The Pearl Gazette | June 2023 Edition

Pearl GAZETTE THE ISSUE 14 | JUNE 2023 EDITION GEMS SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS OF BRILLIANCE Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® GAMMA THETA OMEGA CHAPTER JUNE 25, 2023

Pearl GAZETTE THE A GLANCE INSIDE

BASILEUS NEWS

1ST ANTI-BASILEUS

2ND ANTI-BASILEUS COMMITTEE NEWS

HEALTH COMMITTEE

MEMBERSHIP

PRECIOUS PEARLS

EMERGING YOUNG LEADERS (EYL)

SISTERLY RELATIONS COMMITTEE

GTO AT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY

DIAMOND, GOLD, AND SILVER CELEBRATION

GAMMA THETA OMEGA IN THE COMMUNITY

SORORS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

EDITOR’S PAGE

THIS EDITION

The ﬁnal event before the Summer break will send us off on a high note. Yes, the Pearl Golden, Silver Celebration certainly delivered!! Thank you, History committee, led by Soror Bertha Baker, Chairman and Soror Sonja Wise, Co-Chairman for a well-planned, and executed, “Gems Soaring to New Heights of Brilliance,” event. We were honored to have our very own 28th Supreme Basileus, Attorney Carolyn House Stewart serve as the Mistress of Ceremony. It just doesn’t get any better than this!

Summer is now truly upon us, vacation getaways have been planned, wardrobes selected, and bags packed! Yes, it’s time for most to take a moment to relax and get refreshed. Although there will be no Chapter meetings during the summer break, the work of the Chapter continues. While most Chapter members will be taking advantage of the much-needed break to spend well deserved time with family, friends or alone, your Chapter leaders will use this time to plan for the Fall.

Our goal is to reﬂect, review and prepare for the return of the membership in the fall. Our meaningful work must continue to meet the needs of our community, regardless of summer break. This is what we signed up for and we’re honored to serve…year-round!

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy your Summer by taking long walks, enjoying a morning swim, soaking up some natural Vitamin D at the beach, sharing ice cream with a child, exploring a new hobby, reading a great book, or just watching the sunset. However, you chose to spend your summer vacation, I pray your days are peaceful, and uplifting — you deserve it.

It is a privilege and honor to serve.

Enjoy your vacation and remember to practice RANDOM ACTS of KINDNESS!

Soror Tangela D. DuPree

BASILEUS NEWS

We regularly ask the question, “How can we be of greater service?” Today, I extend that question to each one who reads this Newsletter…how can you lead; how can you make today an impact day of service? And how might you serve as an inspiration for a year-round commitment to community, locally and globally? Remember: No act of service is too small. Each of us has been endowed with gifts, talents, and treasures. When we work together…we can make a difference, a change now.

Although we are approaching the summer months and some of you may have decided that is time to take a break, really, we have just gotten started. It is time to get busy! It is imperative that we continue to move forward. There is more to come in the next half of the year. Our work is being acknowledged by the community sheerly because of our commitment and work effort.

Service is our motto, our mission, our program thrust. Community members beneﬁt from the many programs offered yearly in Tampa community. Additionally, we av developed relationships and partnerships with other organizations and companies who align with our values. With over 82 year' of experience, we have found several tried and tested initiatives to empower children and families and uplift our community and bring about lasting change. I am looking forward to carrying forward, how about you!

During the month of June and July

How Does Your Garden Grow

Black Dollar Days (Pink Friday)

Financial Literacy for Entrepreneurs and Retirees

Recycling and Shredding Event

Grow with Google Cybersecurity

Leadership Seminar

Soror Monique Slater

MONIQUE SMITH-SLATER 1 ST ANTI-BASILEUS

MERVELLE A. SAGE

Can you believe it, sorors! June is here already and we have been busy at work contributing our time and efforts to our communities. Our 2nd Annual Poetry Jam that was to take place on June 3rd at the University Area Community Development Center is being rescheduled for a later date. If you purchased tickets please stay tuned for more updates as to the new date time and the location.

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. Our cultural enrichment committee is hard at work preparing for our science of beauty program that will take place this fall. If you are interested in supporting this endeavor please contact Soror Jessica Holmes for more information. We are on the verge of our summer break but the work does not stop here. Please continue to support our initiatives, learn all that you can this summer at the leadership conference, and be sisterly with each other.

Always in service,

Soror Mervelle A. Sage Soror Mervelle A. Sage

2nd Anti-Basileus MTAT Scholarship Chairman

2 ND ANTI-BASILEUS

“ G enerating T imeless O pportunities through Scholarships”

HEALTH COMMITTEE

HEALTH COMMITTEE

HEALTH COMMITTEE

Member

GET ON BOARD THE Ship

Ahoy Sorors!

Registration for the 2023 Chapter Retreat is now Open! The Chapter Retreat will be held at Saddlebrook Spa and Resort- August 18th-20th. The theme is “Soaring with Attitude, Kindness and Admiration”. Early bird registration is $40 and will run from June 1st through June 30th. Regular registration is $50 and will run from July 1st through July 31st. The Membership Committee is planning an exciting and memorable retreat. Here are a few of the highlights:

• BYOB (bring your own bag). Bring your favorite AKA conference bag or any pink and green bag to the retreat. We will have prizes for the best vintage and most captivating bag.

• Break out rooms. This year we will have break out rooms featuring special interest topics.

• Vendors. If you are a Gamma Theta Omega Chapter member and would like to serve as a vendor, register using the link in the Tea Rose or contact Soror Kisha Porter (klpaka1908@gmail.com) for details. Space is limited so register early. The deadline is July 15.

You can register for the retreat using the links in the Tea Rose and our chapter app (Spaces). Stay tuned to the Tea Rose for additional updates and a list of activities. You don’t want to miss this retreat. We are anchored in sisterhood and looking forward to Soaring with Attitude, Kindness and Admiration!

COMMITTEE

See you on the ship,

Soror Deidre R. Jones MemberShip Chairman

MEMBERSHIP

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

On May 7, 2023, the Chair and ﬁve other Mentors attended the Heritage Scholar Program where four Precious Pearls were recipients of scholarships. Their names are Maiyah Hall, Alicia Jenkins, Zoe Johnson, and Tiana McKinon.

The ﬁnal Precious Pearls meeting was held on May 20, 2023, at Advent Health – Tampa Campus.

The girls sat through a presentation on careers in the medical and health care ﬁeld held by Advent Health Foundation’s Dr. Dawn Erickson, President and Mrs. McKenzie Doll, Community Relations Manager. The girls toured the hospital and were able to enjoy an integral and intimate question and answer segment held black an African American Gynecologist, President of the Foundation, and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Twenty-Two Seniors were recognized in the end of the year video celebration and senior gifts were presented. Congrats!

There was forty Precious Pearls in attendance and twenty-one Sorors in attendance.

PRECIOUS PEARLS

The EYL community completed the 2022-2023 year with the EYL graduation on May 20th. We celebrated the year with details of the activities to parents, guardians, family, and friends.

Eighteen young ladies will move to high school and potentially Precious Pearls. We also have over Eighteen potentially returning next year that are 6th and 7th grade. We had a great guest speaker, Dr. Brenda Walker who spoke to the girls and about “being still” and leadership. She left plenty of suggestions for the students to carry with them. We look forward to next year. We are going to begin planning early in July to ensure we have a momentous year and bring some new activities to the program.

EMERGING YOUNG LEADERS

SISTERLY RELATIONS COMMITTEE

IN OUR COMMUNITY Gamma Theta Omega

Build Our Economic Wealth Initiative serves as one of the six (6) program initiatives under the administration of Supreme Basileus Reed, with the goal of serving, educating and assisting both our youth and adult individuals of our under served black and brown communities. The areas of focus include increasing Financial Literacy and Financial Wellness, Supporting Women Entrepreneurs and Collectively leveraging our buying power, spending our dollars with Black-owned businesses.

In keeping with our focus on increased ﬁnancial literacy and generational wealth, GTO Economic Wealth Committee executed a series of three (3) one-hour Financial Literacy Workshops comprised of one hundred ﬁve (105) 5th grade elementary students. The on-site sessions were hosted on May 17th and May 18th, at Broward and B. C. Graham Schools, facilitated by Sorors Cassandra Boothe and Blanche Turner with a virtual session held with the 5th grade students of Edison Elementary. Gamma Theta Omega Chapter Basileus, Madam Tangela D. DuPree captured the student’s attention with a warm and rousing virtual greeting. William Cross, author of The Rich PRE-TEEN, followed with an amazing presentation on a “Fundamental Guide to Financial Literacy.” William engaged the students in an informative and interactive session, enhancing the younger generations understanding of Money…Saving, Investing, Assets vs Liabilities and Credit. Major highlights of the workshop included the students completing a written budget and receiving a copy of Williams’ book, The Rich PRE-TEEN-Young & Wealthy Handbook to further enhance the student’s knowledge of money, how it works and how to generate wealth at an early age. The workshops concluded with spirited closing remarks presented virtually by Madam 1st Vice President, Monique Slater. Lastly, as committee chairman, I extend a gratitude of sisterly appreciation to committee member, Soror Cassandra Boothe and our leadership team for their participation!

In Sisterly Service,

Soror Blanche A. Turner

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA: A LEGACY OF SERVICE Alpha Kappa Alpha: A Legacy of Service will air on Wednesday, June 28th at 5:00pm on WEDU channel. TUNE IN...

Our Honorees

SILVER SOROR CASSANDRA BROWN SILVER SOROR TANGELA D. DUPREE SILVER SOROR YOLANDA GADSON SILVER SOROR YVONNE LONG SILVER SOROR GWEN MILLER SILVER SOROR ESSIE P. MOBLEY SILVER SOROR CARLA WHITE SUNDAY PEARL SOROR LUCILLE FRANKLIN GOLDEN SOROR EDNA CADE GOLDEN SOROR BRENDA SIPLIN

Silver Star Carla White Sunday, Silver Star Essie Pearl Mobley, Silver Star Gwen Miller, Silver Star Yvonne Long, Golden Soror Brenda Siplin, Golden Soror Edna Cade, Silver Star Yolanda Gadson, Silver Star Tangela D. DuPree, and Silver Star Cassandra Brown Queen with Escorts. SOROR CAROLYN HOUSE STEWART, ESQ. 28TH SUPREME BASILEUS OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED® SOROR MONIQUE SLATER, FIRST ANTI-BASILEUS SOROR GWEN MYERS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT 3, PRESENTING COUNTY PROCLAMATION TO HONOREES PRESENTING THE WELCOME AND OCASSION GAMMA THETA OMEGA CHOIR SOROR SONJA WISE, SOLOIST AND HISTORY COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRMAN