Oklahoma Alpha Times Vol 1 Issue 2 12-2-18

OKLAHOMA ALPHA TIMES An Oklahoma District Quarterly Publication of the Southwestern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. | Est. 2018 V O L U M E

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Urgency Fuels Oklahoma’s Future Oklahoma Alpha Phi Alpha Chapters Aim to Meet Community Needs with Educational, Health and Voter Participation Programs

CHAPTER NEWS

BHL’s Randy Ponder and Tony Bryan were glad to be in the March for Babies in OKC. –Marcus Clayton/BHL

Oklahoma Alpha Times Alpha Brothers across the state have rolled up their sleeves to reach out into prospective communities to help alleviate problems facing young men and their families.

Local chapters in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Muskogee, Norman, Stillwater, Edmond and Lawton

are educating, transporting and hope- search to prevent premature births, birth fully motivating young men and wom- defects and infant mortality. ... Seventyen to greater outcomes. six cents of every dollar raised in March for Babies is spent on research and proBETA ETA LAMBDA grams to help prevent these issues.

Oklahoma City’s alumni chapter, While Alpha brothers were clearly inBeta Eta Lambda, raised upwards of volved, they turned the March into a $7,000 in its annual work with the Stroll to the crowds’ delight.

March of Dimes March for Babies And to top it off, BHL brothers won best fundraiser. According to the March T-shirt design. of Dimes, proceeds help fund re-Continues on page 3.

Zeta Sigma Walks the Walk for Alzheimers Oklahoma Alpha Times Staff Not knowing where you are doesn't seem so bad when it happens every once in a while. It would be different if it happened every day.

Brothers from Zeta Sigma chapter at the University of Central Oklahoma took to the streets in Zeta Sigma’s Johnathan John (left) and Donovan Cousan were in the Walk to end Alzheimers Oct. 13 in downtown OKC. –Courtesy Bria Bowler

the Walk to End Alzheimers.

ZETA SIGMA WINS STEP SHOW ZS traveled to Wichita State University to win a $500 2nd place prize at the WSU Multicultural Greek Council Step Show.

ZETA SIGMA PIZZA & POLITICS Chapter members hosted a Pizza & Politics event Oct. 30 at the UCO Nigh Building. ZS alumnus Lavelle Compton led

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Beta Chi Lambda hosts Christmas event

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Beta Eta Lambda holds torch high

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Alpha Tau Lambda Black & Gold turns Blue in Sept.

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Zeta Sigma adds four new brothers

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Eta Xi Lambda feeds needy

INSIDE:

First of All… Register, Vote

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BCL Hosts Christmas Fun

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ATL Prostate Cancer Push

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BHL All the Time

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EXL Thanksgiving

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OK Alphas Calendar

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Next Edition: Founders Day

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First of All... District Director Bro. Pritchard Moncriffe Voting took front stage over the last three months and more in Oklahoma and the nation.

18 years of age who are finishing high school and entering college in some instances.

According to the state’s election board, voters went to the polls in record numbers for midterm elections.

District Directors Bro. Pritchard Moncriffe, Oklahoma,; and Bro. Keith Dillion, Louisiana meet up at Langston’s Homecoming.

- Courtesy

But moreso, that those that are registered actually go out and vote.

Nationally the Democrats gained at least 40 seats to regain control of the House of Repreeffect throughout the state. sentatives for the first time in years.

Brothers in several cities particiAlphas in Oklahoma mobilized pated in voter registration, education and get-out-the-vote efforts. voter registration and encourAnd it makes a difference. aged voter participation throughout the state.

It is imperative that more people

There were several major races nationally that were close enough for runoffs and recounts.

It does not pay to sit home and watch others decide how your tax dollars are spent or how policy is developed that effects you.

In addition, leadership is needed to adress issues in the political arena that represent social justice concerns such as police-community “A Voteless People is a Hope- are registered to vote, especially less People” campaign was in full young men and women just turning relations.

Beta Chi Lambda Announces Christmas Program Beta Chi Lambda chapter in Muskogee is inviting everyone to its annual program Saturday, Dec. 15, starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Muskogee High School Cafeteria. BCL is joining the local McDonald’s to help provide free sausage biscuits and beverages to all children up to age 15. All Muskogee area children accompanied by an adult are welcome.

Anyone 15 and over can pay $1.00 for their meal. BCL will sing Christmas songs, have choirs performing and Santa may pay a visit. BCL will also give small gifts, bags of Christmas candy and fruit to all children and some adults, who otherwise may not have a Christmas this year.

The Lawton chapter’s banquet focused on character and education.

Newsletter Debut Gives District News a Home To create a new level of communication, Oklahoma District Director Pritchard Moncriffe established a quarterly newsletter that features news and information about the District and the various chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. across the state.

You are reading the second

incarnation.

Chapter presidents are asked to share photos, captions and updates about the activities of their chapter throughout the year.

Upcoming events can also be highlighted. Brothers with businesses are encouraged to purchase space to advertise their goods and services.

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For more info and to submit photos, captions and stories, or to place an Ad, contact Bro. Russell LaCour at ralacour57@gmail.com or text 918-902-6013.

Deadlines for the next publication is January 25, 2019.

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Prostate Cancer Panel is Worth Getting Out of Bed OKAT

Dr. Darnell Blackmon led the important discussion about Prostate Cancer with Dr. Jimmie L’Esperance, Dr. Melanie Ketchandji and Dr. Nicole Washington, explaining that black men need to start being tested as early as 40 and once a year after 50. –Russell LaCour/ATL

Continued from page 1 Urgency ALPHA TAU LAMBDA September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity wants black men to know that they are 2.4 percent more likely than white men to die of prostate cancer.

The local Tulsa Chapter, Alpha Tau Lambda, hosted a Prostate Cancer and Black Men’s Health Fair on September 29, in conjunction with Vernon AME Church, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 311 N. Greenwood Ave. in September as part of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, black men are nearly 1.6 times more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men.

“As a national push, Alpha Phi Alpha teamed up with doctors, educators, community leaders,

organizations, businesses and media outlets to stress the importance of early testing for prostate Bro. Blackmon cancer, especially among black men. It is imperative that black men get tested early,” said Dr. Darnell Blackmon, a local orthopedic surgeon and ATL health fair committee chairman.

A panel talked about the various outcomes related to prostate cancer.

Booths were manned by Alzheimers experts who gave blood pressure checks. A hospice representative offered info on assisted living at life’s end.

VOTING IS PRIMARY Voter education materials and voter registration forms were accessible for people who need ed to register to vote or change their address.

Bro. Blackmon was the moderator for the health panel, who spoke to black men and other interested people in the audience about the dangers of prostate cancer and the importance of knowing your status.

Blackmon was intent on having the audience understand that no matter how uncomfortable it might seem to have the digital exam done, it was worth it to potentially detect any growth around the prostate.

He also said there was a prostate blood test that doctors should also administer.

Brothers and their guests received a wealth of information from the panelists who addressed options of drug therapy or surgical solutions.

Mental issues were talked about. Erectile Dysfunction and solutions were discussed as well.

BETA CHI LAMBDA Muskogee’s alumni chapter is doing big things. Beta Chi Lambda donated 400 Christmas cookies to Muskogee Gospel Rescue Mission in hopes of making some deserving people’s lives a little sweeter.

Tulsa’s alumni chapter, Alpha Tau Lambda, donated can goods and helped fill food baskets for the needy at Thanksgiving in association with the Tulsa Black Officers Coalition and the Food Bank of Northeastern Oklahoma.

Beta Chi Lambda gave Christmas cookies in Muskogee. –BCL

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BROTHERS: LET US KNOW ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS, CONTACT OKAT AT

ralacour57@gmail.com

Bros. Henry Ponder and Roy L. Watson (left) were line brothers at Beta Kappa at Langston University in 1948.

PLAN AHEAD. PUT YOUR NEXT CHAPTER EVENT FLIER IN THE OKLAHOMA ALPHA TIMES AT NO CHARGE. THE DEADLINE IS JAN. 24, 2019.

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Beta Eta Lambda’s Ken Lawson and Alpha Boys Institute young men work in the community to support the efforts of Families with Sickle Cell. –Courtesy Photo

BHL Stays Busy All Year Long in the City Oklahoma Alpha Times Beta Eta Lambda The largest chapter in Oklahoma does not rest on its laurels.

They are busy in the community, reading to kids, mentoring, collaborating with other Greeks and being powerful examples of Alpha men.

They have a Veterans Day program annually to celebrate the service our veterans have given for our freedoms, In and out of the election cycle, members of BHL are urging people to register to Bro. Daniels vote and participate in the political process by helping voters engage with candidates.

-OKAT

Above, Bros. work with Alpha Boys Institute as mentors. At right, Bros. celebrate Tyler Ott while raising funds in the March of Dimes March for Babies.

BHL raised $7,000 to aid the March of Dimes in its efforts to help early babies and their mothers. Below, Bro. Ken Lawson reads to elementary students. Below left, BHL, AKAs and their guests relax at Derby Day in May. – BHL

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ETA XI LAMBDA Being a member of Alpha Phi Alpha is not always about dressing in a fancy suit, in pretty pictures. The part that is often unseen is just that, behind the scenes. It is never better represented than these good brothers from the alumni chapter in Lawton, who gathBros. Henry Ponder and Roy L. Watson ered and delivered food for (left) were line brothfamilies arounders Thanksgiving. at Beta Kappa at First of all, servants of University all, we in Langston shall transcend 1948. all.

The Urgency is Now. —General President Everett B. Ward (r)

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Bro. Roland Martin (center red flower) is calling on all Alpha Brothers to support a campaign to raise $2.5 million to fund a new TV show titled The PJ’s, short for Political Junkies. It promises to be one to watch as we head into the 2020 election cycle. In this picture, Martin was in Tulsa with education experts leading discussion on the merits of development of excellence in education programming for underserved communities.–Photo courtesy Jennifer LaCour

Beta Kappa Bro. Seth Gillenwater (center) stands with fellow drum majors at a game featuring Langston vs. Texas College.-LU

Former District Directors: What’s missing? Your picture.

Continued from page 1 Zeta Sigma discussion about issues facing the state. Bro. Compton was a candidate for District 90 representative in OKC. GO TO HIGH SCHOOL GO TO COLLEGE Zeta Sigma spent the morning on September 25, at Santa Fe Elementary School in OKC to talk with first graders about going to high school , going to college and the importance of education.

The children, who knew Chinese, turned the tables on the brothers and began to teach them Chinese yoga. It proves that we all have something to give.

PROJECT ALPHA In November, Zeta Sigma hosted an event for UCO students to talk about health stigmas. Later they had a talk called Moonlight to discuss black male mental health.

Bro. Lavelle Compton (blue cap) answers questions from UCO students about Oklahoma politiOKAT cal issues during Pizza & Politics talk sponsored by Zeta Sigma. –ZS

In Memory | Oklahoma District Transitions Brother Lansing Eugene Lee, 65 Born January 15, 1953, Entered Omega Chapter September 9, 2018, Initiated in 1972 at Beta Kappa at Langston University, Grant writer, Veteran, Manager of Martin Luther King Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Last chapter affiliation, Beta Chi Lambda, Muskogee.

Brother Allen W. “Boone” Counts, 75 Born September 1, 1943, Entered Omega Chapter October 28, 2018, Initiated at Beta Chapter, Howard University on April 6, 1963., Life Member, Attorney, Muskogee Oklahoma, Last chapter affiliation, Beta Chi Lambda, Muskogee, OK.

Brother Manyles B. Gaines Jr., 79 Born December 31, 1938, Entered Omega Chapter September 19, 2018, Initiated at Alpha Tau Lambda in Tulsa, OK on April 1, 1966, Life Member, Retired Principal, Musician, Deacon, Last chapter affiliation, ATL, Tulsa, OK. Brother James Wallace, 70 Born October 11, 1948, Entered Omega Chapter November 26, 2018, Initiated into Delta Beta chapter at Bethune-Cookman University in Florida Dec. 8 1967, Educator, Last chapter affiliation, Zeta Gamma Lambda at Langston, OK.

First of all, servants of all, we shall transcend all.

“Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities.”

***REMINDERS*** Deadline for Feb. 8 publication of the OK Alpha Times Third Edition is Jan. 25. Ads are available.

Contact Bro. Russell LaCour for costs. Email or text ralacour57@gmail.com, 918-902-6013.

Dec 4: Alpha Phi Alpha Founders Day Dec 15:Muskogee BCL Christmas Program Jan 19: Alpha Day of Service Jan 21: MLK Parade Day Feb 8-10 Stillwater EE OK Dist. Convention Feb 10: Tulsa ATL Wives & Sweethearts Dinner Mar 17: Tulsa ATL Founders’ Day Apr 4-7: Houston 2019 SW Region Convention May 4:OKC BHL AA-AKA Derby Day May 11:Tulsa ATL Black & Gold Scholarship Dance

Oklahoma Alphas’ Calendar of Events