculated through Surge Fellowship, many now serving on the South and West sides.

Brother Collins also leads strategies to build a large, diverse coalition that can advance Surge Institute’s cause of educational equity. He is also responsible for creating an integrated vision for external affairs and directly managing external partnerships, new site growth, fundraising and alumni impact. In recent years, he has raised more than $7.7 million nationally in support of Surge’s work, launched several new sites to expand its national footprint, helped to expand the organization from as startup team of 11 to a national staff of 20, alongside plans to extend the Surge fellowship to five more cities by 2023. He was selected as an inaugural member of the Black Bench Chicago fellowship in 2021 and is a board member of Open Books Chicago. S

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. EASTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT ELLIS NAMED STATE DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOR NYC MAYOR

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Brother Christopher G. Ellis’ appointment as state director of legislative affairs in February 2022.

Brother Ellis, the Fraternity’s Eastern Regional Vice President, will join the Adams administration as director of state legislative affairs. Brother Ellis, a 1997 Theta Eta Chapter initiate and member of Beta Pi Lambda Chapter, previously served as associate vice chancellor for workforce development initiatives at the State University of New York (SUNY). While there, he worked with the executive leadership team to implement high-priority projects, including the university’s new virtual workforce training platform, SUNY for All — Online Training Center.

Before that, he served as the special assistant to the New York State chief information officer and director of the Office for Technology. In this capacity, Brother Ellis was responsible for CIO/OFT intergovernmental affairs and performance management and led special assignments to advance the mission of the agency. Brother Ellis began his career in public service as a senior legislative fiscal analyst for the New York State Assembly Ways and Means Committee. In that capacity, he was responsible for analyzing and presenting recommendations for Assembly policy.

Prior to joining the Assembly staff, Brother Ellis was a research assistant at Youngstown State University Center for Urban Studies. He began his career as a corrections and behavior coach for the Lincoln Place Center for Youth in Youngstown, Ohio. Ellis has a B. A. degree with a double major in economics (modified with mathematics) and Africana studies from Dartmouth College. He holds a master’s degree in economics from Youngstown State University. S

LICENSED MANUFACTURERS AND VENDORS*

3 Sisters Embroidery, LLC

Cathy Sheppard

5410 NC Hwy 55 STE D

Durham, NC 27713

919.572.6864

iam.greek2@frontier.com

www.monstergreek.com

AD Greek 179-10 Union Turnpike

Fresh Meadows, NY 11366

718.454.4211

adgreekinfo@gmail.com

www.adgreek.com

Alpha One Greek & Promotional Items LLC

Robert Jones

11 S. Vandeventer Ave St. Louis, MO 63108

314.534.4733

alpha1greek@gmail.com

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APGG/Stuff4Greeks

Monica Allen

1339 Marietta Blvd, Suite C 6400 Powers Ferry Rd, NW Atlanta, GA 30318

404.792.2526

monica@s4g.com

www.s4g.com

Aphiliated, LLC

816.527.6489

aphiliatedapparel@gmail.com

www.aphiliatedapparel.com

Believe Accessories

Erika Thomas Columbus, GA 706.780.1023

believeaccess12@gmail.com

www.believeaccessories.com

Big Boy Headgear, Inc.**

Joanne Kim 1321 S. Burlington Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90006

213.388.2744

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Bolton Business Services, LLC

Henry Bolton

443 Wilkins-Wise Road Columbus, MS 39705

662.386.2253

hobolton@aol.com

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Burning Sands LLC** 2713 Natures Trail SE Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763 256.226.9592

nautilus.nobles@yahoo.com www.burning-sands.com*

Clotho Productions LLC

Steven Hoel 3844 S. Santa Fe Ave Vernon, CA 90058 310.901.1735

hotei13@gmail.com

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College Connection/The HBCU Store

Timothy Topps 334.201.1374

greekuniversity1@gmail.com www.thehbcustore.online

College Crib, Inc. T. O. Price 2719 Jefferson Street Price Plaza-Suite D Nashville, TN 37208

615.329.3885

CollegeCrib@gmail.com www.collegecrib.com

Craftique Mfg. Co.** Dean Hogue PO Box 4422 Chattanooga, TN 37405 800.251.1014

dhogue@craftiquemfg.com www.craftiquemfg.com

Creative Options of America, LLC

Anita Harris PO Box 311497 Atlanta, GA 31131 404.349.2185

creativeoptions1@hotmail.com www.creativeoptions.net

Creative Woods

Charles “Chas” Brooks 116 Shannon Chase Drive Fairburn, GA 30213 678.592.1541

creativewoodsonline@gmail.com

Custom Creations MFG. LLC**

Melodye Burrer 8815 Conroy-Windermere Rd., Unit 201 Orlando, FL 32835 407.217.8009 407.217.5027 Fax 888.897.8003

customcreationsllc@gmail.com www.customcreationsmfg.com

Designed 2 Dribble, LLC** Cheryl Sellers, CEO 3305 Anne De Bourgh Drive Triangle, VA 22172 719.963.0363

crs030909@gmail.com www.designed2dribble.com

Distinctive Specialties (Greek Paraphernalia) dba Rare Case, LLC

LaVonne McDowell 7925 North Tyson Street, Suite 113 Charlotte, NC 28262 704.547.9005

rarecasellc@gmail.com www.distinctivespecialties.com

Div9ne Fitness

Owings Mills, MD 443.447.2106

info@dfit-apparel.com www.div9nefitness.com

Doom Wear Designs

Alain Uyidi

14 Mulholland Ct

Mission Viejo, CA 92692

949.278.7831

info@doomwear.com

www.doomwear.com

DVN Co., LLC

Divine Creations Clothing, Co.

Danielle Render

2070 Attic Parkway, Suite 302

Kennesaw, GA 30152

danielle@dvn.co www.dvn.co

Educare Publications

George Paasawe, Author 262.424.5013

support@educarepublications.com

www.educarepublications.com

Esmie’s Closet

Amityville, NY 11701

516.986.7799

Esmiescloset@gmail.com

www.esmiesclosetinc.com

Express Design Group, Inc

Joseph Tantilo

6 Commerce Drive Freeburg, IL 62243

618.539.9998

sales@greekgear.com

www.greekgear.com

Faith and Blessings

240.838.6508

BJoPayne@gmail.com

www.faithandblessings2.com

Free Radical Labs, LLC

dba Obsidian Mercantile Exchange

Jason Robinson, PHD

Athens, GA

706.521.3790

jason@freeradicallabs.com

www.obsidianmx.com

Genesis Business Solutions/ No2orious Gift Accessories

Bro. Robert L. Holmes 2679 Muscadine Dr. Augusta, Ga. 30909

rob@genesisbiz.solutions

No2orious Gifts and accessories www.no2oriousice.com

Greek4Life

Shedrick Warren 4231 East McCain Blvd. North Little Rock, AR 72117 501.955.8227

G4LCustomproduct@aol.com www.greek4life.com

Greek CertiPHIed Apparel Kenyon Holley Philadelphia, PA 19142 267.716.7602

greekcertiphied@gmail.com www.greekcertiphied.com

Greek Dynasty P. O. Box 2053 Jonesboro, GA 30237 866.950.7373

greekdynasty@gmail.com www.greekdynasty.com/

Greek Escape 2801 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90007 213.747.4442

greekescape@sbcglobal.net www.greekescape.com

Greek Occasions, LLC

Tommie Arnold, Jr. 1502 Kincross Street Flossmoor, IL 60422

taj2@greekoccasions.com

Greek Traditions** Darrin Thomas 1806 Washington Street Columbia, SC 29201 803.254.6404

darrin@blackpagesusa.com www.greektraditions.net

House of A Lyndell Pittman

Anthony J. Morina Drive Stony Point, NY 10980 646.373.5296

MyHouseofA@yahoo.com www.houseofA.net

J Mar Specialty/Greek Life Shop Inc. 1101 Belmar Street Columbus, GA 31907 770.484.1798

greek_lifeinc04@yahoo.com

www.jmargreeklife.com

Kendall’s Greek Duncan, SC 29334 864.304.7043

kendallsgreek@yahoo.com

www.kendallsgreek.com

Michael Madison Design Michael Madison 407.501.6083

info@michaelmadisondesign.com

www.michaelmadisondesign.com

My Greek Letters**

Nicolas Cunningham Harrison, TN 423.475.9331

MyGreekLetter@gmail.com

www.mygreekletter.com

MyWoodCanvas, LLC Fort Lauderdale, FL 305.781.3248

cnoel@mywoodcanvas.com

National Convention Sales Cory Davis 4857 Neal Ridge

Atlanta, GA 30349

281.507.7776

404.632.4819

NationalConventionSales@gmail.com

Old Gold Fine Art, LLC Steven Patterson 830.345.0279

Oldgoldfineart@gmail.com

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Old Gold Goods

Paul Vaughns

Fort Worth, TX

817.412.3418

1906@oldgoldgoods.com

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Pat’s Exclusives

Pat Bell

4810 Ashford Place

Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

301.248.2882

patsexclusives@gmail.com

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Pegasus Promotional Products

Rick Davis

110 Clifton PL., #3c

Brooklyn, NY 11238

718.230.0991

pegasuspromo@verizon.net

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Penz by Design

2180 Satellite Blvd, Suite 400 Duluth, GA 30097

877.736.7117

sharita@stacyrobinsonstudios.com

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Perfect Apparel, LLC 8770 Commerce Park Place

Suite C, Indianapolis, IN 46268 317.398.5553

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PhirstPham Greek Boutique LLC

Roland & Andrea Ridgeway

560 Peoples Plaza #279

Newark, DE 19702

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Phorever Phirst

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PHrontRunners, LLC

Kelvin Thomas

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Real Greek Apparel Company

Robert Taylor

2912 N. MacArthur Blvd #103 Irving, TX 75062

815.454.5371

info@realgreekapparel.com www.realgreek.com

Red Light Group, LLC

House of Greeks 773.559.6598

Laronwas@gmail.com www.houseofgreeks.com

Royalty & Beads dba Forever Southern Royalty Victoria Evans 1610 Danube Court Atlanta, GA 30349 901.218.8721

royaltyandbeads@gmail.com

Royal Works-Texas

Johnny King III 72 Palmero Way Manvel, TX 77578 346.253.6342

JKing@aroyalwork.com

www.divinegiftaccessories.com

Savage Promotions, Inc.**

Kim Savage 300 S Front St. Steelton, PA 17113 717.939.1152

K_savage@comcast.net www.savage-promotions.com

Schaffes’s Wooden Treasures

Schaffe Smith 2302 Brookhaven Drive Champaign, IL 61821 217.369.0508

Schaffes@comcast.net

Sharp Crisp Clean 9614 Summer Point Avenue Baton, LA 70810 954.243.5764

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Soror Bling

Marlene Jones 2110 The Oaks Blvd. Kissimmee, FL 34746 407.818.7971

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Sororitique 3324 S. Halsted Chicago, IL 773.801.1529

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Stuart Consulting Group, Inc.** Brad Aboff 4191 Dairy Court Port Orange, FL 32127 386.236.2236 brad@nsemblem.com www.nsemblem.com

TCE Shop 800.336.2719

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Tenets Apparel LLC** 917.744.2757

help@tenetsco.com www.tenetsco.com

The King McNeal Collection** Kankakee, IL 815.351.9188

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The Sandz, Inc. Dedric Benton 704.975.3900

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The Tatum Group, LLC 2266 Canterbury Cir. Akron, OH 44319 330.807.4973

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LICENSED MANUFACTURER & VENDOR DIRECTORY

Three J’s Products

James Bennett

1301 Edgebrook Lane

Snellville, GA 30078

678.467.2093

juke2@comcast.net

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Turf Gear

Gerald J. Brown 10255 Lisco Ct. Las Vegas, NV 89183 510.633.9870

turfgear@turfgear.com www.turfgear.com

Uzuri Kd Kidz/ Uzuri Greek 6262 Alissa Lane

Columbus, OH 43213

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uzrikidkidz@yahoo.com

www.uzuri-greek.myshopify.com

Varsity Apparel, LLC

Aaron Givens

3831 Vaile Avenue

Florissant, MO 63034

501.920.4497

Aaron@varsityapparelstl.com

www.varsityapparelstl.com

Vintage the Collection, Inc.

Bro. Craig Burney

3909 Soutel Drive

Jacksonville, FL 32208

904.993.8998

apparelinfo1@gmail.com

www.vintagethecollection.com

Worldwide Origins, LLC

314.749.2534

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www.worldwideorigins.com

X-Press Yourself Worldwide

Arlington, TX 817-269-5767

xpressyourselfsw@aol.com

www.xpressyourselfgear.com

A Brother and Friend to Many Brother

Devin A. Street was born to parents, Andre, and Darnelle Street, on December 27, 1973, and transitioned to Omega Chapter on February 11, 2022.

He graduated from Calvert Hall College High School in 1992, Frostburg State University in 2000, and went on to take post graduate courses at Frostburg and Strayer University.

As a child, he enjoyed playing with Legos, video games, and anything Star Wars. Over the years, Brother Street, who had been an avid comic book collector, enjoyed chess, and video games.

In addition, Brother Street, who was passionate about his family and friends, was an avid professional football fan, particularly, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. He was also a devoted member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., which he decided to follow in his “dad,” Ed Jackson’s footsteps and pledge his beloved Fraternity at its Mu Upsilon Chapter during his undergraduate years at Frostburg State University in the Fall of 1997. Later, he became a member of the Rho Tau Lambda Chapter in Baltimore, MD.

As a teenager, Devin had developed a lifelong hip injury that deteriorated over the past few years leaving

him incapacitated. Prior to his incapacitation, he worked for his father at the Street Group, the State of Maryland at the Department of Social Services, and later the Social Security Administration.

Throughout his life, he loved each of his family and friends with his whole heart. Brother Street, who made friends wherever he went, was generous with friends as well as strangers. He would give you his last dollar or the shirt off his back. He treated everyone like it would be the last time he would see them, usually saying “I love you” as they left. S

BY BROTHER MICHAEL E. JACKSON, [ETA GAMMA ’78]

Father, Friend, City Councilman, and Advocate for the People

Brother Robert Aaron Massey, Jr. transitioned into Omega Chapter on February 5, 2021. He was born on February 14, 1948 in High Point, NC to parents, Cora Lee Morton Massey, and Rev. Robert Aaron Massey Sr. He graduated from E. E. Smith High School in Fayetteville, NC in 1966.

Carolina at Greensboro, and North Carolina State University. He was initiated into the Epsilon Rho Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha in 1979 and remained active with the chapter until transitioning to the Omega Chapter.

On June 2, 1992, Brother Massey was elected to serve the citizens of District #3 in the City of Fayetteville, NC. He served in this capacity for 24 years and even served as Mayor Pro Temp during a period. His accomplishments included: a revitalized downtown; improved drinking water in western Fayetteville, Fayetteville State University Bronco Square Shopping Center, transit expansion and the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. His only regret according to him was “The turnout for municipal elections has always been low, often below 25%.” He was all about getting people out to vote no matter what.

While on City Council, he also worked at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) as director of The High School Diploma program. He helped students get on track to further their education by preparing for and successfully passing the GED exam. Brother Massey retired from FTCC in 2002 and with the City Council in 2014.

He was an active elder at College Heights Presbyterian Church, sang in the choir, and served on several committees of the Presbytery of Coastal North Carolina. In addition, he was also a member of the NAACP, The Black Presbyterian Caucus and a charter member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, The Boule, of Cumberland County, NC.

Brother Massey attended Fayetteville State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in United States History and a minor in Political Science in 1970. Later, he earned a Master of Arts Degree in Secondary Education from the Catholic University of America in 1972. He pursued further study at NC A&T State University, the University of North

Brother Massey is survived by his children: Stacy Massey, Robert Aaron Massey IV, and Christopher Alexander Massey.

Submitted by Michael E. Jackson, Initiated in fall 1978 at Eta Gamma Chapter, Prairie View A&M University. Associate Editor to the Sphinx for Epsilon Rho Lambda Chapter in Fayetteville, NC. S

Former Professional Kickboxer and Temple Assistant Football Coach

Brother Spencer Bernard Prescott, Jr., affectionately known as “Cubby” to his family and many close friends, was born on November 11, 1956, at Lankenau Hospital in the Philadelphia suburb of Wynnewood to the late Spencer Bernard Prescott, Sr., and the late Katie Prescott Jones. He transitioned to Omega Chapter on December 22, 2021.

Brother Spencer developed an early interest in athletics and attended Mitchell Prep School on a football scholarship. He played running back at Villanova University in the late 1970s alongside future Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and Detroit Lions running back Vince Thompson.

While at Villanova, he was initiated into the Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. on December 11, 1976. Brother Spencer obtained a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Villanova University in 1980. During his time as a collegiate student-athlete, Brother Spencer also achieved a black belt in karate and posted a professional kickboxing record of 44-2 with 36 KOs from 1976-79.

Upon graduation, Brother Spencer embarked on a long and rewarding college football coaching career as an assistant coach with stops at Villanova University, East Carolina University, Temple University, Lackawanna College, and University of Connecticut. Working as an assistant under three different Temple coaches—Bruce Arians, Jerry Berndt and Bobby Wallace, Spencer was known across the greater Philadelphia area as a talented recruiter of young men who were drawn to his genuine nature. He was a father figure and mentor

to generations of athletes who were able to use their college education as a springboard to greater things in life, most notably 1986 Heisman Trophy runnerup Paul Palmer.

Brother Spencer spent his final years devoting his time and attention to his wife, Jennifer Whitfield Prescott; and his three grandchildren. He could also be found teaching karate and serving as a role-model for the young people in his church. S

A COMPREHENSIVE MEMORIAL LIST OF BROTHERS TRANSITIONING TO OMEGA CHAPTER

For each member, included is his name, chapter of initiation, date of initiation, and date of death or date of reporting of death. All of the information is based on what is submitted by chapters and family members, which has been reconciled with the Fraternity’s records.

TO ALL OUR BROTHERS IN OMEGA CHAPTER, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.

TO ALL OUR BROTHERS IN OMEGA CHAPTER, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.

TO ALL OUR BROTHERS IN OMEGA CHAPTER, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.

TO ALL OUR BROTHERS IN OMEGA CHAPTER, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

GENERAL PRESIDENT

Willis L. Lonzer, III, Ph.D. GeneralPresident@1906.net

IMMEDIATE PAST GENERAL PRESIDENT

Everett B. Ward, Ph.D. 35@apa1906.net

GENERAL TREASURER

Densel Fleming General.treasurer@apa1906.net

GENERAL COMPTROLLER

Donald E. Jackson comptroller@apa1906.net

EASTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

Christopher G. Ellis, Jr. eastvp@apa1906.net

MIDWESTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

Ronald Stovall, Jr. midwestvp@apa1906.net

SOUTHERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

Cecil E. Howard southvp@apa1906.net

SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

Jeramaine O. Netherly   southwestvp@apa1906.net

WESTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

Wayne M. Kimball westvp@apa1906.net

EASTERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

Tamir D. Harper eastavp@apa1906.net

MIDWESTERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

Troy D. Davis, II midwestavp@apa1906.net

SOUTHERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

Donavan I. McLean southavp@apa1906.net

SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT Ayowolemi Akinyamoju southwestavp@apa1906.net

WESTERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

Kenzi K. Bishara westavp@apa1906.net

APPOINTED OFFICERS

INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sean McCaskill SeanMcCaskill@apa1906.net

GENERAL COUNSEL

Daryl D. Parks, Esq. counsel@apa1906.net

GENERAL HISTORIAN

Dr. Robert L. Harris, Jr. historian@apa1906.net

GENERAL PARLIAMENTARIAN

Adrian B. Stratton, PRP parliamentarian@apa1906.net

GENERAL CONVENTION OFFICIALS

DIRECTOR OF CONVENTIONS

Van L. Strickland director.conventions@apa1906.net

GENERAL CHAPLAIN

Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine chaplain@apa1906.net

SECURITY DIRECTOR

Donald L. Woods security@apa1906.net

SERGEANT AT ARMS

Eugene L. Aiken sergeant.at.arms@apa1906.net

GENERAL CONVENTION COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENT

Dedric Dennist, Sr. awards@apa1906.net

GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINE Judge Lewis M. Nixon grievances@apa1906.net

RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

William J. Jernigan resolutions@apa1906.net

RULES AND CREDENTIALS Louis Bates, Jr. rules@apa1906.net

STANDING COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN

BUDGET AND FINANCE Wardell Glass budget@apa1906.net

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (COMMISSION)

James Floyd BED@apa1906.net

COLLEGE BROTHERS AFFAIRS (COMMISSION)

Allan Younger college@apa1906.net

CONSTITUTION John Williams constitution@apa1906.net

ELECTIONS

Luscious Turner, III elections@apa1906.net

ENDOWMENT AND CAPITAL FORMATION

Timothy J. Gibson ECF@apa1906.net

FRATERNAL STANDARDS

James Cook FS@apa1906.net

HISTORICAL COMMISSION

Dr. Robert L. Harris Jr. historian@apa1906.net

HUMAN RESOURCES

Darryl Farrow HR@apa1906.net

LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Micholas A. Credle life@apa1906.net

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Dr. Darren Morton MD@apa1906.net

PUBLIC POLICY

State Sen. Dr. Paul A. Lowe, Jr. public.policy@apa1906.net

PUBLICATIONS

Ramon E. Peralta publications@apa1906.net

RACIAL JUSTICE (COMMISSION) Grasford Smith, Esq. racial.justice@apa1906.net

SPECIAL COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN

A. CHARLES HASTON BROTHER’S KEEPER

Dr. Ronald J. Peters, Jr. bk@apa1906.net

ALPHA UNIVERSITY

Cecil M. Brookins AlphaU@apa1906.net

AUDIT

Donald Jackson comptroller@apa1906.net

BELFORD V. LAWSON ORATORICAL CONTEST

R. Sylvester Owens oratorical@apa1906.net

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS

Dale H. Long BBBSA@apa1906.net

BOY SCOUTS

Felton L. Davis scouts@apa1906.net

COLLEGE LIFE TO CORPORATE LIFE

Dennis Hatchett C2C@apa1906.net

CORPORATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Donovan K. Kirkland CEC@apa1906.net

EMERGING ALPHAS ADVISORY TO GP

Nicholas Harrison EAA@apa1906.net

GO-TO-HIGH SCHOOL

GO-TO-COLLEGE

Dr. Anthony Graham GTHGTC@apa1906.net

HBCUS TASK FORCE

Dr. David H. Jackson, Jr. HBCU@apa1906.net

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Dr. Michael A. Smith health@apa1906.net

HEADQUARTERS ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE

Thomas A. Tatum HAC@apa1906.net

HOBART S. JARRETT DEBATE COMPETITION

Dr. Michael D. McClain debate@apa1906.net

INTERNAL AUDIT REVIEW TEAM

Dexter Leon A. Taylor audit@apa1906.net

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Ronald Sewell international.affairs@apa1906.net

INTERNATIONAL IMPACT DAYS

Pierre Rutledge impact@apa1906.net

INVESTMENT

Densel V. Fleming investment@apa1906.net

JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN COLLEGIATE SCHOLARS’ BOWL

Gregory L. Bailey scholars@apa1906.net

L.M.S. AND TECHNOLOGY

Rufus Credle rcredle906@gmail.com

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

Christopher F. Oliver LDI@apa1906.net

LOGISTICS

Daryle Cobb logistics@apa1906.net

M.I.S. AND TECHNOLOGY

Tejuan A. Manners MIS@apa1906.net

MARCH OF DIMES

Dr. Walter T. Tillman, Jr. MOD@apa1906.net

MILITARY BROTHERS

Andre Berry military@apa1906.net

MISS BLACK AND GOLD PAGEANT

Sean A. Bellamy pageant@apa1906.net

POLITICAL AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Carl Pickney PCE@apa1906.net

POLITICAL AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT (COMMISSION)

Carl A. Pickney

PROJECT ALPHA

Dr. Charles F. Marshall project@apa1906.net

PROTOCOL

Kenyatta N. Shamburger protocol@apa1906.net

RECLAMATION

Kirk D. Carrington, II reclamation@apa1906.net

RITUAL AND CEREMONIES

Stephen R. Spence ritual@apa1906.net

SENIOR ALPHA AFFAIRS

Ivar F. Brown senior.affairs@apa1906.net

STEP SHOW COMPETITION

Cecil A. Duffie step.show@apa1906.net

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Jeffrey Hines strategic@apa1906.net

TIME AND PLACE

Christopher A. Evans TP@apa1906.net

VETERAN AFFAIRS

Robert V. McDonald VA@apa1906.net

VOTELESS PEOPLE IS A HOPELESS PEOPLE

Steven L. Jones VPHP@apa1906.net

WORLD POLICY COUNCIL

Dr. Horace G. Dawson, Jr. WPC@apa1906.net

YOUNG ALPHAS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO GP

Kendric Jones

FOUNDATIONS

ALPHA PHI ALPHA BUILDING FOUNDATION

R. Leandras “Bob” Jones building@apa1906.net

ALPHA BUILDING FOUNDATION CORPORATION

Samuel D. DeShazior sdeshazior@aol.com

ALPHA PHI ALPHA EDUCATION FOUNDATION Ruben Barkley, Jr. education@apa1906.net

JEWEL HERITAGE PROJECT FOUNDATIONS

E. Eric Elmore JHP@apa1906.net

PAST GENERAL PRESIDENTS

35TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Everett B. Ward 35@apa1906.net

34TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Mark S. Tillman 34@apa1906.net

33RD GENERAL PRESIDENT Herman “Skip” Mason Jr. 33@apa1906.net

32ND GENERAL PRESIDENT Darryl R. Matthews Sr. 32@apa1906.net

31ST GENERAL PRESIDENT Harry E. Johnson Sr. 31@apa1906.net

30TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Adrian L. Wallace 30@apa1906.net

29TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Milton C. Davis 29@apa1906.net

28TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Henry Ponder 28@apa1906.net

27TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Charles C. Teamer Sr. 27@apa1906.net

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. General Office 2313 St. Paul St. Baltimore, MD 21218 (410) 554-0040 membersupport@apa1906.net www.apa1906.net

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY JEWEL FOUNDERS

Henry Arthur Callis

Charles Henry Chapman

Eugene Kinckle Jones

George Biddle Kelley

Nathaniel Allison Murray

Robert Harold Ogle

Vertner Woodson Tandy

Brother, Are You the missing piece?