Let It Shine Words From Chapter Brother of the Year

BRO. ROBERT BLACKWELL - FALL’18

is the CEO of CyTech Services LLC, a cybersecurity consulting firm that operates with defense contractors in the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA). He is married to his wife Merissa of thirteen years and has a 10-year-old daughter Alyssa.

Bro. Blackwell serves as the Director of Membership as well as on various committees (Reclamation, Technology Chair, etc.) in the chapter. Bro. Blackwell also serves at the district level on the Technology Committee as the Cybersecurity advisor and has been appointed as a Committee Chair for VACAPAF’s College to Corporate (C2C). Bro. Blackwell is a board member of the Innovative Community Engagement Foundation serving the WMA, life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and life member of the NAACP. Bro. Blackwell received the following awards from XAL in 2022: Brother of the Year, Presidents Award, Outstanding Leadership, and Spirit of Alpha.

WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Service is a responsibility that each Alpha brother should have in his heart. We have a duty to uplift all individuals in our communities. Regardless of social status or title. Jewel Henry A. Callis said it best: “ We are necessary for the advancement of human rights in this decade. Indeed, I am not certain we are prepared for the responsibilities of this period. Our interests have become too narrow. Dances and cocktail parties replace discussion of current problems and active participation in community and regional affairs.”

Imanner. Evolving our programs to meet current and future needs for our communities. Most importantly being a service to our own brothers. We have done excellent work, but there is so much more to do. Especially when you take in consideration that some states would rather wipe away black history. Black is history is American history, and as Jewel Tandy stated “I went through hell founding this organization and I want something done about these problems. Think of it, we have over a hundred and twenty chapters and I ask what are we doing...We must fight till hell freezes over and then fight on the ice.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON BROTHERHOOD?

Ibelieve the poem House of Alpha by Bro. Sidney P. Brown sums this up throughout the entire poem, however a few passages stand out. “Goodwill is the Monarch of this house” and “…school for the better making of men.” I believe sometimes brothers have their own vision of what a man of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. looks like.

If that vision does not align with their own vision that they have formulated in their minds, it could create issues. We just need to remember that we are a diverse fraternity, that all brothers have unique contributions to the fraternity. Some will be on the executive board, some will not. Some will show up to highway clean up, some will not. Some will do all of the above, some will not. What makes this fraternity great in my opinion is how diverse we are. But with all of that, we need each other! Regardless of chapter, regardless of district, region, etc. Regardless of alumni vs. undergrad. We need to stop allowing things that are frivolous in nature, the ability to divide the brotherhood. Division has driven wedges in our culture for centuries, no different than the things written in the letter to Willie Lynch. Whether the letter is real or not, the objectives in the letter are clear and concise. We are stronger together!!!!!!

Jewel George Biddle Kelley stated:

“Before I close, I wish to urge upon all the brothers the necessity of a broader bond of brotherhood in the communities that you reside. After allegiance to GOD, family, and country let nothing shake your love for the fraternity and its ideas. Let every brother be truly a BROTHER, PROMOTE HIS INTEREST AS IF IT WERE YOURS and show to the world that ALPHA PHI ALPHA stands for more than mere words.”

Being men, we must ‘put aside childish things’ and answer the challenge of qualitative worth to meet the times... We therefore must choose, train and encourage the youths of our choice to a more authentic standard of values based upon more universal concepts...Then the ideas of our vision shall have been fulfilled. We shall continue to be and to become, in act as well as in mind, the 'First Ethiopian Brotherhood', the buttress of our troubled people and an outstanding force in a world of change. We shall be not a dead and imitative tradition, but a democratic living culture.”

-Jewel Tandy

Brothers, we still have much work to do, but we do not have to do it alone. “In a city with a population of two, I even have a brother there.” We are stronger together than apart. The letters of the fraternity outweigh all chapters’ letters. We need to come together and truly be that strong brotherhood. Our Jewels laid the foundation and have imparted us with all of the wisdom that we need. Now we need to execute. I want to personally thank all my brothers for their continued support. Special shout to my LB's XAL Fall 18 for their continued support, guidance, and accountability.

Special thanks for always supporting initiatives and ideas:

Bro. Rob Dash

Bro. G.C. Murray II

Bro. Brandon Blackwell

Bro. Ron Morris

Bro. Mike Gibson

Bro. Jamere Morrow

Bro. Luqman McNeil

Bro. Freddie James

Fall 22 New World Order