The Pearl Gazette | May 2023

Still Supporting Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® ISSUE 13 | MAY 2023 EDITION Pearl GAZETTE THE

BASILEUS NEWS 2 1ST ANTI-BASILEUS 3 2ND ANTI-BASILEUS 4 COMMITTEE NEWS HEALTH COMMITTEE HISTORY COMMITTEE HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP STANDARDS COMMITTEE GTO AT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY EDITOR’S PAGE

Pearl GAZETTE THE A GLANCE INSIDE THIS EDITION

Sorors, we are approaching our summer break, but the times we live in require that we continue to be mindful of all that is happening around us and to us. I hope you will take this time to get some relaxation in and enjoy your families. Rest!

Use this time to rejuvenate and recharge for the days ahead are full of opportunities waiting to be conquered. Together, we must be committed to providing unparalleled service and to do so as if our existence depends on it. I believe that it does.

Together, we have already shown the world what we are capable of accomplishing. And with 115 years of collective experience, we are prepared for so much more.

Stay Focused!

Soror Tangela D. DuPree

I hope everyone had a blessed Mother’s Day!

“Of all the special joys in life, the big ones and the small, A mother’s love and tenderness are the greatest of them all.”

-unknown

IMPORTANT DATES

*May 6, 2023- It’s a Serious Matter: A Mental Health Symposium

*May 17, 2023- Financial Literacy for Children-Thomas Edison Elementary

*May 17, 2023- Financial Literacy for Children-Broward Elementary

*May 18, 2023- Financial Literacy for Children-BC Graham Elementary

*May 25, 2023- Last day to sign-up for How Does Your Ivy Grow?

*May 20, 2023- EYL Graduation Program

*May 21, 2023- Precious Pearl Senior Send-Off

The merry month of May celebrates spring in full swing…welcome to the sunlight, the warmth, the ﬂowers, and all the occasions we celebrate in May! Sorors, April proved to be a remarkably busy month, and you exempliﬁed excellence in service on all levels. Thank you for your willingness and continued service to Gamma Theta Omega and all mankind. We will continue our activities and events by staying engaged and active in the Tampa Bay Community.

Our Precious Pearls Committee sponsored a masquerade sneaker party on May 5. The Building Your Economic Wealth Committee, under the leadership of Soror Blanche Turner, is facilitating Financial Literacy workshops for Hillsborough County students this month. It is never too early to start. The Workshops will take place in person at the respective schools.

Our Women’s Healthcare and Wellness Committee facilitated a Mental Health Symposium on May 6. The mental health awareness organizations included Hillsborough County Schools, Aaron’s House, NAMI Hillsborough, Tampa Bay Thrives, and Mental Health Matters. The Speaker was Dr. Stephanie Lockett, MD, who presented the attendees with valuable and relevant information on self-care and valuing your mental health.

During the month of April, we celebrated Earth Day! Chapter members in attendance at the April chapter meeting were given a packet of seeds, reusable shopping bags, metal straws, and plants were provided to those who stopped by the display. Sorors are encouraged to recycle, reuse and reduce waste. Plant your seeds and watch them grow. Let’s protect our earth! Additionally, BC Graham ﬁfth graders planted crepe myrtle trees on their campus. BC Graham is our CHIPP school, and through our developing relationship, we have identiﬁed some additional ways to assist this school.

Our Youth Leadership Institute, under the leadership of Soror Nishira Mitchell, toiled and planted crepe myrtle trees on the John Quincy Adams Middle School campus. Although we worked in the sun, it was fun and informative. The students led the activity and took ownership of the process. One student said that the tree that he planted was his baby, and he would take care of it.

MONIQUE SMITH-SLATER 1 ST ANTI-BASILEUS

Greetings Sorors,

We submitted ﬁve digital scrapbooks for awards at the Regional Conference. Congratulations to the Reading is More Than Fundamental team under the leadership of Soror Cora Dunkley for the winning scrapbook, the Catherine A. Johnson Reading Award. Reading is More than Fundamental is indeed an award-winning program. Thank you, Soror Deidre Jones, for putting this digital scrapbook together with her creative juices. This award is based on 2022 activities, so get your thoughts together for the 2023 awards for the following regional conference.

The chapter also received a Chapter that Soar Award. This award is for chapters implementing activities under each programming initiative.

*May 6, 2023- It’s a Serious Matter: A Mental Health Symposium

*May 17, 2023- Financial Literacy for Children-Thomas Edison Elementary

*May 17, 2023- Financial Literacy for Children-Broward Elementary

*May 18,2023- Financial Literacy for Children-BC Graham Elementary

*May 25, 2023- Last day to sign-up for How Does your Ivy Grow?

*May 20, 2023- EYL Graduation Program

*May 21, 2023- Precious Pearl Senior Send-Off

The merry month of May celebrates spring in full swing…welcome to the sunlight, the warmth, the ﬂowers and all the occasions we celebrate in May! Sorors, April proved to be a remarkably busy month and you exempliﬁed excellence in service on all levels. Thank you, thank you for your willingness and continued service to Gamma Theta Omega and all mankind. We will continue our activities and events by staying engaged and active in the Tampa Bay Community.

Our Precious Pearls Committee sponsored a masquerade sneaker party on May 5. The Building Your Economic Wealth Committee is facilitating Financial Literacy workshops to Hillsborough County students this month. It is never too early to start. The Workshops will take place in person at the respective schools.

We submitted ﬁve digital scrapbooks for awards at the Regional Conference. Congratulations to the Reading is More Than Fundamental team under the leadership of Soror Cora Dunkley for the winning scrapbook, the Catherine A. Johnson Reading award. Reading is more than Fundamental is indeed an award-winning program. Thank you, Soror Deidre Jones, for using her creative juices to put this digital scrapbook together. This award is based on 2022 activities, so get your thoughts together for 2023 awards at the next regional conference. The chapter also received a Chapter that Soar Award. This award is for those chapters that have implemented activities under each of the programing initiatives.

Soror Monique Slater

1 ST ANTI-BASILEUS REPORT CONTINUES

MERVELLE A. SAGE

2 ND ANTI-BASILEUS

It is a busy time. As the school year winds down there is much to celebrate and the Scholarship Committee has been busy. On May 7th we celebrated 8 Heritage Scholars. The scholars were blessed with a heartfelt message from Soror Nyah Moore, our Undergraduate Cluster II Coordinator from Zeta Upsilon. They also received a $400 scholarship award given directly from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The families had a great time celebrating together. Kudos goes to Heritage Scholars Chairmen Soror Tressa Jones and Scholarship Committee Co-Chairman Soror

Niki Lockett for their hard work and dedication. The committee is now gearing up for our 2nd Annual Poetry Jam Fundraiser to take place on June 3rd at the University Area Community Development Center. Tickets can be purchased on the AKA GTO website and the GTO APP. Please see the ﬂyer below for more information and if you are a poet and willing to share your talents contact Soror Kandance Johnson our Poetry Jam Committee Chair for more information. Call all MTAT past contestants/winners! The committee would love to get in touch with you! If you are a past winner or runner up of the Miss Teenage Tampa Pageant, please contact Soror Tia Brown as we try to get connected and update our ﬁles. Well that’s all for now! Have an AKAmazing rest of the month!

Always in service,

Soror Mervelle A. Sage

2nd Anti-Basileus

MTAT Scholarship Chairman

“ G enerating T imeless O

pportunities through Scholarships”

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental well-being is an overall positive and hopeful emotional state fueled by a sense of purpose and satisfaction with life, work, and relationships. It is supported by the capacity to adapt to life’s stressors which impact our mental and physical health.

The Health and Human Services Ofﬁce of Minority Health reports that Black adults in the U.S. are more likely than white adults to report symptoms of emotional distress, such as sadness, hopelessness, and feelings that everything is an effort.

Individuals in the Black community likely experience distressing events that affect their mental health. Racism, discrimination, and inequity affect a person’s psychological well-being. The stress may increase a person’s risk of mental illness. Some experiences may even be traumatizing.

Financial problems tend to increase the chances of an individual will experience serious psychological distress. Black adults who live below the poverty line are two times more likely to report serious psychological distress than those living above it. It is also important to remember that these social determinants of health are all layered, with racism adding in another substantial layer.

Mental Health in the Black Community

• Adult Blacks and African Americans are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than adult whites.

• Blacks and African Americans are less likely than white people to die from suicide at all ages. However, Black and African American teenagers are more likely to attempt suicide than White teenagers (9.8 percent v. 6.1 percent).

• Sixteen percent (4.8 million) of Black and African American people reported having a mental illness, and 22.4 percent of those (1.1 million people) reported a serious mental illness over the past year.

HEALTH COMMITTEE

Serious mental illness (SMI) rose among all ages of Black and African American people between 2008 and 2018.

• Despite rates being less than the overall U.S. population, major depressive episodes increased from 9 percent-10.3 percent in Black and African American youth ages 12-17, 6.1 percent to 9.4 percent in young adults 18-25, and 5.7 percent to 6.3 percent in the 26-49 age range between 2015 and 2018.

What impacts your mental well-being?

• Biological factors, such as family history or changes in body chemistry.

• Life experiences, such as trauma or loss.

• And typical day-to-day events that can make us feel “blue”.

Mental well-being changes over time

• It changes as the demands placed on a person change mental well-being is negatively affected when the demands exceed the person’s resources and coping abilities.

• And a person’s resources and coping abilities change with age. What is stress?

Stress generally refers to two things:

1) The psychological perception of pressure.

2) The body’s response, which involves multiple systems, from metabolism to muscles to memory.

Common effects of stress on our total well-being:

•

HEALTH COMMITTEE

Burnout, just like stress, can lead to mental and physical symptoms.

When should I seek professional help?

Seek professional help if you are experiencing severe or distressing symptoms that have lasted two weeks or more, such as:

• Difﬁculty sleeping.

• Appetite changes that result in unwanted weight changes.

• Struggling to get out of bed in the morning because of mood.

• Difﬁculty concentrating.

• Loss of interest in things you usually ﬁnd enjoyable.

• Inability to perform usual daily functions and responsibilities. You are not alone in your journey to mental well-being. Talk with your primary care doctor about you and your family’s total health. The mental well-being of you whole family is just as important as your family’s physical health. Do not be afraid to ﬁnd a therapist or support group to help you deal with your thoughts, feelings, and life changes.

HEALTH COMMITTEE

HISTORY COMMITTEE

Member GET ON BOARD THE Ship

Ahoy Sorors!

The MemberShip Committee held a training May 15th as part of Gamma Theta Omega’s Leadership Training Series. It provided an overview of the duties and responsibilities of the Membership Committee.

Are you ready for another exciting Chapter Retreat? Save the dates August 18th- August 20th. Prepare for a resort style weekend at Saddlebrook Resort and Spa with the theme “Soaring with Attitude, Kindness and Admiration”. We have a fun and informative weekend planned with workshops, break-out rooms, games, activities, vendors and a few surprises. Early bird registration is$40 and will start June 1st through June 30th. Regular registration is$50 and will run July 1 –through July 31st. The registration fee includes all activities and events. Stay tuned to the Tea Rose for the registration links and a list of activities. See you on the ship,

Soror Deidre R. Jones MemberShip Chairman

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Deidre R. Jones Patrice Joseph Lacquitta Fullilove-Berry Jackie Marcelin

Precious Pearls enjoyed an evening with a magical and grand experience with their first Masquerade Ball. The girls arrived in lavish gowns draped with lace, color and grace. They were greeted with young men in masks and a hand out to escort them into the room where they were to dance the night away. The young ladies wore masks cleverly coordinated to match their evening attire. Sneakers permitted the group to meet the elegant dress code requirements while ensuring they were able to become fully engaged with the music surrounding the dance floor with pink flood lights. The teens shared the spotlight with their friends from Jack and Jill, Boys to Men, and the Kappa League. More than 75 youth partied with a purpose as they celebrated their year’s accomplishments and posed for photos. Raffles, refreshments and a retreat full of glamour made this a night to remember!