The Presidents’ Message

The President’s Message

Greetings Brothers,

Happy Founder’s Day!!

While we celebrate the 115th founding year of our dear fraternity on December 4th, this time of celebration is also a great time for reflection on the year that has just passed and anticipation and preparation for the next year to come. As the year 2021 comes to a close I think collectively we have had a good year despite of challenges we faced and overcame as members of the overall society.

We remain engaged and recognized for the works we do and Brotherhood we exhibit in a real way. Our number of financial active Brothers has increased by 32% and have reclaimed and continue to reclaim Brothers exceeding the goals we have set for ourselves. This is all owed to you Brothers being examples in our communities and being examples to our fellow Brothers.

Fraternally,

Brother John “Tony” Wilson, President Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter

The Vice President’s Message

Giving Thanks, A gratuitous deed that is expressed in a variant of ways. This kind gesture can be expressed through gifts, a card, or a message that lets a person know how grateful you are for an act or service that has passed or is yet to come. For most of us, we were blessed with the good fortune of families, warm meals and memories over the Thanksgiving break of 2021. For some, these conveniences were more modest as we regained trust in normalcy - hosting smaller gatherings, and preparing knightlike spreads and reminiscing on the two years of Covid Past whilst Dallas fought valiantly in their prime-time NFL defeat. During this weekend, I had time to reflect on some of the things the last 8 years of Alpha has given to me & that I should be thankful about, so id like to share as we move quickly toward 115 years since our founding. For those who have not had the pleasure of meeting me in person, I’d start from the beginning. I came into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, through this, the MAGNIFICENT 111th House - Mu Lambda. In a time of Crab Feasts and Beautillions, On the heels of the late Brother Brice holding memoirs of his journeys in the brotherhood, where Brother Miller handled our hospitality and Christmas was met with parties. Yes, for this time and those experiences I am thankful. I eagerly jumped to service and in the 8 years of dedication to this chapter I have not fallen off of the executive board. Having served as the Social Chair, Editor of the Torch, Corresponding and Recording Secretary, Archivist, and now working through a second full term as the chapter’s Vice President - I am grateful for the lessons in leadership, the experiences I have gained in timemanagement, intrapersonal people skills and all of the brotherhood bonds that I have made as I continue to grow along this journey as an Alpha Man in the nation’s capital. In 8 years I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the ebbs and flows of every brother in the chapter and I am ever eager to learn more about each member as we build a better bond of brotherhood. I also want to encourage through my actions similar service to moving our chapter forward. December is usually a perfect time for REDEDICATION. and I always enjoy welcoming reclaimed brothers to this fold as we continue to build our chapter into the strongest force in the fraternity. To the newest members of Mu Lambda, do know that I am appreciative of your willingness to dedicate yourself to the alignment of our chapter’s service. Please continue to push the brand of Mu Lambda’s excellence HIGH as we move toward our own future milestone centennial. I am looking forward to the thanksgiving-like festivities for 2023 and hope to see the best of our chapter in the upcoming years. Solemnly, Upon the passing of both Chadwick Boseman and most recently, artist Virgil Abloh, I would like to express thanks to all of the brothers in the chapter for always keeping small things like our health panel discussions and expressing interest in both our physical and mental health alive through the torch. Brother Butts continues to play an integral role in our chapter and I would be remiss if I didn’t express my gratitude for his efforts. I would assume that the two fallen artist’s choice in privacy for their ailment was to their own personal benefit, but in Mu Lambda, I am grateful that we have made safe spaces for conversations and education around topics like prostate cancer, and other illnesses - I continue to encourage support around black male health as a chapter, we have the power to champion more public discussions, events and screening opportunities to become the beacon of light in our community around the things that affect us the most. Let us raise our glasses and give thanks! Because together we aspire to the Magnificence of Mu Lambda.... and together, WE WILL ACHIEVE IT! To 115....

Fraternally,

Brother Mikael LaRoche, Vice-President Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter