Alpha Kappa Alpha: A Legacy of Service

Lord would you look at that in 1935 women of Alpha Kappa Alpha traveled to the Deep South discovering not the Mississippi often portrayed by Hollywood, but rather the bitter reality of a hidden history.

Stunned yet undeterred they administer Health Care to those in need.

These women are part of a long and Rich tradition of providing service to all mankind.

That is our mission.

Service to all mankind.

It's what pulls us together.

We've always been courageous women because we realize that we should never be limited by our fears.

It should Empower us well, Mark my words.

And we'll talk and listen to me.

We never lose sight of the mission.

Of the sorority they can't come to us.

We're going to them.

Alpha Kappa Alpha can do everything but fail we're Unstoppable.

The Sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha for well over a century has empowered communities worldwide by improving opportunities and conditions for all people.

This is the story of Alpha Kappa Alpha and its Legacy of service.

Howard University Begins the 20th century as one of the Premier institutions open to African-American seeking higher education.

Safely tucked away in the nation's capital the campus provides an ideal environment for select few young people eager to explore and expand their knowledge of the world.

The small number of girls within the student body are among the most intelligent and motivated young women of their time one such student is Ethel hedgman a true visionary.

Those who know her describe Hegman as easy-going Charming fun-loving delicate sweet and attractive.

At Howard hedgman befriends her English teacher Ethel Tremaine Robinson.

In Robinson hedgman finds not just a mentor but a friend who strongly supports her audacious idea of forming a sorority for African-American college women.

In her dorm room on the Howard campus hedgman envisions her concept of a sorority.

Years later hedgman recalls that she saw it as her job to awaken.

The college Brittany grows to the fact that they are privileged and have a duty to use the torch that they have been given to lighten the people's Darkness.

Systematically hedgman begins reaching out to classmate she feels will be interested in forming a sorority and using it as an instrument of service.

on January 15th 1908 in The Parlor of minor Hall hedgman gathers a small group of women to formalize the nation's first African-American sorority joining Ethel hedgman at this historic moment.

Is Lucy Diggs slow?

Marjorie Hill Beulah and Lily Burke Anna Easter Brown Lavinia Norman Margaret Flagg and Marie Woolfolk those gathered immediately elect Ethel hegemen as temporary chair.

Hedgman appoints the group's resident Greek scholar Beulah Burke to suggest a name motto and colors for the new sorority.

Anna Easter Brown, the most accomplished musician is tasked to compose a sorority song and the drafting of the Constitution is assigned to Lucy Diggs slow.

This meeting marks the beginning.

of Alpha, Kappa Alpha hedgman's dorm room becomes a hub of activity small groups of girls gather their frequently to organize plan and discuss sorority business.

These informal meetings often convene in the evening after class work and other school obligations are met.

The entire group of officially assembles again on Friday, February 21st, 1908 and adopts the formal trappings of a sorority.

Alpha Kappa Alpha is chosen as the name because they are the first letters of the three words in the Greek translation of this motto.

by culture and by Merit salmon pink and apple green are chosen as the sororities colors representing femininity and vitality.

The Insignia is a green enameled ivy leaf engraved with AKA in Gold the ideal symbol for a society hoping to grow and thrive.

This historic meeting is also attended by seven sophomore girls who are immediately admitted.

These younger women are vital to the survival of the sorority as six of the original nine members are to graduate in just a few months.

The groups determination and diverse talents guide them in their Enterprise.

You know, they were an Old Fields.

For example, there was one young lady who was a musician there was somebody else who was a mathematician and all of them had different interests and when they put all of these interests together, then they could see how it would Blossom out and Bloom into the community and see how they could put all of their ideas together and help others.

These are women who were just past slavery could not vote.

But yet they were ready to make a significant difference by taking a stand.

When you think about who they were and and where they were at that point in the history of our nation there they were young women young Collegiate students one generation removed from slavery who had the foresight and the vision to come up with the idea of an organization where women would work together.

It was about human kind service to all meankind.

This was a sorority founded by women of African descent, but the mission was to help the entire world for generations to come.

Little time passes before the sorority initiates early examples of service to all mankind.

On one occasion the aka's make dolls for the needy children who have moved into the area.

The sorority continues to grow and strengthen its position on the Howard campus but faces its first significant challenge in the fall of 1912.

Nellie quander one of the sophomores initiated during the founding and a recent graduate from Howard is unexpectedly invited to a chapter meeting.

She assumed that she was simply being extended a courtesy as the immediate past president of the chapter.

When she got there, she quickly realized that.

the meeting was going to be different and at that time she began to hear recommendations to change the colors The Motto the name.

And everything that was really Central to what I've kept Alpha was.

And so she of course objected and she tried to reason with them.

but it was evident that the diet already been cast.

Realizing that she cannot change the minds of the current members.

Quando reaches out to every member who had graduated and they decide to create a national organization called Alpha Kappa Alpha.

To do this they incorporate the organization in 1913 in 1913.

When our resistance was was threatened.

Basically, you know, one of our members had the foresight to come up with the idea of making sure we were Perpetual organization.

Who was the who in 1913 was thinking about anything around how to ensure perpetuity But Nelly quander did so when Nelly and the incorporators went they legitimized Alpha Kappa Alpha, so it was not not just a social club but was it was in fact a corporation with the incorporation quander becomes the first supreme basilis of the sorority and prioritizes the expansion of Alpha Kappa Alpha within a few months the growth officially begins with the establishment of the beta chapter in Chicago on October 8th 1913.

So much.

So miss green.

I think you'll be very pleased at the new version from the beta chapter comes the rain Richardson green who was elected as the second Supreme.

Basilis in 1919.

Operating under her theme of organization and expansion green promotes communication between the growing membership of AKA by publishing the first edition of the ivy leaf.

Years the middle part as well.

So much.

The first edition of the ivy leaf is presented at the Boolean Indianapolis in 1921 and the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha are thrilled with the magazine and expressed their appreciation to their leader.

The rain green believe first and foremost alphabet Alpha was a Sisterhood.

And she wanted something that would give every Apple member of the opportunity to participate.

She wanted them to feel the love to know what other chapters were doing.

And of course to spread it.

It served as an organ of national communication so that the message was consistent to the membership.

If you look at that Ivy live, you can tell you during any segment of time what impact we were having So what it does it tells you a little bit about what each chapter or what the regions or what everyone is doing to impact our local community our regional community and our Global Community.

It is the history of our organization.

By 1922 Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter spread across the country and are active from New York to Florida from, Virginia to California.

The row chapter founded in 1922 at the University of California at Berkeley produces.

One of the most iconic members in the sororities history.

Ida Jackson born in the Mississippi Delta never loses her touch with her roots.

In 1934 Jackson is elected the ninth Supreme vasilis of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

It is Jackson who initiates the sororities revered service program the Mississippi Health Project.

While other Jackson was the Visionary behind the famed, Mississippi Health Project.

Alpha Kappa Alpha's first show of national strength when I think of Ida Jackson, I think of a leader.

I think of someone who was willing to change the world.

And she knew that if she used her Alpha Kappa Alpha sisters, we can make a difference and go further and that's what she did to impact our community.

in 1934 at her home in Washington DC Norma Boyd hosts members of Alpha Kappa Alpha zai Omega chapter The sisters are excited in anticipation of the arrival of the guest of honor Supreme basilis, Ida Jackson.

Baby, let me introduce to you.

Madam Supreme bassless, Ida Jackson.

Jackson is on a mission seeking help from these aka's to start what will become the sororities first national service program.

One sister among those in attendance is critical to Jackson's plan.

Dorothy therapy is a graduate of the tough university medical school.

She has her own private practice and is also a member of Howard University's Medical Faculty.

Therapy is the ideal person to serve as medical director for the project Jackson hopes to initiate.

As the group takes their seats.

Jackson explains that she spent time during the previous summer in Mississippi trying to establish an educational program for teachers.

But after witnessing the poor health conditions of the people she encountered she was devastated.

the conditions for our people Are something you would not believe?

These people need help.

And if we don't answer to their call.

I don't know who will.

probably nobody this modern world that we live in.

Has yet to reach places in Mississippi?

I saw Shacks.

with no running water no place to clean yourself no place to wash your children.

I saw people our people.

With no sense of modern medicine and nowhere to turn to for help.

The place is backwards.

It's sad.

It's shameful.

And we must do something about it.

now when Norma and those fine ladies organized Alpha Kappa Alpha they made our Credo to be Supreme in service to all mankind.

Those poor people of Mississippi need our help.

This is a cry from the wilderness.

and sisters I know you hear it.

Like I do.

The silence following Jackson's talk is powerful.

Indicating that these sisters have every intention of helping Jackson with her health project in Mississippi.

Okay, how many centimeters dilated is she?

Alright, she's not ready yet.

But just let her know.

I'm close by and I'll be there shortly.

Okay?

Thank you.

Though she has a patient in labor therapy decides to stay with Boyd and Jackson after the other guests leave.

Poor girls been in labor for hours, but it's just not time yet.

Oh, that's a heart.

Yes.

I'm gonna go to the hospital when we finish here.

Now, where were we?

Oh, yes.

I was actually just going to show exactly where we will be in Mississippi.

They work through the night developing an approach for what will eventually become the Mississippi Health Project.

After securing funding from the sorority therapy and Jackson begin organizing the Mississippi Health Project.

in a letter to therapy dated June 30th 1935 Jackson writes when I realized as busy as you are you had taken the time to outline a technical program as well as since the need of creating an atmosphere for the acceptance for the thing we wish to do.

Almost wept and said here's a SORA who loves her work and fellow man.

the summer of 1935 sees Jackson's plan reach fruition Upon arrival in Mississippi.

Ferribee's group joins Ida Jackson's team who have made the journey from the West Coast.

They also meet Dr. CJ Vaughan director of Holmes County Health Department.

Dr. Vaughn supports the sororities efforts particularly in inoculating the County's African-American children for smallpox and diphtheria.

The next morning Jackson therapy and their team set up a makeshift clinic in anticipation of patients coming for treatment.

Everyone is excited and motivated by a true sense of purpose.

the problem Nobody comes leaving the health Team frustrated and Confused.

Jackson and therapy turned to Dr. Vaughn for an explanation It's obvious to me.

What happened?

And what is that?

Where is everybody?

My guess is the landowners refused to let them leave the farm and how can they do that?

Things are different down here Dr. Farabee Mrs. Jackson can tell you what I'm talking about.

Yes, I can.

all too well well They can't come to us.

We're going to them.

With the plan now to take the health clinic on the road fariba in Jackson find himself with the earliest task of seeking permission from plantation owners to treat the sharecroppers who work their land.

Amos you get on back to work now you're here.

Now, who do we have here?

I'm Ida Jackson and this is my colleague Dr. Dorothy fairby doctor.

What kind of doctor?

Medical doctor, I'll be I'm sure you've heard about us.

Everybody's heard about y'all.

What can I do for you?

All we want is your permission to go visit some of the people working your land give them a checkup and vaccinate them and it's as simple as that.

I've got a small group of nurses.

We can set up under a tree or on the side of a road wherever you want to have us we're here to help and we'll work as quickly as we can and then move on.

All right.

All right.

I'll tell you what.

Y'all can come back in the morning.

Set up out in the north Pastor.

We'll get on in and get on out.

There's work to be done here.

doctor I'll be damned.

with access granted it's time to gather the team and hit the road with what is the first mobile health clinic in the history of the United States.

Boys, that ditch ain't gonna dig itself.

Driving through the back roads of Mississippi is an eye-opening.

Look at that.

Nothing prepared the sisters for what they see leading therapy to later, right?

We went we saw and we was done.

When the sharecroppers learned that a health team is setting up at various locations across Holmes County.

They make their way to the mobile clinic seeking treatment from these mysterious women who have come to hell.

On occasion landowners send armed guards to oversee the activity the presence of Dr. Vaughn also AIDS in establishing credibility.

It out.

Yeah, Mrs. Franklin.

Hello, Mr. Franklin.

The team takes comfort in the number of people who come seeking medical attention.

Both children and adults visit the mobile clinic and for most of these individuals, this is the first time for such an experience.

And for those sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha who participate in the Mississippi Health Project.

It is also a first for them.

I was an AKA.

When I was in college in 1939, I joined Alpha Kappa Alpha.

And then when I learned more about the Mississippi Health Project, it was going to be closing up because that was the last year.

So I decided that I would like to volunteer.

I was a home economist and I taught some things about diet and good eating habits, and we even talked about what to plant.

I got to see an entirely different.

Section of the United States then I had ever seen before.

and from that point on I began to donate.

part of my time to improve conditions for somebody else over a period of the seven years that the clinics operated.

Alpha Kappa Alpha provided assistance for more than 15,000 It was recognized by the Surgeon General as one of the greatest projects for volunteer Public Health Service that he had ever seen when we went back to Mississippi to mount by you to put the marker under the administration of Linda White.

It was like stepping back into history.

But now you were part of the history for now and Alpha Kappa.

Alpha is a continuation of making your history every day.

While therapy and Jackson are conducting the sororities first national service program on the Mississippi Delta.

Norma Boyd is back in Washington DC poised to further expand the reach of the sorority.

In the fall of 1937 while looking out her classroom window Boyd notices a group of African-American teens gathering at a street corner, isn't it too bad that so many of our boys are out hanging on the streets when they ought to be in school.

Mrs.

Boy it those boys thought they can get a job after school.

They'd be right here.

Boy has an epiphany.

A teacher's responsibility extends beyond the classroom.

This moment puts Boyd on the path to forming the first full-time lobbying group of minorities in the United States.

A few weeks later while reading a newspaper article about southern politicians opposing an anti lynching law.

Boyd realizes by establishing a lobbying organization.

She can expand her influence and that of the sorority.

Boyd later writes the idea of a Lobby to monitor congressional action appeared to me as a way by which the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority could fulfill its Mission as it sought to serve the needs of all mankind.

Hi, this is Mary from the financial help from her sorority sisters in Washington.

DC Boyd launches.

The non-partisan council.

In the beginning establishing a footing in a highly politically charged environment proves difficult contact you about getting a meeting with the congressman.

Well, it was just be about some legislation that's being considered.

No, it wouldn't take much time at all.

How about a meeting?

Really?

Well, that is disappointing.

I'll tell Mrs. Boyd what you said?

So he didn't want to talk to me.

about that well mark my words and the future he will talk and listen to me.

In fact, he will listen to all of us because our voice is the voice of the people.

And we will be heard.

Now let's get back to work through the persistent and dedicated efforts of Boyd and the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha the nonpartisan Council operates for 10 years and becomes the foundation for the American Council of Human Rights.

The achr is also sponsored by other African-American fraternities and sororities in 1946.

Alpha Kappa.

Alpha is the first Greek letter-run organization recognized by the United Nations as an official Observer.

In 1954 the United States Supreme Court rules in favor of desegregation in Brown versus the Topeka Board of Education.

Alpha Kappa Alpha responds to the brown decision by encouraging all members to participate in the struggle for equal rights for all Americans.

The civil rights movement in the United States takes a dramatic turn when Rosa Parks a future honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha refuses to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

The subsequent marches and protests throw Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And his non-violent methods into the spotlight.

Standing with Dr. King are the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Far too often the important role women played during the Civil Rights Movement slips through the cracks of History.

At the sororities 2012 boulet in San Francisco, California Supreme basilis Carolyn house Stewart orchestrates a tribute to The Unsung Sorrows of the Civil Rights Movement.

These were the women who went to their churches and cooked food.

These were the women who xeroxed?

Flyers these were the women who went to the school boards and demanded equal pay for our African-American teachers.

These were the unsung heroes that we didn't know by name.

So it wasn't the faces that we see every day, but it was the women who had courage to stand up for what was right.

The exhibit for ever documents this lost history while reminding the sisters in attendance that invaluable service is often conducted behind the scenes with no recognition.

Dr. King is fully aware of the importance of women in the struggle for Freedom at the 1964 boulet held in Philadelphia the sorority Awards him the Annie e Roosevelt Memorial award in honor of his achievements gained through non-violent protest.

At the height of the Civil Rights Movement the sorority under the leadership of Julia Purnell receives Federal funding to establish a Job Corps Center for Women in Cleveland, Ohio.

AKA is the only African-American organization to receive one of these contracts and is also the first women's organization in history awarded such a government grant.

They provided job training gave him a stipend and some other kinds of things to help them get on their feet.

Give them make them job ready so to speak and this was all part of London Johnson's war on poverty, you know any called the Great Society program.

The success of the Job Corps Center is extraordinary leading the sorority to continue the program for nearly three decades.

The assassination of Dr. King brings great despair to the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha the sisters seek a suitable Memorial to Dr. King to be organized and funded by the sorority.

The decision is made to purchase Dr. King's childhood home and give it to his family.

Responsibility for the effort rests in the hands of Dr. Matilia Grace my proudest moment was presenting.

The check to saw Coretta Scott King when we bought the birthplace of Martin Luther King.

He had just passed a few years before I came into office.

We were the first among all the organizations particularly the Greeks, you know to purchase anything that was going to become a part of the center the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta.

1978 Barbara Kay Phillips becomes aka's 20th Supreme basilis in 1979 Phillips launches the leadership fellows program which helps undergraduate members develop the necessary skills to assume professional responsibilities today.

This program is still in operation.

Leadership fellows in 2025 will be celebrating 45 years of that program.

And with that program.

The purposes is leadership development.

So if you think about organization and how you want to sustain it for the next hundred years, you got to develop your young people.

It's a wonderful program.

It gives the undergraduates and opportunity to develop their leadership skills so that they can be leaders not only in the sorority but in life I can tell you from knowing many of those formal leadership fellows.

Now when I was Supreme bass as I brought them all back for every Union at our boulay and certainly several hundred came back at that point in time.

You're talking doctors lawyers all kinds of professionals.

They all credited the leadership fellows program.

We're certainly accelerating they're interested in their passion in whatever that field of study was.

Another of Phillips Innovative programs is the educational advancement Foundation, which is formally established in 1981.

The idea of the foundation is rooted in the ever-increasing need for resources that provide scholarships.

Well Barbara K Phillips was our 20th Supreme Bachelor and under her Administration.

She had a program Target that focused on lifelong learning and education.

In 1980 the boulet delegation approved the founding of the Alpha Kappa Alpha educational advancement Foundation that Foundation started with $10,000 in seed money from the sorority and is now a 28 million dollar Foundation to this day and at the time a lot of the members didn't quite understand how it was going to work.

I was going to tie back to this sorority but someone inside the sorority said, you know, our incoming Supreme bassless wants to do this, let us support that initiative and Alpha Kappa Alpha very very readily came up at the ballet with the 10,000 Allah donation.

We are the only organization Owned we have a foundation owned by African-American women.

It has evolved into almost two million dollars a year in the awarding of scholarships.

So when I first started 15 years ago, we awarded about $200,000 a year in general scholarships and endowments.

And so now we're almost at 2 million.

So that's the growth and we continue to help students and perpetuity.

Aka's emphasis on scholarship comes directly from the founders who stressed the importance of Education back in 1908.

The technological advances of the 1990s a revolutionary and prepare the world for its entry into the 21st century.

Vast improvements in the computer make them more practical and affordable early versions of the cell phone are introduced and the development of the internet and the World Wide Web forever change how people conduct their daily lives.

Aware of these and other such developments the sorority elects a series of leaders who are Educators and they Implement programs which stress the importance of educating young people during these exciting and challenging time.

Mary shy Scott the 23rd Supreme basilis forms the Ivy Academy, which is an umbrella program designed to augment the school experiences of children and young people.

Activities include tutoring on many subjects nutritional and economic education black history and Leadership training.

Building on the momentum of the Ivy Academy Dr. Eva Evans aka's 24th Supreme basilis initiates the partnership in mathematics and science program or pims in 1994.

Pims is an intensive summer camp curriculum teaching young people the importance of math and science in a constantly advancing and changing technological world.

1998 sees Norma Solomon white take the Helm of the sorority as the 25th Supreme basilis.

Well blazing new trails was my theme.

And so one thing we wanted to do was keep students on track and with the own track program.

We provided different means for students to achieve, you know, there's some people some children who can achieve one way and some another way.

So we provided all of these different activities for them with leadership with mathematics and science with reading with all of the components of Education.

Under White's leadership the sorority builds schools in South Africa this idea emerges when several sisters journey to South Africa to investigate the educational conditions in what is now a post-apartheid country.

And one little boy walked up to one of us and say would you give me a pencil please?

That's all he wanted just a pencil.

And so after seeing all of that we said wait a minute we need to do something to help these students.

We need to build some schools and have school so that they can be comfortable so that they can learn and so we came back and talked to the chapters and various chapters donated money.

Some of them put all that money together and we were able when I went out of office we were able to do 10 schools in South Africa the sororities educational programs expand further under the leadership of Linda Marie White white focuses on health the black family the Arts and education in 2002 Alpha Kappa Alpha implements a young author's program encouraging children to write and submit stories to local and Regional competitions.

The students work is published in a two-volume Anthology entitled the spirit within voices of young authors.

First lady Laura Bush praises the young author's program in her remarks at the 2004 boulet in Nashville, Tennessee.

After a hundred years of service The Sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha returns to Washington DC for their centennial celebration the Centennial Celebration really started with the pilgrimage.

at Howard University and you can just see for miles and miles Alpha Kappa Alpha women in their winter attire and the pink and green scarves going to minor Hall and going to the other places on the campus just to think 100 years ago.

A few women woke up and said we're going to change the world.

I will never forget it.

It was just something to behold to think that in 100 years.

He here we are back in Washington DC telling our story when I think through what that Centennial meant.

It wasn't about the colors, even though people got fascinated with that.

It wasn't about the fact that you had the record number of women 25,000 plus coming to Washington DC to really celebrate service and fulfillment of a mission, but it was about the fact that it was all about the people we talked throughout that entire week about all the people we've served we highlighted those who we served and honored and more importantly we talked about our work and what a difference this organization made even in Washington DC.

It was amazing to see all that pink and green walking down toward the capital knowing that now and then we still have to advocate for social justice and that's what I thought was amazing.

Following the historic centennial celebration.

The direction of the sorority is in the hands of 28th Supreme basilis Carolyn house Stewart.

what my Administration really started in 2010 With the theme of Global Leadership through Timeless service.

One of the things I wanted us to do was to go to places that was significant in the lives of African Americans and in a life of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

So we had our first national found estate in Little Rock.

We ended with my leadership seminar in Canada, because that was the end of the Underground Railroad.

One of how stewards primary programs is the emerging young leaders initiative which helps middle schoolers learn leadership skills and strategies.

I think one of the things that was most impactful in most meaningful for me was emerging young leaders program with 15,650 middle school girls and then to watch those young ladies go into the Ascend program with the next Administration to watch those young ladies receive eaf scholarships and to walk through boulay and have a young lady tell you my exposure to Alpha Kappa Alpha Kane through the emerging young leaders program that warns my heart every day.

Under the direction of how Stewart the sorority forms a partnership with the American Heart Association called Pink goes red which educates the public on ways to prevent heart disease and strokes.

The souls for Souls program donate shoes worldwide to those people in need.

House Steward also oversees substantial growth of the sorority.

I was focused on reactivation.

And so at that time we reactivated over 17,000 members to come back home to come back in the fall of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

I came to the role of supreme vessels and I serve this the 29th Supreme vessels of Alpha Kappa Alpha at a time when we were looking to figure out where we were going next is it relates to Alpha Kappa Alpha's growth and development and the brand, you know, I happen to have been the Supreme vessels that came on board at a time when social media was just really starting up and was the first supreme vessels in place where social media really kind of Brew exponentially during the time I was in office which meant that that provided opportunities you could either grow with that or sit back and watch it.

Of course in Alpha Kappa Alpha fashion.

We said we are going to grow an Elevate our brand and do it through our service projects.

And so we had at that time five service initiatives and soars basically around the country took those programs and they ran with them the one million backpack program that you're building refurbishing, you know thousands of playgrounds.

They saw an opportunity to really focus on the nation's historically black colleges and universities.

So we started with major HBCU initiatives in terms of bringing awareness to those schools, but just really looked at programs that were Hands-On that we're intuitive that every member could do a part of and we really started working the programs and that in turn generated a lot of interest from some members who were sitting out there who weren't quite so active and they said I'm coming back.

So in the process of all of that 20,000 members came back and so all of a sudden you had new energy Perspective they were talking up the programs were putting things out on social media.

The Jewel and the joy of my life is having been able to go inside and touch for the first time in 32 years our corporate headquarters.

We totally renovated it.

We basically took out the structure that was there put a totally new building in place inside the shell of the building we redid it and that building is now truly in a place where it's down the street from the new Presidential Center or President Barack Obama.

So which it will continue to be a jewel for many years to come but that was one of my greatest accomplishments as well on the physical side beyond the programming piece.

Dr. Glenda Glover the 30th Supreme Bachelor of Alpha Kappa Alpha initiates a series of programs under the concept of exemplifying Excellence through sustainable service.

Providing help to the historically black college and universities is a top priority for Glover and the sorority actively promote and markets these invaluable institutions while providing significant financial assistance which topped over 9 million dollars in contributions.

Glover brings back the AKA mobile health unit which travels the country educating the public about those diseases.

Which disproportionately affect African-American women.

Additionally under Glover's leadership the sorority advances a clear understanding of the importance of Visual and Performing Arts as a means of personal and Collective expression.

History is made in 2020 when Alpha Kappa Alpha member Kamala Harris is elected vice president of the United States.

I was so excited.

I was excited to see Senator Kamala Harris become vice president Kamala Harris.

And the reason I was excited is this again?

One of the first we are the first to deliver an African American woman to be to that role.

We we take pride in her and her accomplishments, but we love the fact that she owns us.

She says I'm a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

I'm a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

I was initiated an alpha chapter.

The alpha chapter and so it's a real Sisterhood.

Bond that we can all connect with her because she's one of us Alpha Kappa Alpha plead a major role in that election and we were not in place.

I don't know if those results would have been what they were and so clearly from the beginning to the end.

We were there with our vice president.

And so we were all very proud and I was I was tearing up and everything else like everyone else because we never thought we would see this day but I thought it was prophetic that of course the nation's first sorority for African-American how to train women would have the Nations first African American female vice president.

So I thought it was a full circle moment for Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

on an afternoon in September of 2022 Alpha Kappa Alpha's 31st Supreme basilis Danette Anthony Reed takes a quiet walk on the campus of Howard University in Washington, DC.

When I walk through Howard I start to reflect.

and I start to think about Really?

one thing started here Is like that that seed that kind of grooves like that ivy leaf That Grew so it started on Howard it started there with undergraduates and then those women took.

Their idea out and now it has grown to we have over a thousand sixty chapters over a hundred and twenty thousand active members or 320,000. initiated members It's just grown.

So, you know, it's just kind of like you're in awe.

And then I think about our archives are stored there.

So with our archive stored there, we know that that history is still there.

We have hundreds of years of History stored on Howard's campus.

So that's important to me as well.

The task at hand for Anthony Reed is to continue the tradition of service to all mankind.

I have a couple of things that are key for this next four years for our Administration.

And the first piece we're going to look at is Empower our family.

And we want to empower our families because it's a multi-generational type thing.

We have a problem called chip and we want to do is make sure that we help provide power packs to kids who don't have food over the weekends.

We want to do something with youth leadership initiatives our children between 11 and 13 are just begging to be leaders and have a chance to lead some things because there's still learning and they're right in between for too young to do this and going off on their own Direction.

So we want to make sure we give them some things.

So we're gonna work on youth leadership Initiative Program, and we're going to work with our seniors because we need to make sure that we support that we're going to have everyone plant trees.

There is power with trees if we plant trees.

It impacts not only our environment.

It impacts the air we breathe it impacts.

Just so many things around us.

And we talked a little bit about advocate for social justice.

We won't forget that we've got to make it impact and work on ensuring that we keep equality for everyone.

And then the last thing we're going to do is we're going to work on uplifting our local communities.

So we have chapters that have different projects that they do because they know their Community.

We're gonna start recognizing those things.

So we continue to encourage Small projects or large projects that impact your local community.

The programs planned by Anthony Reed are rooted in Alpha Kappa Alpha's unwavering tradition of service.

The legacy of striving for the common good passes from the founders to today and likewise from one generation to the next.

The journey has not always been easy, but collectively The Sisterhood endure.

Being a black woman in this country has never been easy.

We've always had to do more with less.

But the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha have taken on that challenge.

The fight is not over we are still fighting.

From the very beginning we were fighting for Equal justice for equal rights.

And it just continues it goes on and on and we need to make sure that everyone is able to have a voice.

free from violence free from discrimination and be able to move forward so that we can Feel that we have a part in this country and if we sit back we're not going to do it.

Ethel hedgman founder of the sorority once said Alpha Kappa Alpha's Legacy must be to engage encourage and elevate.

to engage in Greater service to encourage each other and to elevate others as we Elevate ourselves.

Day after day year after year.

The Sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha adheres to this expectation creating a legacy of service.

to all mankind Alpha Kappa Alpha's commitment has not changed.

I mean we've been there from the beginning we have chapters that are now over a hundred years old and they're coming into their own and they've been serving these communities.

And so the fact that they're still there they're still work to be done tells me that as long as there are women like like myself and others who are willing to serve whether it's a supreme basilis or in some other position that there will be something for us to do.

I just see unlimited growth in our organization.

I see unlimited potential of power Collective power That we have and I want to emphasize a collective power of a Sisterhood where we help.

each other You know, we've been around for a hundred and fifteen years and we're going to be around for another 115 Years and we're going to continue to be role models for other people and to do great things if it's anything like the past 100 years.

It will be awesome.

It will be phenomenal.

I thoroughly believe service to all mankind is gonna be here for another hundred years and I just our responsibility which we do is to look at take a lens and say, okay.

What should be working on?

What direction should we be going?

How do we Galvanize our members to go forward to make that that difference and I think we will continue to do that.

And I think we're gonna be here another hundred years because we're developing our leaders and going out there to make sure that we make a difference and I still believe this service to all mankind.

was the right mission if: