History

Young Adult Department

History

The Young Adult Department was organized in 1968 under the presidency of Alma Cooper Hawkins. Since that time the department’s presidential positions have been held by:

Earl Jefferson (St. Phillips Baptist) Frieda Y. Alston (Union Temple Baptist) Linda Smallwood (First Baptist-Randolph) George Moment, Jr. (Freedom Baptist) Renee Rousey (Mt. Moriah Baptist) Derek Lawson (Turner Memorial AME) Donna McRae Daily (Friendship Baptist) Cynthia Brown (Mt. Sinai Baptist) Minister Bruce D. Hasty, Sr. (Mt. Moriah Baptist) Roslyn Moore (Canaan Baptist) Connie E. Hemsley (Mt. Bethel Baptist) E. Bobby Williams (Galilee Baptist and Leslie A. Rogers (Mt. Bethel Baptist) Dimitri Harris (Friendship Baptist) Christie C. Cooper (Miles Memorial CME)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The department over the years has sponsored dinners, annual Christmas projects, delivered fruit baskets to D.C. Village, Laurel Children’s Hospital.

In 1984, the department’s first drill team was organized and participated in the drill competition in Houston, Texas. In 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts, D.C.’s Young Adult Drill Team won third place, first place in Arts and Crafts and third place in the sale of birthday calendars. Frieda Y. Alston was National Young Adult president at that time.

In 1991, Colleen Riddick-Graham (Mt. Bethel Baptist) served as acting Young Adult State President. She also served as Eastern Regional Director from 1989 to 1991, during this time she was elected to various National positions.

In 1993, in Richmond, Virginia under the capable leadership of President Bruce D. Hasty, Sr., who served from 1993-1996, the Young Adult Drill Team won second place, and second place for the Arts and Crafts project. The Department held three

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National Officers: Bruce D. Hasty, Sr. (Mt. Moriah Baptist), Board Member; Toni T. Frazier (Mt. Moriah Baptist), Arts and Crafts Chairperson; and Roslyn Moore (Canaan Baptist), Health Unit Chairperson. Fancie M. Riddick (Mt. Bethel Baptist Church) served as local counselor and National Young Adult Counselor.

In 1995, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Young Adult Department won third place in the sale of birthday calendars. The department’s 1995 outreach ministry was the distribution of Thanksgiving “Care Baskets” to recipients of four active member churches.

In 1996, in New Orleans, Louisiana, a banner year for the department, the Young Adult Drill Team won first place in the National Drill Team Competition, and third place in the National Birthday Calendar Project.

Brother Hasty, an articulate, inspiring, and outstanding leader can be credited for many accomplishments of the Department; the most important being the enhancement of the Department both spiritually and numerically. He served during this time as National Young Adult Board Chairman and Young Adult Assistant Eastern Regional Director.

In 1997, Sister Roslyn Moore (Canaan Baptist) succeeded Brother Hasty as president. That year, the District of Columbia hosted the 78th Annual Convention of the National United Church Ushers Association of America, Inc., and the Young Adult Department won First Place in the National Drill Competition as well as the National Birthday Calendar Project.

Before Sister Moore was elected President, she worked untiringly as secretary under President Hasty. She is an exceptional, diligent, and caring person whose first priority is her service to God. She has held several offices in the local, regional, and national. She was elected 16th Young Adult National President at the National Convention in Houston, Texas in July 2000 and served for two years.

In 2001, Sister Connie E. Hemsley-Brown (Mt. Bethel Baptist) succeeded Sister Moore as president. Sister Hemsley-Brown was a dedicated and hard-working member in the Department. Before becoming president, she held various offices in the local and national. She is a very supportive member and valuable asset to the Young Adult Department’s mission.

In 2002, Bro. E. Bobby Williams succeeded Sister Hemsley-Brown as president. He is a dedicated worker in the Department as well as in his church (Galilee Baptist). Bro. Williams has served in various offices of the local, regional, and national. He has shown great leadership at the various levels with the Organization. Under his presidency the Leroy Johnson Tag Day observance was merged with the Department’s Annual Prayer Breakfast. He also challenged each member to match his donation of one hundred dollars to the local building fund.

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