MARCH 2022
THE TORCH FIRST OF ALL, SERVANTS OF ALL, WE SHALL TRANSCEND ALL
THE OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC, MU LAMBDA CHAPTER
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MEANS MORE THAN JUST TO WEAR A PIN MU LAMBDA CHAPTER | 2405 FIRST STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20001 | MULAMBDA.ORG
Picture by Names 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Rudolph Harris Curtis Hunigan Fred Valentine Horace Dawson, Jr. Paul Cotton A. Gilbert Douglas Ryland Harris Mark Jones Andre Lucas Kenneth Hobart Derrick Butts John Mark-Williams
13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.
Jeremy Triplett Mikael LaRoche Joseph Housey, III Jason Clark Mark Ross Louis Ford James Heck Eddie Neal Gerard Williams Garrett Miller Adrian James O. Jackson Cole, Jr.
25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.
Albert Williams Lucius Brown Marcel Desroches Kellen Moore Jamison Taylor, Jr. Mathew Aaron, Jr. Sean Perkins James Harmon Larry Ware Frank King Antonio King Rudolph McGann, Jr.
37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48.
Alvin Reaves, III Ryle Bell Drew Love Colin Campbell Bryant Young Arthur King Charvis Campbell LeRoy Lowery, III Joseph Paul Timothy Fitzgerald Jason Jefferson Samuel Armstrong
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TWO JEWELS & TWENTY MEN OF ALPHA OUR CHAPTER
Mu Lambda is Alpha's eleventh alumni chapter, chartered October 1, 1923, in Washington D.C. The chapter was established, in part, in response to the desire of graduate brothers, many whom were initiated into Beta Chapter at Howard University, to give aid to the undergraduate brothers and continue the work of Alpha. Chartered by 22 distingushed men of Alpha which included Jewel Nathaniel Allison Murray and Jewel Robert Harold Ogle.
CHAPTER LEGACY
There has been six members who served as the General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and two whom served as the Eastern Region Vice President. Mu Lambda is equally proud of our current brothers making their mark in the Washington D.C. community and beyond. Our chapter has many entrepreneurs, activists, political leaders, philanthropists, academicians, ministers and so much more. Our diverse brotherhood age range is between the ages of 25 and 98. We all work together to maximize the brotherhood of Alpha by following the Objective, Mission and AIMS of our Fraternity.
FIRST OFFICERS
The officers elected at the first meeting were Brother Harold Stratton-President, Brother John Lowery-Vice President, Brother Victor Daly-Secretary, Brother Daniel W. Edmonds-Treasurer, and Brother Nathaniel Allison Murray (Jewel)Chaplain. Mu Lambda was thus established and was on its way into history!
www.mulambda.org
In this Issue Cover 1 Front Cover Picture by Names 2 In this Issue 3 Executive Board, Committee Chairs, Charter Members, Past Presidents 4 The Presidents’ Message 5 The Vice-Presidents’ Message 6 The Scale of Brotherhood 8 Birthdays and Alphaversaries 9 Brother Julius Brice 10 Congratulation Mu Lambda Brother Lloyd T. McGriff 12 Alpha Phi Alpha Way 13 Inside the ‘Bel-Air’ Screening Party in Los Angeles 14 HISTORIAN HENRY LOUIS GATES JR. CALLS FOR FREDERICK DOUGLASS’ FACE ON US CURRENCY BILL 15 THE ECLECTIC JOYS OF AGEING 17 Adopt the Block 18 Message from the Health and Wellness Committee 21 Message from the Reclaimation Committee 22 Message from the Brother’s Keeper Committee, MAAC Staff Meeting 23 Message from the Technology Committee 25 MAAC 30th Anniversary 26 We Mentor, We Advocate, We Serve, We Lead 27 Mu Lambda Foundation Meeting 28 Celebrating Women’s History Month 36 House of Ruth DC 37 The Jewel Lounge 38 Literary Society 39 Food of the month 40 Dessert of the month 41 Drink of the Month 42 Alpha Elite App Now Available 43 Calendar of Events 44 Advertise with us 45 Domino’s 46 AKSTAR Apparel 47 Everything Co-op Radio Show 48 East State Street Band 49 Exit Realty: Brother Albert A. Williams 50 Financial Planning Needs Prostate Cancer a Family Affair 51 The New Mu Lambda Chapter App is Here 52 Chapter App by Publicall Telecommunications 53 Message from the Editor 54 Esprit de Fraternite
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Executive Board
Committee Chairs
Charter Members
Past Presidents
President John “Tony” Wilson
Auditing A.J. Jones
Vice President Mikael LaRoche
Brother’s Keeper Carlos DeBose
Recording Secretary Jason Jefferson
Budget and Finance Vernon Oakes
Arthur Curtis* Merrill H. Curtis* Victor R. Daly* Eugene L. C. Davidson* Arnold Donawa* Walter Garvin* William L. Hansberry* Charles H. Houston* Edward Howard* Joseph R. Jones* R. Frank Jones* J Edward Lowery* Clarence H. Mills* Jewel Nathaniel Allison Murray* Norman L. McGhee* FN4 Jewel Robert Harold Ogle* Louis H. Russell* James N. Saunders* Emory B. Smith* Harold C. Stratton* J.H.N. Waring* Charles H. Wesley* FN3
1. Harold Stratton* 1923-1924 2. Howard H. Long* FN2 3. Charles H. Wesley* 1926-1928 4. Frank Adams* 5. R. Frank Jones* 6. James B. Browning* 7. Jewel Henry Arthur Callis* FN1 8. U. Simpson Tate* 9. Claude Ferebee* 10. George O. Butler* 11. C.C. House* 1938-1940 12. Verdie L. Robinson* 13. Walter M. Booker* FN5 14. Jack Bond* 15. Millard R. Dean* 16. Frank Davis* 17. Clifton Hardy* 18. Herman Johnson* 19. Howard Jenkins* 20. C.C. House* 1952-1954 21. William F. Nelson* 22. Aubrey E. Robinson* 23. Joseph Waddy* 24. Edward J. Austin* 25. Elgy Johnson* 1964-1965 26. George H. Windsor* 1965-1967 27. James T. Speight* 1967-1969 28. Harold Sims* 1969-1970 29. Eddie L. Madison* 1970-1972 30. Wilbur Sewell* 1972-1974 31. Charles Walker Thomas* 1974-1976 32. Theodore Taylor* 1976-1978 33. Elmer Moore* 1978-1981 34. William E. Calbert* 1981-1983 35. Osmond Brown* 1983-1986 36. Vernon Gill 1986-1988 37. LeRoy Lowery, III 1988-1990 38. Morris Hawkins* 1990-1992 39. C.C. Jones 1992-1995 40. Vincent Orange 1995-1997 41. Melvin White 1997-1999 42. LeRoy Lowery, III FN6 1999-2001 43. James Haynes 2001-2002 44. Rudolph Harris* 2002-2004 45. Edwin Norwood 2004-2006 46. James McDonald 2006-2008 47. Timothy Fitzgerald 2008-2010 48. Kwame Ulmer 2010-2011 49. LeRoy Lowery, III 2011-2013 50. Eddie Neal 2013-2015 51. LeRoy Lowery, III 2015-2017 52. Joel Grey 2017-2018 53. Eddie Neal 2018-2020 54. John “Tony” Wilson 2020-
Corresponding Secretary Samuel Armstrong Financial Secretary Vernon Oakes Treasurer Michael Young Chaplain William “Tony” Hawkins Historian Silas J Woods Archivist James Harmon
Communication and Technology Albert Williams Constitution Gilbert Douglas DC National Pan Hellenic Council Vacant Fundraising Vacant Golf Tournament Vacant
Intake Coordinator Andre Lucas
Health & Wellness Derrick Butts
Assoc. Editor/Sphinx Kenneth A. Williams
Membership Kobina Yanka
Dir. Ed. Activities Sean Perkins
Men Who Cook Garrett Miller
FN1 6th General President 1915-1916
Sergeant-at-Arms Tony King
Mu Lambda Chapter History Book Silas Woods III
FN2 General Secretary 1915-1916
Nominating Vacant
7th General President 1916-1917
Programs Karl Bruce
FN3 14th General President 1931-1940
Parliamentarian George McNeal Web Master Albert Williams Editor of the Torch Kenneth A. Williams Member at Large Kelvin MCclinton Risk Management Officer Mikael E. LaRoche General Council Justin Handford Immediate Past President Eddie Neal
Public Policy A.J. Jones Social Joseph Gibbs Community Service Samuel Armstrong Marketing/Promotion Committee Vacant Social Media Committee Vacant
CHARTERED ON MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 1923 WASHINGTON, D.C.
FN4 General Secretary 1920-1926 FN5 8th Eastern Regional Vice-President 1950-1953 FN6 23rd Eastern Regional Vice-President 2000-2001 Executive Director MLK Memorial
* Omega Chapter Brothers Footnote (FN) MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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The President’s Message Greetings Brothers,
As we enter the approach the end of winter we welcome the spring of energy, opportunities and reinvigoration of land and also hopefully each of us. Soon we will welcome new Brothers to the Mu Lambda Chapter and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at large. During this particular spring we will also hopefully be entering a change in the battle with the Covid-19 virus where it will be an endemic disease allowing us to move toward a more normal existence as a nation and Chapter in particular. It has been too long since we have been able to meet and fellowship and conduct the business of Alpha in person. I look forward to us meeting in person at the Mu Lambda Foundation House at its new address 2405 Alpha Phi Alpha Way. It is quite fitting that the address change will be in the spring. A refreshed start at a new address welcoming in new Brothers in a changed world engaging in the ongoing battles to defeat the domestic societal ills and the other scourge of international human existence – war. Fraternally, Brother John “Tony” Wilson, President Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter
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The Vice President’s Message Marching Orders
A new month is here, and with her dusk, a season rises. We slowly say our goodbye to Winter weather here in the D.M.V. and prepare for hedge trimming, flowers blossoming and yards crawling with new life. Yes - March is here. Though, Jack Frost and Wendy the Winter Lady is not fully beyond us, this winter ending feeling brings hope for some relief from the mandates that have cooped up from our fraternal plans for 2 years and shaped us into who we are today in 2022. Though resilient, I know brothers are ready to come out of this period of hibernation. I am with you all.... Safely, but still ready for new normals. Masks are still expected though more people are relaxing their usage. Non-mask wearing in the District is still being given a slight side-eye from the regular Joe, but I have to take time to be grateful with this practice. Though I miss seeing the beautiful faces of our nubian kings and queens, I have to think, in 2018, had I thrown a mask over my face in the midst of “living while black” - I could have had multiple outcomes for this, which is now a “common activity”. The mask wearing will possibly become a part of our norms for the next few months, possibly years, but I have to exclaim that thanks to a pandemic - black men globally aren’t being initially seen as threats, predators and thugs whilst covering their faces, but as practicing proper precaution. #ThankYouPandemic. Within the change of season I am also troubled by the thought that the world is at the edge of a brewing war. The invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces has created some angst, and the discomfort is now being exacerbated by the imagery of African students and other persons of color being discriminated against in the midst of their plight to leave the war-torn city of Kyiv. A new season is upon us, but the times are yet to change. The ugly undertones of racism pops it’s head up to remind us regularly what we fight for as a Fraternity and Brotherhood. Our local voice is important - but our international cries must be heard. To change the tune of the message, Yamacraw! - February has given us the desire to dig into this unincorporated community in Pender County, North Carolina, United States. Is it a real place? What is it doing in the middle of my message? To everyone who has an idea of what Season 1, Episode 3 of Bel Air, has gifted our Fraternity, you will indulge me for the closing remarks of my March message. A rebirthed “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” has reshifted one of the main characters of the show, Uncle Phil, to be an ALPHA MAN in his character. Not to spoil the show for those who haven’t seen it, I want to applaud the writers for briefly touching on some of the more valuable assets of our brotherhood without being disrespectful to our credo. The message in this dramatic reboot “springs” many healthy conversations. This month brothers, I hope we can find our old College Souls as was pulled out in this episode of Bel Air. It is time to reactivate our fraternal bonds and give space to the upliftment of the Mu Lambda brand and brotherhood. I encourage us all to give wind to this spirit, doing everything that is needed to build this house. Secure, Strong, Stable. I look forward to continuing to serve. March on my Brothers! Brother Mikael LaRoche, Vice-President Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter
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The Scale of Brotherhood IMDP VS RECLAMATION
A SENIOR BROTHER’S PERSPECTIVE By Brother Ryle Bell
The initial reason for the creation of IMDP was the elimination of violations of pledging. Alpha’s Internal Review Commission which functioned in the 1990’s concluded that one of the ways to protect the fraternity from lawsuits resulting from violations of pledging was to remove the process from the chapters and elevate it to a place where it could be overseen by “responsible” brothers. Thus, chapter initiations were terminated, and the cluster format of intake was introduced. Pledging became a thing of the past and “intake” was created in an attempt to control “underground” and illegal activities. While the IMDP process is better than chapter pledging, it has failed to eliminate underground and other illegal activities. There are several reasons for this, chief among them is that many brothers have scant respect for any process that they feel does not allow them to “make brothers right,” whatever that is, and their disdain for following and obeying a corporate edict. In addition, chapters and brothers, that violated the edict were rarely disciplined commensurate with their violations. This, along with the attitudes of some regional district and area officers, who clung to the idea of having brothers “made right,” generally meaning being made the way that they were made, has doomed the new process to limited success. This then leads to the question, is reclamation a better way to go than the infusion of new brothers through the IMDP process? This
presents an interesting conundrum as both methods present challenges that are difficult to navigate. Unfortunately, we must accept a given in this equation and that is that the fraternity’s budgetary process is inextricably bound to membership numbers. Without a continuing influx of new brothers or a very supportive membership it is very difficult to maintain financial solvency to allow the fraternity to function in today’s national environment. Having accepted this premise, we can now look at the effort to maintain fiscal autonomy for the organization. Reclamation involves luring brothers back into the organization to help defray the cost of running the organization. The problem is that there are various reasons why brothers disassociate themselves from the fraternity. Some do, because the programs that are pursued have little or no interest for them; some because of the cost of remaining financially active as they try to build personal lives and careers, some because of conceived religious contradictions involving the poem “Invictus,” and some because they had no right being in Alpha in the first place! To really reclaim a brother, therefore, his personal grievance must be addressed permanently, or he will walk away again. In reclaiming those that do not belong in continued on the next page MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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the house of Alpha, we do the fraternity a disservice to bring them back in. For them, a policy of good riddance to bad rubbish is better. Bringing them back only intensifies problems that we had with them in the first place! Reclamation, therefore, as valuable as it is, is not really a good answer. “Intake” itself is fraught with many issues, chief among which is brothers bringing in associates or associates of brothers with whom they are not familiar and really cannot vouch for. The IMDP process is based on integrity, the integrity of the sponsor! No sponsor should agree to sponsor a candidate that he doesn’t know well. Today’s intake process depends upon a brother’s trust in a sponsor’s judgment because there is not time enough for all brothers to get to know the candidates. When brothers agree to sponsor candidates that they do not know, or sponsor them because a brother who supposedly knows them asks him to sponsor them, he defeats the purpose of sponsorship based on knowledge of the candidate, and destroys the integrity of the process! IMDP holds the promise of a better solution for augmenting the ranks of the brotherhood IF brothers would exercise some personal integrity in their choice of and agreement to sponsor candidates! To help in both cases, and often unused by chapters is the invaluable involvement of senior brothers. What happens often is because some brothers know that the senior brothers will not support their intentions, they sideline them or try to keep them ignorant of the process. As a result, many of the senior brothers feel alienated from the chapters and that they are only needed when fundraising is an issue. The loss of institutional knowledge created by sidelining the senior brotherhood causes many chapters to pursue programs and issues that they otherwise would not if they enlisted the aid of the senior brothers. Many of the senior brothers also, grow weary with trying to guide a younger element that has scant respect for their knowledge and
guidance and as a result, divorce themselves from chapter activities. So how do we address these issues? First, young brothers need to appreciate the wealth of knowledge available to them through the senior brotherhood. Involve them in the thought processes and rationale for what they are doing. Senior brothers will save a lot of wasted time by sharing their knowledge of prior activities and provide practical solutions to problems that younger brothers may not foresee. This creates a more unified and vibrant chapter involving senior and younger brothers who respect and trust one another. Where IMDP is concerned, brothers who sponsor candidates should be required to know those who they sponsor for at least a year! This at least helps to make the sponsor’s support based more on personal knowledge than cursory examination. If a sponsor’s candidates fail to meet the standards required by the chapter over time, the sponsoring brother should be prohibited for sponsoring future candidates, until he demonstrates that he can do so responsibly. This will limit the induction of “fly by night” candidates that disappear after they have been initiated. Reclamation is a good thing, but only if the needs of the reclaimed brother are going to be met in a manner that maximizes his future involvement. A viable reason must be created for his return, or he will leave again. For those that didn’t belong in Alpha in the first place, leave them where they have gone! Finally, the involvement of the senior brothers in the chapter is good for both young and senior brothers. It gives both a sense of purpose and creates intergenerational bonds that will go a long way to sustaining the chapter. Dentists have a saying that “If you ignore your teeth they will go away.” If you ignore your senior brothers, they will go away too, and your chapter will be the poorer for it!
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Alphaversary Alpha versary Jacob Walker James Wilson A. Gilbert Douglas Alvin Reaves Kwame Reed Kweku Toure Gerard Williams William Burns Andre Beard Tremell Munford James Harmon Jimmy Floyd Rudolph Mcgann Ronald Allen Gamal Awad Eddie Neal Rhett Lucas Lamar Arnold Gregory Johnson Silas Woods Albert Cheek Charles Smith Matthew Aaron Jeremy Triplett Antonio King P. Kobina Yankah Justice Brown Duso Anthony Covington Daniel Mushala Justin Hansford AJ Jones Jordan Scott Drew Emerson Larry Sanders
March 1st March 1st March 1st March 1st March 2nd March 3rd March 5th March 5th March 5th March 5th March 5th March 5th March 5th March 7th March 7th March 7th March 7th March 7th March 7th March 8th March 10th March 11th March 11th March 11th March 11th March 13th March 13th March 13th March 13th March 13th March 13th March 13th March 13th March 13th
Birthdays Birth days Charvis Campbell Darnell Ray Kellen Moore Anthony Moore
March 1st March 1st March 12th March 13th
Bryant Young Marvin Brooks Jeffrey Brown Samuel Armstrong L. Michael Zimmerman Andre Lucas LeRoy Lowery III Adrian James Arthur King Kenneth Williams Clinton Jones William Thomas Malcolm Carter Marcell Brown Michael Collins Larry Ware John Williams Walter Bowman Cortni Grange Juan Powell Paul Cotton Kelvin Brown Charles Owens Karl Bruce Lawrence Clark Kevin Dixon Villareal Johnson Mark Jones Mikael LaRoche Sean Plater Brent Radcliff Eric Washington Chatman Young Charvis Campbell Anthony Campbell Eric Johnson Lloyd McGriff Derrick Butts Eathen Gums Justen Baskerville Gamal Awad Curtis Hunigan A. Gilbert Douglas Antoine Tyler Edward Hill Karl Bruce Cortni Grange Walter Whitley Kevin Giles Edwin Norwood
March 15th March 15th March 15th March 15th March 15th March 15th March 16th March 16th March 16th March 16th March 19th March 21st March 21st March 21st March 21st March 21st March 21st March 21st March 21st March 22nd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 23rd March 25th March 25th March 26th March 27th March 29th March 30th March 14th March 14th March 18th March 18th March 18th March 21st March 26th March 28th March 29th March 30th
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Brothers, Thank you to the bros that supported by purchasing bingo cards and making donations. Big shout out to the Foundation and the chapter for being sponsors of the event. Please see the video tribute below for Brother Brice. Fraternally, Bro. Housey
The love and life of Julius Brice
Video Link: https://vimeo.com/675279293 MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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CONGRATULATION TO SENIOR PASTOR OF GALILEE BAPTIST CHURCH IN MARYLAND, MU LAMBDA BROTHER LLOYD T. MCGRIFF ON MAKING THE COVER OF “YOU.” WINTER
2021-22
YO U / B I B L E ST U DY / W I N T E R 2021-22
I R R E F U TA B L E PROPHECIES THAT POINT US TO JESUS
H O W T O AV O I D LI F E ’ S P ITFALL S
© 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources
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O N T H E C OV E R The Senior Pastor of Galilee Baptist Church in Maryland, Lloyd T. McGriff, is on the cover of this issue of YOU. Pastor McGriff recently had what he termed a “health hurricane.” In March 2021 CT scans revealed a mass in his body that had spread. The doctor called this finding “unfortunate.” Pastor McGriff said, “But thanks be to God, the Divine Physician, interceded and the follow up procedure found no mass and no cancer.” He testifies that prayers and faith do work. Pastor McGriff has won numerous awards. He was featured in Gospel Today magazine as one of “America’s Most Loved Pastors.” Through his leadership, the Galilee Community Development Corporation (GCDC) was launched in 2003 to assist those in need of food and clothing. The GCDC has assisted over 150,000 people since its inception. And the pandemic did not stop the work God called the church to do. In 2020, over 23,000 were served through the committed service of volunteers of the Food Pantry. This year Pastor McGriff is leading his church to love God, love others, and love the Word. He is married to the former Monica Mackley, and they are the parents of three sons; Lloyd Trevar, Aaron Joseph, and Johnathan Paul.
WINTER 2022 + + +
V o l . 15 N o . 2
Christina Zimmerman Content Editor Mark Croston Director of Black Church Ministries
Send questions/comments to: Content Editor by email to christina.zimmerman@lifeway.com; or mail to Content Editor, YOU, One Lifeway Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234; or make comments on the web at lifeway.com.
Printed in the United States of America YOU (ISSN 1943-6230, Item 005030553) is published quarterly by Lifeway Christian Resources, One Lifeway Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Ben Mandrell, President. © 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit lifeway.com, or write Lifeway Resources Customer Service, One Lifeway Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email orderentry@lifeway.com or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review Lifeway’s doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. NOTE: Some Internet addresses given in this periodical are outside the Lifeway Internet domain. At the time of this posting, the specific pages mentioned were viewed and approved by Lifeway editorial staff. Because information on these pages may have changed by the time of your viewing, the Lifeway editorial staff cannot be held responsible for content on pages outside their control. Specific page addresses referenced in this periodical possibly may link to inappropriate material.
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Inside the ‘Bel-Air’ Screening Party in Los Angeles
Thursday after screening the pilot episode of the anticipated series. “I didn’t go to film school. I didn’t go to college. I bought a little Canon and built a career with it. So just know that it’s possible. You can do anything. Straight up.”
Re-print By Kailyn Brown -February 11, 2022
Ahead of the Sunday premiere of Peacock’s new drama series Bel-Air—a modern-day reimagination of the beloved ‘90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air—the streaming service hosted an exclusive screening party on Thursday evening in Los Angeles. Held at a stunning Bel-Air mansion, guests were transported into the Banks’ family home, which featured interactive art installations to resemble the bedrooms of the show’s characters, a wall of iconic sneakers courtesy of Nike, and an immersive AR throne experience powered by Verizon. Chef Alex Hill also held cooking demonstrations on how to make a proper Philly cheesesteak sandwich, while DJ Corey Townes—the son of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s DJ Jazzy Jeff—provided the musical vibes before Grammy-nominated emcee, Jadakiss, wrapped up the event with an energetic performance. In attendance at the star-studded gathering was Bel-Air’s creator, writer, and director, Morgan Cooper, who secured the T.V. deal after uploading a homegrown trailer—which quickly went viral—to showcase how he would rework the Will Smith-led sitcom for current times. The show’s cast, including leading man Jabari Banks (Will Smith), Adrian Holmes (Uncle Phillip Banks), Cassandra Freeman (Aunt Vivian Banks), Olly Sholotan (Carlton Banks), Coco Jones (Hilary Banks), Jimmy Akingbola (Geoffrey), and Jordan L. Jones (Jazz), were also at the event. Jazzy Jeff, who played Jazz in the original sitcom, made an appearance as well. “My career started in the line of a Best Buy when I was 18 years old,” Cooper said
Step Show by Alpha Phi Alpha
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha perform during “Bel-Air” screening party (Photo courtesy of Peacock)
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha put on an entertaining show at Bel-Air event. MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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HISTORIAN HENRY LOUIS GATES JR. CALLS FOR FREDERICK DOUGLASS’ FACE ON US CURRENCY BILL Re-print by Atiya Jordan, February 28, 2022
Harvard historian and prodigious cultural entrepreneur Henry Louis Gates Jr. is pressing to keep the timeless essence of abolitionist and Black writer Frederick Douglass alive. He is calling for Douglass’ face to be on a U.S. currency bill. According to Axios, the famed literary critic argues that Douglass’ legacy, which began during the 1800s, remains relevant to the nation today.
anti-counterfeit measures for banking systems.” Gates’ comments follow after the recently released documentary, Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches, streaming on HBO Max. He serves as executive producer on the film, which explores the life of the fiery orator through his speeches aimed to hold the nation accountable for perpetuating slavery.
“Frederick Douglass has assumed his place not only as one of America’s great orators, but also as one of the writers of the nineteenth century,” Gates told the outlet. “Was Douglass sometimes conservative, by today’s political standards Absolutely! Was he sometimes radical? Of course, that goes without saying.”
The documentary was inspired by Yale historian David Blight’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom. Directed by Julia Marchesi, the film features Nicole Behari, Colman Domingo, Jonathan Majors, Jeffrey Wright, and Denzel Whitaker performing Douglass’ famed speeches such as “What, To The Slave, Is The Fourth Of July?”
In 2017, Douglass appeared on a commemorative U.S. quarter. He was depicted seated at a writing desk with his home in Southeast Washington, D.C., in the background. However, the process for his placement on a bill would typically take a lot longer than a commission for coins. In fact, as per Axios, it could take several years, if not decades, “to study it, design it, and introduce new
Meanwhile, 19th-century abolitionist Harriet Tubman is scheduled to appear on a redesigned $20 bill planned for release in 2030. Link: https://www.blackenterprise.com/historianhenry-louis-gates-jr-calls-for-frederick-douglassface-on-us-currency-bill/ MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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THE ECLECTIC JOYS OF AGEING
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By Brother Ryle Bell As I advance in years, I have discovered that old age is not for the weak, for the faint at heart nor for those who have great pride. You will discover that as you get older, doctors and nurses and scores of other people, will look up into, grope and poke every aperture in your body. If you are overly sensitive, it will be a great trial but If you have lost all pride, it becomes easy for you. You will even volunteer to present these orifices for distension as you really don’t care anymore who sees or what they see! We unfortunately live on a planet where gravity rules everything. Ladies, those beautiful perky eighteen-year-old boobs aren’t going to stay that way. In spite of sleeping in bras and only freeing the girls when you are supine, you might as well let them loose because they are still going to migrate towards your knees! Don’t be embarrassed. If yours have reached the stage where the nipples point at the ground and actually reach your navel, roll them up like venetian blinds and stuff them into the bra cup! No one will know and they’ll think that you have wonderful boobs for your age! Just be sure to turn the lights off before removing your bra when engaged in loving pursuits! You old guys, don’t sit there and grin. You know that you have those old man nuts that now swing
by your knees. You can’t just drop down and sit any more. You’ve got to shift the nuts, so you don’t sit on them! Anytime you hear an old man groan when he sits too fast and tells you that “Arthur” is visiting him, it isn’t “Arthur,” he just sat on his nuts because he was careless! Ladies, there is no greater pain known to man than that derived from sitting on his nuts. It challenges natural childbirth! Visions of my youthful exuberance in running alongside my bike and then jumping onto the saddle but not quite accounting for the space occupied by the baby batter bags and landing on them, recalls pain beyond compare. On the few times that I have been unfortunate to have misjudged, I was found sitting by the side of the road, bicycle discarded, soaked in perspiration moaning softly. Many an unwitting old lady seeing my desperation and thinking that I must have fallen and hurt myself, has offered to massage the abused area, not knowing where it was. The mere thought of being touched at that time reminds me of Richard Pryor’s description of having his skin washed after he was severely burned. “Oh no, no, don’t touch me don’t even breathe on me for if you do I am going to bite you!” You young men who are reading this and grinning, continued on the next page MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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remember the times when you were bold enough to go commando and got your pecker caught in the zipper and had to call your mama? Alright then. Then as if that is not bad enough, you get into bed and all is fine. You wake in the morning and try to stand and your leg is killing you. You can hardly move. You didn’t do anything, you just slept. For two days, the pain is terrible. The third morning you awaken and the pain is gone! You didn’t do anything either. It just left! Sometimes you are lying in bed and feel your muscles saying, ”He thinks that he’s young, I’m going to show him,” and you feel them flipping or rolling over while you have not moved. and you try to stay still hoping that things don’t get too bad. Then when you do try to move all hell breaks loose and pain is everywhere! Being the scientist that I am, I realize that I am not really losing my memory, but my brain is now too full with all these years of information, so I write stuff down just in case I can’t immediately recall what I want. Problem is I forget to read the notes that I wrote because I forgot where I put them! Then, overnight, lumps start appearing all over your body especially under your armpits and around your waist. Places that used to be smooth begin to get wrinkly, yet your weight is the same! Men begin to grow boobs and women lose the stuffing that they used to have in their boobs, and like said boobs, the nuts too, start migrating southwards! Putting on shoes becomes a challenge as you can ruin your body trying to bend over. You’ve got to exhale and hold your breath to be able to bend over, then try to get your foot into the shoe. This operation must be done quickly as you don’t have as much breath as you used to. You bend and grab for several cycles before success. Sometimes you give up and put slippers on! By the time that you get your shoes on, you are so winded, you can’t go anywhere and by then have forgotten where you were going! If your doctor asks you if you exercise daily, tell him “Yes,” for this is certainly exercise.
looms the specter of aqueous immersion as some of said nuts now dangle perilously close to the water. Many a man has forgotten to elevate the testicular bodies only to find them being sucked downwards in the toilet as it flushes and ended up having to perform separate ablution on said organs. In addition, arthritis and stiffness limit one’s ability to twist and turn to reach backwards, so cleaning oneself is now a crap shoot! This is the genesis of the vaunted nicotine stains! Thank God for those new bidets where one can flush the effluvia. This also is the time when allegedly men can’t start and women can’t stop! Men can’t start peeing and stand for indeterminate times at urinals waiting for the first evidence that urine will come, while women pee on themselves, willy nilly, every time they sneeze! The final insult is the graying of the pubic hair. If it is not already bad enough that nothing in that area works as it used to, we now have the additional cosmetic invasion of snarly white hair that invades the region. Some choose to shave the offending foliage to avoid this declaration of age. Men in particular like this because they say it makes the male genitalia appear larger. I am not sure what satisfaction they derive because it doesn’t work any better and moreso there is now less need of it as opportunities for use are remarkedly decreased, unless one lives in a nursing home where sprightly dowagers dwell! Viagra is often used now, not as a sexual aide, but to allow mild penile levitation to prevent one from peeing in one’s shoes! So, as you advance in age, you learn to jettison your pride and requirement for privacy. Their loss and diminution is essential for one’s peace of mind and composure! Not only will your doctors pry repeatedly into your private parts but after a while, your caretakers, siblings and children and scores of unknown people will as well. Other than that, old age is great!
Trips to the toilet are also an experience. In addition to serious concerns over proper testicular placement to avoid unintended compression, also MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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Adopt-A-Block
Keeping our city clean and green Residents, businesses, and the government all play a role in keeping DC clean, safe, and healthy. Only by involving all residents and each community can we create a District as beautiful as we know it can be. Success begins with one neighbor and one community deciding to make a difference. Anyone can participate: individuals, families, churches, businesses, schools and other groups and organizations.
Adopting a block in the District of Columbia has many benefits: •
• •
• •
Martin Luther King, Jr Avenue and Howard Road SE
Improved quality of life in your neighborhood. The appearance of our community contributes to the quality of life we all share. Signs with your group's name letting people know you are committed to making a difference. Meet your neighbors, strengthen your community connections, and build leadership skills. Become a role model to youth. Litter-free, more active communities help discourage rodents and unwanted and illegal activity. Increased economic development. An attractive, clean community is a great asset in attracting new businesses, jobs, and customers. First Street and Bryant Street NW
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Message from the Mu Lambda Health and Wellness Committee (MLHWC) Health and Wellness Committee Mu Lambda Brothers,
March is Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month, National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and National Nutrition Month. Below are some articles of interest addressing these topics. Please click on the links or cut and paste into your browser to read the entire articles.
Health and Wellness Focus on African Americans Multiple Sclerosis in the Black Population of the United States Historically, MS was believed to primarily affect white people, particularly those of European descent. Recent research, however, indicates a higher incidence (the number of people newly diagnosed with MS within a given period of time) of MS in Black people than previously thought — consistent with the rate of MS in white people. Black people with MS might also have more aggressive disease progression, greater disability and different symptoms, including more walking, balance, and coordination problems, more cognitive and visual symptoms, more frequent relapses with poorer recovery, and earlier disability onset. Scientists don’t yet know exactly why these differences exist. Clinical trials are looking into answers now. For more information on MS in African Americans – please click the links below https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Who-Gets-MS/MS-in-the-BlackCommunity
Highlighting African Americans with Disabilities in Honor of Black History Month 2022 Washington, D.C., Feb. 1 – As we celebrate Black History Month, which takes place every February, RespectAbility recognizes the contributions made and the important presence of African Americans in the United States. It is important to note this includes more than 5.5 million African Americans living with a disability.
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Mu Lambda Health and Wellness Committee (MLHWC) Some celebrities and business leaders are using their voice to share their stories, educating people about both visible and nonvisible disabilities. They are defying the statistics and have remained highly successful with their disabilities. These role models make a big difference in setting high expectations for youth with disabilities. People with disabilities of all backgrounds can be amongst the highest achievers on earth. Harriet Tubman had Epilepsy, actress Halle Berry lives with diabetes, business leader and Shark Tank superstar Daymond John is dyslexic and Stevie Wonder is blind. Poet laureate Amanda Gorman, who had a speech impediment, shared her genius both at the 2021 inauguration and at the Super Bowl. Each of them is a positive role model for success. They are perfect candidates for Respect Ability’s #RespectTheAbility campaign, which is shining a light on individuals with disabilities who are succeeding in their chosen careers. For more information on disabilities, please visit - https://www.respectability.org/2022/02/blackhistory-month-2022
Diet quality in U.S. African American youth is low: Can preventive diets and better access to healthy affordable foods help reduce risk of metabolic syndrome? A new study published in The Journal
of Nutrition concluded that higher diet quality scores among African American youths were associated with reduced risk of metabolic syndrome. Diet quality among African American children and adolescents has been shown to be well below the dietary recommendations. From 1988 to 2000, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased from 2.0% to 5.1% in African American adolescents. Dietary factors contributing to this trend include excess total energy intake, reduced intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, and frequent consumption of fried foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. Given the increasing health burden of obesity and metabolic syndrome in African American youth, there is a need to establish the relation of metabolic syndrome with diet quality. To assess the association of diet quality with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, Vanessa Garcia-Larsen (The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2005-2016 cycles); a nationwide survey conducted in the United States to assess health and nutritional status. Dietary data were collected through self-reported 24-h recalls. Diet quality was determined using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) 2010 and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) pattern score. Cardiometabolic characteristics included measures of weight, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and blood lipids. Metabolic syndrome was defined as having >2 cardiometabolic risk factors.
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Mu Lambda Health and Wellness Committee (MLHWC) In this population-based study of nearly 2500 African American youths, nearly half of the sample classified as overweight or obese. Approximately one-third of participants had low family income or experienced household food insecurity. Diet quality was poor overall, with adolescents eating well below the recommended servings of healthy foods and above the daily limit of unhealthy foods. Greater adherence to a DASH pattern diet was associated with lower likelihood of having a hypertensive blood pressure. The mean DASH pattern score of participants translated to 45% adherence to a DASH-style dietary pattern. By contrast, AHEI 2010 scores were not associated with hypertensive blood pressure but were associated with decreased risk of metabolic syndrome. The mean AHEI 2010 score of participants was equivalent to 35% meeting the recommendations to achieve an optimal diet quality. For more information on National Nutrition Month – please click the link below. https://nutrition.org/diet-quality-in-u-s-african-american-youth-is-low-can-preventive-diets-andbetter-access-to-healthy-affordable-foods-help-reduce-risk-of-metabolic-syndrome/ For Brothers looking to participate in the Mu Lambda’s Health and Wellness Committee (MLHWC) activities, please contact Bro. Derrick Butts dabutts@mac.com - who is filling in until one or more brothers will step-up/volunteer. Thank you for your participation and support of the MLHWC! Bro. Derrick Butts
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Message from the Reclaimation Committee
Printed in the February 1932 Edition
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Message from the Brother’s Keeper Committee
Nothing helps us build our perspective more than developing compassion for others. Compassion involves two things: intention and action. Intention simply means you remember to open your heart to others. Action is simply what you do about it. You might donate time on a regular basis to a cause near to your heart. It’s easy to get lost and overwhelmed in the chaos, responsibilities and goals of life. Once overwhelmed, it’s tempting to forget about those brothers most near and dear to us. Brother’s Keeper is a service program developed with the mission of advocating and improving the quality of life for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Brothers, their spouses, and widows who are retired, are elders, have
disabilities and are ailing. Upon identification of need, the Brother’s Keeper Program also provides assistance to mature and ailing members of its communities. Limitations caused by advanced age place demands on family members, caregivers, and the larger community to ensure that elders remain independently functional. The goal of the Brother’s Keeper Program is to promote dignity and independence among Alpha family and community members who need help in keeping their lives and homes functional. There are seven objectives to the program: • • • • • • •
Assist in maintaining living environments that are compatible with participants’ levels of functioning Assist in maintaining the upkeep of participants’ properties Assist with health care decision-making Provide companionship Provide legal services Provide transportation Ensure adequate supplies of food, water, and clothing, with special emphasis on disaster management and recovery.
Fraternally, Brother Carlos DeBose Brother’s Keeper Committee Chair
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Message from the Technology Committee Greetings Brothers,
We have heard your thoughts and concerns on finding how to and where to pay your dues on our website. A new button has been added to the website on all pages as well as a new payment page. You should notice that "Chapter Dues" is a new navigation link at the end on the right. This will allow Brother to find Chapter and National Tax payment options easier to find and pay.
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The "Pay now" button at the bottom right of the website will take you to the new payment page.
Here is what the new payment page looks like.
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The Mu Lambda Foundation meetings are bi-monthly on the third Thursday of the month.
Next meeting is Thursday, April 15, 2022
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Celebrating Women’s History Month
SIGMA’S ZETA’S WIVES DELTA’S ALPHA’S MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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Celebrating Women’s History Month SENATE BEGINS WORK TO CONFIRM KETANJI BROWN JACKSON TO SUPREME COURT AS SEVERAL REPUBLICANS SIGNAL OPENNESS Re-print by Derek Major, February 28, 2022
However, according to NBC News, White House and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin, (D-IL) said they will try to lobby Republican votes for Jackson. One Republican that has already indicated he will support Jackson’s nomination is Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who called her nomination “historic.” “Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is an experienced jurist, and I know her historic nomination will inspire many,” Romney said in a statement Friday. “I look forward to meeting in person with Judge Jackson, thoroughly reviewing her record and testimony, and evaluating her qualifications during this process.” Durbin added he hopes to complete the confirmation process by April 9 and has sent the White House the traditional questionnaire for Supreme Court nominees. Once it is completed and sent back to the committee, Jackson will begin meeting with Senators. Durbin also said that Jackson has a distinct advantage when it comes to her confirmation. Last year, she sat before the committee when Biden promoted her to replace Attorney General Merrick Garland on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
As President Joe Biden‘s Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson prepares for what could be a contentious confirmation process, several Republicans have signaled they could back her. The confirmation process will first move to the U.S. Senate which has a 50-50 spilt between parties. Democrats will try to keep their members together for the former public defender. That would be enough for Jackson to be confirmed to the High Court since Republicans abolished the 60-vote filibuster rule for Supreme Court nominations in 2017.
The appeals court is considered a stepping stone to the high court with three current justices having served on it in the past. If Jackson is confirmed, she will replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who was pressured by many to retire from the bench so Biden could install a younger justice who could serve decades in the role. Former President Barack Obama pushed Ruth Bader Ginsburg to give up her seat, but she refused and died when former President Donald Trump was in office. Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett. Link: https://www.blackenterprise.com/ senate-begins-work-to-confirm-ketanjibrown-jackson-to-supreme-court-as-severalrepublicans-signal-openness/ MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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Celebrating Women’s History Month Nichelle Nichols was born as Grace Nichols on December 28, 1932 in Robbins, Illinois. Discovered by Duke Ellington at the age of 15, she began her career as a singer touring the country with his band. After the tour was over, Nichols worked in Los Angeles as a model, stage actress, and in small roles on television. In 1966, she landed her most famous role as Lieutenant Uhura in the Star Trek series. As Lt. Uhura, she portrayed the communications officer in the popular series and shared the first interracial kiss on television with William Shatner. Nichelle Nichols planned to leave the show after the first season to return to the stage, but a meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led her to change her mind. King explained that her role was the first on television to show a black person as intelligent, proud, and beautiful, someone everyone needed to see and know. Nichols stayed in her role through the end of the series and in the movies that followed. It was her role as Lt. Uhura that developed Nichols’s interest in space research and exploration. Nichols became involved in various space programs and was appointed to the National Space Institute. In 1977, NASA asked Nichols to be the spokesperson for their recruitment drive for astronauts, specifically to recruit more women and people of color. By the end of her campaign, which lasted into the late 1980s, the number of applicants was five times greater than before, with more than thirty percent of the applicants from their target group.
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Celebrating Women’s History Month A powerful photo of strength and courage taken of The Leading ladies of the civil rights movement. Dr. Betty Shabazz (educator and widow of Malcolm X), Coretta Scott King (activist and widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) and, Myrlie Evers-Williams (activist and widow of Medgar Evans) sit for a portrait. Photo credit, James Van Evers (Son of Medgar and Myrlie Evers).
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Celebrating Women’s History Month Dorothy Counts, one of the first Black girls to attend an all white school in the United States, being teased and taunted by her white male peers at Charlotte’s Harry Harding High School, 1957. After four days of harassment that threatened her safety, her parents forced her to withdraw from the school.
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Celebrating Women’s History Month
With beauty and flash Olympic gold medalist Florence Joyner brought style to track and field with form-fitting bodysuits, six-inch fingernails and amazing speed. She still holds the world records in the 100- and 200-meter events. At the 1984 Summer Olympics, Florence Griffith- Joyner, also known as "Flo Jo," won a silver medal in the 200-meter run. She married fellow athlete Al Joyner, the brother of famed athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Joyner took home three gold medals and a silver. She and her coach, Bob Kersee, came under media speculation when rumors spread that she might have been using performance-enhancing drugs to improve her times. Joyner always insisted that she never used performance enhancers, and she never failed a drug test. In fact, according to CNN.com, Joyner took and passed 11 drug tests in 1988 alone. Joyner died unexpectedly in September 1998, at age 38, after suffering an epileptic seizure. She still holds the world records in the 100- and 200-meter events. MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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Celebrating Women’s History Month Actress Pam Grier is best known for her portrayal of tough and sexy crimefighters in the 1970s genre of “blaxploitation” films. Her later work in the 1998 film Jackie Brown earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Pamela Suzette Grier was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on May 26, 1949. Her father was a mechanic with the U.S. Air Force, and when Pam was five the family transferred to a military base in Swindon, England. She recently revealed in her autobiography that during this time she was sexually assaulted, an event that left her traumatized and isolated throughout her childhood. For the next eight years, the family moved around Europe, eventually settling in Denver, Colorado. At Denver’s East High School, Pam played organ and piano for the school’s Echoes of Youth Gospel Choir alongside Philip Bailey, Larry Dun, and Andrew Woolfolk, who would later form the R & B powerhouse Earth, Wind & Fire. Grier enrolled in Denver’s Metropolitan State College in 1967, planning on a career in medicine. To earn tuition for her second year of college, she entered beauty contests, placing second runner-up in the 1967 Miss Colorado pageant. An agent encouraged her to pursue acting, and in 1968 she moved to Los Angeles where she lived with her aunt and cousin, pro football player and actor Brother Roosevelt (Rosey) Grier.
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Celebrating Women’s History Month
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Mission
House of Ruth empowers women, children and families to rebuild their lives and heal from trauma, abuse and homelessness.
Vision: Much More Than Housing
House of Ruth offers comprehensive support for women, children and families. Our continuum of services encompasses enriched housing for families and single women, trauma-informed daycare for children, and free counseling to empower anyone, regardless of gender, who is a survivor of trauma and abuse. Our programs provide individualized support to rebuild safe, independent, and sustainable lives.
https://houseofruth.org MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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The Jewels’ Lounge Mu Lambda Chapter Jewels’ Lounge Welcome to the Jewels’ Lounge where brothers gather, sit amongst the Jewels and reflect upon life in Alpha.
Jewel Callis
Jewel Murray
Jewel Jones
It is a place that allow brothers the opportunity to relax, read The Torch, Sphinx, history book and/or engage in that good ole ALPHA SPIRIT. Brother Silas Woods, III, Historian Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter
Jewel Kelley
Jewel Tandy
Jewel Chapman
Jewel Ogle
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Greeting Brothers,
Volume I
Lesson
The 2019-2021 fraternal year was dedicated to rediscovering our brotherhood. We serve the community, but we have been neglecting our bond of brotherhood.
Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter
The Origin of Alpha Phi Alpha The Period of Consolidation The First Steps in Expansion Local and National Strivings Permanent Foundations Expansion and Internal Development The Leaven of Self-Examination The War Interlude A Definite Program The Crowning Years Advancement in Spite of the Depression The Widening Social Program Education and War A Militant Liberalism The Concept of Progress The Golden Anniversary Shaping the Future on the Basis of the Past The Continuing Challenge New Goals for Old Social Purpose and Social Action
Since Tuesday, April 21, 2020, Mu Lambda hosted the Mu Lambda Literary Society, every week at 7:00 pm. The Mu Lambda Literary Society is a Mu Lambda initiative, where we come together as brothers and discuss the two volume Alpha history book over a period of months. It was facilitated by a different brother each week. Brothers participated via Zoom. We started with volume 1, chapter 1 of the twenty second printing of the history book and conclude with volume 2, chapter 8. There are twenty chapters in volume 1 and eight chapters in volume 2.
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX
It was totally voluntary. You were not required to purchase the new history book. Brother Robert L. Harris, Volume II Jr. our National Historian and author of Volume II participated in the sessions. Chapter I Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter
II III IV V
Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII
Lesson Back to Basics Achieving Tomorrow: An Agenda for the 80’s Strengthening Internal Capacity for Greater Service Facing Our Future with a Future The Alpha Renaissance: Rekindling the Spirit of Leadership and Community Service Vision 2000: The Light of a New Day Alpha Attitude: A Forward Step… Into the Future A Solid Foundation for the New Era of Alpha
Fraternally, John Wilson, President Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter
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CARAMELIZED SALMON
This meal is so flavorful, you’ll forget that it’s good for you! With just 5 ingredients, this Caramelized Salmon will be a great addition to your repertoire of healthy eats. The best part? You can have this tasty fish on your table in just 20 minutes. Ingredients • 1/2 cup sugar • 2 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt, pulsed gently in a food processor freshly ground black pepper, to taste • 16 ounces salmon, cut into 4 fillets, with skin • olive oil
3. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Place fillets into the pan, skin-side down. Saute for five minutes. 4. Flip each fillet onto the other side and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle more sugar onto the salmon fillets. 5. Place the pan into the oven, allowing it to broil for about 5-10 minutes. Allow the salmon to properly cool before peeling off the skin and serving. Brother Derrick Butts
Directions 1. Preheat the broiler to 450 degrees F. 2. Mix together the sugar, salt, and black pepper into a shallow bowl. Dip each salmon fillet into the mixture and properly coat them.
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BUTTER BISCUIT PEACH COBBLER
INGREDIENTS: • 2 (29 ounce) cans peaches • ¾ cup white sugar • ½ cup brown sugar • ½ cup unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • ½ teaspoon nutmeg • 1 pinch salt • 1 (16 ounce) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough (such as Pillsbury Grands!®) • 1 pinch ground cinnamon • 1 pinch white sugar • 1 pinch ground nutmeg • 1 pastry for a 9-inch pie crust •
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix peaches, 3/4 cup white sugar, brown sugar, butter, cornstarch, vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and salt in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir until
sugars are dissolved and butter is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle each biscuit with 1 pinch cinnamon, 1 pinch white sugar, and 1 pinch nutmeg. Flatten biscuits on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin. Cut each flattened biscuit into 12 to 15 small squares; stir into peach mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour peach-biscuit mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and allow to thicken for 2 to 3 minutes; cover or decorate with pie crust. Cover dish with a sheet of aluminum foil and place dish on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool before serving.
Brother Garrett Miller
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INGREDIENTS • 2 ounces green-chile-infused tequila, mezcal and pear cordial* • 1 ounce matcha-cilantro-mint simple syrup** • 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed • 2 drops chile tincture • Garnish: chile-salt mix*** • Garnish: lemon wheel STEPS 1. Rim a rocks glass with chile-salt mix and set aside. 2. Add the green-chile-infused tequila, mezcal and pear cordial, matcha-cilantromint simple syrup, lime juice and chile tincture into a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled. 3. Double-strain into prepared glass over fresh ice. 4. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
HOT LIKE KOHLI
*Green-chile-infused batch of tequila, mezcal and pear cordial: In a 32 ounce Mason jar, add 12 ounces Tromba blanco tequila, 6 ounces El Silencio mezcal, 6 ounces pear cordial, 5 small whole green chiles and 5 small green chiles sliced down middle with seeds exposed. (When handling chiles, use plastic gloves.) Seal and let sit for 24 hours, then fine-strain to remove seeds. **Matcha-cilantro-mint simple syrup: Add 1 quart simple syrup and 1 tablespoon matcha powder into a medium-size pot at medium heat and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 pinch of loose chopped cilantro, stems removed, and 1 pinch of mint leaves, stems removed. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Pour into large container and place container in an ice bath for 15 minutes, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Fine-strain to remove leaves and powder residue. Can keep refrigerated for 1 month. ***Chile-salt mix: Combine 8 ounces Marhaba Tajín powder, 4 ounces kosher salt, 2 dried Thai Bird chiles, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon ground pasilla negro chiles and 1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed. By Brother Kenneth Williams
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Google Play
Apple Store
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Thursday, January 6 Saturday, January 8 Thursday, January 15
Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Eboard Meeting
Thursday, February 3 Saturday, February 12 Thursday, February 16 Thursday, February 17
Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Eboard Meeting Foundation Meeting
Thursday, March 3 Saturday, March 12 Thursday, March 16
Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Eboard Meeting
Wednesday, April 6 Thursday, April 7 Saturday, April 9 Thursday, April 20 Thursday,April 21
Eastern Region Convention Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Eboard Meeting Foundation Meeting
Thursday, May 5 Saturday, May 14 Thursday, May 18
Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Eboard Meeting
Thursday, June 2 Saturday, June 11 Thursday, June 15 Thursday, June 16 Sunday, June 19
Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Foundation Meeting Eboard Meeting Juneteenth Day
July 2022 August 2022
Chapter Vacation Chapter Vacation
Thursday, September 1 Saturday, September 10 Thursday, September 21
Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Eboard Meeting
Saturday, October 1 Thursday, October 6 Saturday, October 8 Thursday, October 19 Thursday, October 20
Happy Charter Day Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Eboard Meeting Foundation Meeting
Thursday, November 3 Saturday, November 12 Thursday, November 16 Thursday, November 24
Chapter Meeting Alpha Wives Meeting Eboard Meeting Thanksgiving Day
Thursday,December 1 Sunday, December 4 Thursday, December 10 Thursday, December 15 Sunday, December 25
Chapter Meeting Founders’ Day Alpha Wives Meeting Foundation Meeting Christmas
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Contact us at torch@mulambda.org
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BROTHER
MALCOLM CARTER 6-B-87
OWNER & FRANCHISEE Domino’s Domino’s Domino’s Domino’s Domino’s Domino’s Domino’s Domino’s
Pizza-2950 Donnell Drive, District Heights, 20747 - 301-568-8883. Pizza-6254 Central Avenue, Seat Pleasant, MD 20743 - 301-333-5900. Pizza-4269 Branch Avenue, Temple Hills, MD - 301-839-0330. Pizza-6000 Allentown Andrews Drive, Suitland, MD - 301-449-3030. Pizza-9509 Livingston Road, Ft. Washington, MD - 301-248-3030. Pizza-10367 Southern Maryland Blvd, Dunkirk, MD - 410-286-0700. Pizza-14604 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD - 301-952-1133. Pizza-9546 Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro, MD - 301-599-4100.
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AKSTAR BRAND APPAREL | WWW.AKSTARAPPAREL.COM OWNED BY BROTHER KENNETH WILLIAMS
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Everything Co-op, is a radio show that airs on WOL, Radio One’s premiere talk show station out of Washington, DC. The show features people who have influenced or participated in the advancement of the cooperative business model to change lives.
Hosted by Brother Vernon Oakes Listen every Thursday on WOL 1450AM or our website at http://everything.coop from 10:30am - 11am
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Albert A. Williams
Realtor - D.C. & Maryland
EXIT First Realty 2139 Espey Court, Suite 1, Crofton, MD 21114 Bus: 301-352-8100 | Fax: 301-352-0700 | Cell: 202-210-1539 Email: awilliams@exitfirst.com
www.exitfirstrealty.com
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Please Contact Brother Matt Aaron for Your Financial Planning Needs Matt Aaron, CFP® Aaron Financial 908-548-2745 Matthew.aaron.jr@nm.com Website: Aaronfinancial.nm.com Matt is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and the founder of Aaron Financial. Matt and his team provide a comprehensive financial planning experience to a diverse set of clients across the country. • • • • • • •
Budgeting Insurance Planning Investment Planning and Wealth Management Retirement Planning Education Planning Estate Planning Business & Employee Benefits
Matt holds a BBA from Howard University and has earned both a certificate in financial planning from Georgetown University and the prestigious CFP ® designation. Matt is a national spokesperson for the Certified Financial Planning Board.
Prostate Cancer a Family Affair Many of you are aware that I am a prostate cancer survivor. I know some of you have also traveled the journey. I was diagnosed and treated in 2016 and remain cancerfree. Thankfully my doctors caught it early before it had the opportunity to spread. I was vigilant well before my diagnosis with regular checkups mainly because my dad and uncle had previously been diagnosed. As men, and as black men in particular, we tend to wait much longer than we should to see the doctor. We all know brothers who have health challenges but put off making a call to the doctor. But cancer doesn’t wait.
My dad and I share our journey in our new book, Survivors’ Stories, Prostate Cancer, A Family Affair. Get more information on our journey and purchase the book at www.derrickbutts.com and then let’s talk. Speaking Engagements – I would be more than happy to schedule time to talk with your church, Men’s/Health group, and/or organization about being proactive with your prostate health and to share my journey. Please have them email me at info@derrickbutts. com to begin the discussion. Thank you Brothers for your support! Brother Derrick Butts
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Get the Mu Lambda Chapter App This official Mu Lambda Chapter App is for members of the chapter to find out about our events, chat with Chapter members, View Chapter Documents, View Chapter Directory, View our monthly magazine (The Torch) Pay Chapter Dues and much more. The ability to effectively communicate with Chapter members will help us continue to develop leaders, promote brotherhood and academic excellence while providing service and advocacy for our community.
Available for members only MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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Message from the Editor
BRO. KENNETH A. WILLIAMS EDITOR OF THE TORCH TORCH@MULAMBDA.ORG ALPHA QUOTE TO SERVE BY... “THINK Alpha Phi Alpha, TALK Alpha Phi Alpha, PROMOTE Alpha Phi Alpha, and LABOR for the broad principles of idealism for which Alpha Phi Alpha was created, so that humanity shall look on us as a body worthwhile.” Brother Henry L. Dickason, 5th General President
MARCH 16, 2014 SOLO ACE CLUB
GOOD WILL IS THE MONARCH OF THIS HOUSE COMMITTEES SHOULD SUBMIT ALL ARTICLES AND PICTURES TO THE TORCH EDITOR 5 DAYS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR EVENT. BROTHERS SUBMITTING ARTICLES AND ADVERTISEMENTS SHOULD SUBMIT EVERYTHING BETWEEN THE 15TH AND 31ST OF THE MONTH.
ARTICLES MUST BE SUBMITTED IN A WORD DOCUMENT FORMAT. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL ARTICLES SUBMITTED ARE SUBJECT TO EDITING BY THE EDITOR. PLEASE ADHERE TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION TO TORCH@MULAMBDA.ORG MU LAMBDA TORCH 2022
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THE
TORCH
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ALPHA
PHI
ALPHA
FRATERNITY,
,
INC
MU
LAMBDA
CHAPTER
Esprit de Fraternite Brothers, It is that time of year again. The fraternity’s fraternal year runs January 1st to December 31st. Mu Lambda’s 2021-2022 fraternal year runs September 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. The chapter does not meet during July and August. It is now time to pay your 2021-2022 dues which will cover you from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. Ways to make payment: 1. 2. 3. 4.
You can pay your dues on mulambda.org by clicking the dues tab at the bottom left of every web page. Bring a check to the chapter meeting. You can pay on the Mu Lambda App Mail it to: Financial Team Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter 2405 First Street, NW Washington, DC 20001
Alpha
is a life long commitment
An Alpha Phi Alpha man’s attitude should not be “how much can I derive from the Fraternity” but “how much can I do for the Fraternity?” In proportion to what he does for his Chapter and for Alpha Phi Alpha will a member receive lasting benefits from the Fraternity to himself in the way of self-development by duty well done, and the respect of the Brothers well served. A member’s duties should be: 1. Prompt payment of all financial obligations, the prime requisite for successful fraternal life. 2. The doing of good scholastic work in his chosen vocation, thereby accomplishing the real end of a college course. 3. The reasonable endeavor to participate in general college activities and social service and to excel therein. 4. The proper consideration of all things with appropriate attention to the high moral standard of Alpha Phi Alpha.
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
