What a wonderful day it is to be with you to share our bond of sisterhood during this International Region Founders’ Day Celebration Our founders thoughtfully and courageously laid the path for us to be here 117 years ago, and today we carry on their legacy
“A Tapestry of Timeless Pearls: Honoring 117 Years of Sisterhood” is about that legacy that is woven through time as we, the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority continue to uphold it and build upon it Every day we have the opportunity to demonstrate who we are, what we do and how we serve our communities around the world
This is a special time for our sisterhood and for the International Region. I am thrilled that we will have our keynote address delivered by one of our own, Second Supreme Anti-Basileus Soror Quianna E. E. Christian of Rho Omicron Chapter in the U.S. Virgin Islands. We are so proud of her historymaking accomplishments in Alpha Kappa Alpha. I am also happy to welcome Soror Kiahna W. Davis, Central Regional Director who will join us and deliver our Founders’ Day Charge. And, you know we can always count on our former International Regional Directors who will also be with us for this wonderful Founders’ Day celebration
Of course, this event would not be possible without the hard work of our Founders’ Day Celebration Committee led by Pacific Cluster Coordinator Soror Clarine Simpson and Atlantic Cluster Coordinator Soror Lisa Mitchell-Harris
Last but certainly not least, thank you sorors of the Ingenious International Region for valuing the importance of coming together for this celebration Each one of you help create “A Tapestry of Timeless Pearls: Honoring 117 Years of Sisterhood”
In Sisterhood and Service,
International Regional Director Carrie J. Clark
Welcome memb gion to the Region-wide Fo o be an AKA.
As your Cluster Coordinators and Founders’ Day Co-Chairs, we are pleased to welcome you to this celebration planned for us to honor our Founders on the International Day of the Woman Your endless love, passion, and commitment to Alpha Kappa Alpha keeps our sisterhood strong and vibrant.
This year’s theme “A Tapestry of Timeless Pearls: Honoring 117 Years of Sisterhood” exemplifies the intricate bond of our sisterhood, commemorates the significant events in our existence, and celebrates the important members on whose shoulders we stand. We honor the tapestry of love, wisdom and knowledge of our founders and leaders who have passed the torch to ensure the perpetuity of this illustrious organization.
We are blessed to celebrate today with the Second Supreme Anti-Basileus of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Soror Quianna E.E. Christian who is the FIRST elected Directorate member from our Ingenious International Regional, and the Central Regional Director, Soror Kiahna W. Davis. These dynamic pearls represent the present and future of our sisterhood We are forever grateful
We thank our PHENOMENALLY CHARISMATIC and Ingenious International Region Director, Soror Carrie J Clark for her consistent leadership and this opportunity to serve together with the 2025 Region-wide Founders’ Day Planning Committee.
It is an honor and privilege to celebrate this day with you and we hope you enjoy this curated program
Let’s Soar,
Musical Prelude & Photo Montage Jackie Shawn
Welcome
Meditation
Regional Greetings
Tribute to our Founders
Poetry in Spoken Word
Keynote Address
Tribute to International Region Leaders
Soror Clarine Simpson Pacific Cluster Coordinator
Soror Katrina P. Ghazanfar Phi Omicron Omega
Soror Carrie J Clark International Regional Director
Soror Lisa Mitchell-Harris Atlantic Cluster Coordinator
Soror Denise Asafu-Adjei Black Star Pearls - Ghana
Soror Quianna E. E. Christian Second Supreme Anti-Basileus
Musical Selection Poetic Moor, Deldric Lonell Bratcher
Founders’ Day Charge
Raffle Drawing
Closing Remarks
Soror Kiahna W. Davis Central Regional Director
Soror Liyah Davis - Forbes Pi Upsilon Omega
Our founders were among the fewer than 1,000 Negroes enrolled in higher education institutions in 1908, and the 25 women who received bachelor of arts degrees from Howard University between 1908 and 1911 Nine juniors and seniors constituted the founding members.
The nine founding members were: Anna Easter Brown, Beulah Burke, Lillie Burke, Marjorie Hill, Margaret Flagg Holmes, Ethel Hedgemon Lyle, Lavinia Norman, Lucy Diggs Slowe and Marie Woolfolk Taylor
Seven sophomores who were extended an invitation for membership without initiation were endowed with founder status Led by Ethel Hedgemon Lyle, the nine Howard University students who came together to form Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority were the scholastic leaders of their classes Each also had a special talent or gift that further enhanced the potential of this dynamic group To ensure the continuity of the organization, seven honor students from the Class of 1910, who previously had expressed interest, were invited to join without initiation
The seven “Sophomores,” included: Norma Boyd, Ethel Jones Mowbray, Alice Murray, Sarah Meriweather Nutter, Joanna Berry Shields, Carrie Snowden and Harriet Terry.
After attending a sorority meeting in 1912, Nellie May Quander heard proposals from thencurrent members to change the group’s name, colors, symbols and motto She quickly formed a committee, along with Norma E. Boyd, Minnie Beatrice Smith, Julia Evangeline Brooks, Ethel Jones and Nellie Pratt whose mission was to seek and acquire incorporation
These women, committed to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, by expanding to solicit the support of other like-minded undergraduate and graduate members who held true to the vows they had taken upon their initiation The effort culminated in the successful protection and subsequent perpetuity of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority through its incorporation on January 29, 1913, with Quander, Boyd and Smith as signers of the petition
For 117 years Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® has reigned supreme in Service to All Mankind. In 1908 at the dawn of a new century,
Ethel Hedgemon desired a Greek letter organization for African American women. She gathered likeminded scholarly women in Miner Hall on the campus of Howard University These women included Anna Easter Brown, Beulah Elizabeth Burke, Lillie Essie Burke, Marjorie Arizona Hill, Margaret Flagg Holmes, Lavinia Norman, Lucy Diggs Slowe, and Marie Woolfolk Taylor. At a time in history when few people of color and even fewer women of color were enrolled in college, these strong women met to draft documents, pick Greek letters, chose colors, select symbols, and script a motto supporting their purpose and high ideals of uplifting women and girls and being of service Focused on securing the fidelity of the new organization, the original nine selected seven sophomores who were permitted to join without initiation
In 1913, when our immortality was threatened, Nellie Quander along with Norma Boyd, Julia Brooks, Ethel Jones Mowbray, Nellie Pratt Russell and Minnie Smith incorporated Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® to ensure her perpetuity Indeed, our twenty pearls set a solid foundation for us as the premiere organization for college educated black women Their foresight allowed Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® as a whole and us as members to make significant contributions America and the greater global society.
Our sorors possess many talents and a dedication to preserve the legacy of love that has been passed down to us Love for Alpha Kappa Alpha, love for one another, and love for our fellow man. Our legacy embraces progressive ideas, evidenced by the initiatives sparked by our Supreme Basilei such as Blazing New Trails, Launching New Dimensions, and of course Soaring to Greater Heights We have enriched minds with high scholastic standards for membership, establishment of the Educational Advancement Fund, raised millions for HBCUs, established youth mentoring programs, and inspired women and girls to seek education and careers Alpha Kappa Alpha Women have helped change society with initiatives reducing health care disparities, supporting gender equality, voter education rights, and much more
From Ethel’s initial spark for service to the original 9 founders, we now span 10 regions across 11 nations 1061 chapters serve their local communities, and our membership strength is 335,0000 women selected for service and guided by love As we salute our Founders and reflect on the legacy left to us, let us continue to make Alpha Kappa Alpha Reign Supreme in Service
Happy Founders’ Day to the Sorors of the Ingenious International Region Continue to lift the legacy!
Stephanie Pelton-Miller Mu Psi Omega Chapter
For more than 114 years, thirty women have passionately and ably assumed the mantles of sisterhood, leadership and service as national (and later, international) president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
Under their stewardship, the sorority has evolved from a sisterhood on the campus of Howard University to a global organization laser-focused on issues involving economics, education, social action, the environment, human rights, political activism and equity
* Indicates Ivy beyond the Wall **No longer a member pursuant to action at the 67th Boule – July 2016
Soror Clarine Simpson General Member Pacific Cluster Coordinator
Soror Lisa Mitchell - Harris Mu Gamma Omega Atlantic Cluster Coordinator
Soror LaSean M. G. Hardy Psi Delta Omega International Region Chief of Staff
Soror Katrina P Ghazanfar Phi Omicron Omega
or Carrie J. Clark currently serves as the International Regional ector of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated . She was talled in the role during the 70th Boule in Orlando, Florida in July 22 following the appointment of our Supreme Basileus Danette thony Reed. She also served as the 29th Great Lakes Regional ector from 2018-2022. Soror Carrie was initiated into Xi Chapter at tern Michigan University in 1987. She is a proud Life Member and a Silver Star with 37 years of committed service in the sorority.
Soror Carrie transitioned from undergrad into Lambda Pi Omega Chapter, in Detroit, Michigan and has been a dedicated member ever since. She has held many leadership positions within the sorority. On the chapter level, Soror Carrie has served as Basileus, Anti-basileus, Historian, Member Liaison, Ivy Leaf Reporter and Parliamentarian She also has served on numerous committees as either a chairman or member including the Metropolitan Chapters Centennial Founders’ Day celebration, Art in the Park, and Lambda Pi Omega’s “Fabulous at Forty” Anniversary celebration. In addition, she served as the President of the Pearls of Promise Foundation
Regionally, she served on the Centennial Committee, Programs Committee and as the 2003 Michigan Cluster Chairman and the General Chairman of the 81st Great Lakes Regional Conference. On the International level, Soror Carrie served on the Heritage Committee, International Membership Committee, and Undergraduate Transition Taskforce During her previous term on the Directorate, Soror Carrie was Chairman of the Sorority’s Code of Ethics Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and was the Directorate liaison to the Sanctions and Investigations Committees and chaired the Soror Eva L. Evans, 24th International President virtual memorial tribute She currently is a member of the International Finance Committee
Professionally, Soror Carrie is the System Director of IT Operations which includes the following departments: Project Management Office (PMO), IT Asset/Software Management, IT Service Management Applications and IT Business Relationship Management at the renowned Henry Ford Health in Detroit, Michigan In addition, since 1995 Soror Carrie has been an adjunct professor at Detroit area universities teaching in the areas of information technology, quality management and project management. She has received numerous sorority and professional awards including the Chapter of the Year award, President of the Year award, DRIVEN award, the PMO of the Year finalist award and she was named the Michigan Chronicle Woman of Excellence, Eastern Michigan University Distinguished Alumni Award, Women of the Word Excellence Award, and Black Alumni Eastern Elite Award and just recently, was given the premier Career Mastered National Women’s History Leadership in Action Award.
Soror Carrie holds BA and MSA degrees and currently is working on her second Master of Science in Health Administration Soror Carrie possesses certifications as a PMP, SCRUM Master, ITIL and CPM to name a few. She has many affiliations and memberships including the Project Management Institute (Great Lakes Chapter), American Heart Association – Go Red Passion Committee, an Associate of Jack and Jill of America, a former board member for the Youth Development Commission (YDC) and The Great Lakes (MI) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated Soror Carrie is a member of Second Ebenezer Church in Detroit and is very blessed and thankful to have the support of her beautiful family husband, Mark of 28 years of marriage and two handsome sons (Ian Marc Clark and Noah Stone Clark) Mark, Ian, and Noah are active members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Ian graduated in 2019 from Michigan State University, and Noah graduated from the University of Toledo in 2022
Soror Carrie is honored to serve the members of the International Region because our sisterly bond transcends space and time
Quianna E E Christian is dedicated to service, empowerment, and fostering excellence in leadership She currently serves as the International Second Vice President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, as well as the President and Membership Chairman of the Rho Omicron Chapter at the University of the Virgin Islands Notably, she is the first individual from the Sorority’s International Region to be elected to its Board of Directors, marking a historic milestone in Alpha Kappa Alpha’s legacy
Since her initiation into the Rho Omicron Chapter in 2021, Ms Christian has demonstrated exceptional leadership, earning a place in the prestigious 2023 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Leadership Fellows Program Through her role on the international level, she is committed to amplifying the undergraduate experience by fostering leadership development, mentorship, and service-driven initiatives that empower young women across the globe
Beyond her sorority leadership, Ms Christian is a dual-degree candidate at UVI, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Finance and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, with a minor in Communication Her academic journey is deeply connected to her professional experiences she serves as the Membership Manager at AeroMD, where she actively applies the principles of finance, management, and communication learned in her courses to real-world business operations
Upon completing her undergraduate studies, Ms. Christian plans to pursue both an MBA and a JD, leveraging her academic and leadership background to make an impact in business law, corporate governance, and strategic management.
A firm believer in balance and personal enrichment, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time on the beach embracing the vibrant beauty of her island home. Passionate about storytelling and empowerment, she shares her experiences through digital content.
Kiahna W Davis is completing is the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Central Region Regional Director
She has served at the chapter, regional, and international levels of the Sorority Mrs Davis was chartering President of Chi Chi Omega Chapter in Indianapolis, IN, and served as Chairman of the Emerging Pearls Foundation, Inc At the regional level, Mrs Davis served as Central Region Co-Chairman of Protocol and 79th Central Regional Conference Chairman At the international level, she represented the Central Region on the International Connection and Leadership Development Committees A member of Chi Chi Omega Chapter, Mrs Davis was initiated in 1997 into Tau Chapter at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN
Mrs Davis is CEO and owner of MYB Accounting and Consulting Her civic affiliations include serving as Board President of the African American Legacy Fund of Indianapolis and President of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Indianapolis Chapter She serves on the Indiana Path4U State Advisory Board on Maternal-Fetal Health and is involved with Jack and Jill of America, Inc, Indianapolis Chapter Ms Davis is a member of the National Association of Tax Professionals; the National Association of Parliamentarians; and the Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
She is married to the Rev. Jerry E. Davis, III, and is the mother to Chelsea Grayce Davis. Her sister, Natissa S. Woodard, is a member of the Sorority.
Mrs. Davis enjoys cooking, reading, and history.
Jackie Shawn is a filmmaker, creative entrepreneur, and social media strategist based in Chicago A native Houstonian who spent part of her childhood in Lagos, Nigeria. She received her bachelors at the University of Oklahoma in Creative Production & Interdisciplinary Arts. Currently pursuing her MFA in Film and Television Directing at DePaul University.
Jackie has worked in directing, producing, acting, writing, and production design, with experience in advertising and casting. Passionate about showcasing complex stories of Black women, she explores themes of identity, faith, and societal expectations.
In addition to her education, She is building Queens World Media into a full-scale media company specializing in social media management and content creation, while also expanding her presence in film production Her long-term goal is to establish a production company that uplifts Black female talent and eventually evolves into a mentorship program for young Black women directors
Deldric Bratcher, known as Poetic Moor, is a dynamic violinist, poet, and performer based in Los Angeles Blending live music with spoken word, he creates captivating performances that span genres from classic rock and jazz to R&B and classical A proud Los Angeles Film School alumnus and seasoned artist, Deldric has graced renowned venues such as The Globe Theater, UCLA Alumni events, and the BMAC Awards Whether delivering soulful violin melodies or thoughtprovoking poetry, Poetic Moor brings passion and artistry to every stage, making each performance a memorable experience
