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ANTI-BASILEUS REPORT
Chairman of the Program Committee: Soror Chiquita King
Happy December, sorors!
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Our programming focus for this month involves the holidays! We look forward to celebrating our seniors during the Senior Citizens’ Holiday Celebration! More details are in this section.
On Saturday, November 20, 2021, our Chapter participated in the annual Northern Virginia Project GiveBack. During this event, hundreds of volunteers gathered to pack boxes of Thanksgiving food items that are delivered to local families in need. This year, the NoVA Project GiveBack Planning Committee, on which Anti-Basileus Soror Chiquita King serves, solicited 11 Table Captains from our Chapter to ensure that each box was packed with the correct items. Special shout out to all who participated, including the following 11 Table Captains, who led the way in nourishing 400 local families: Soror Dawn Smith Barnes, Soror Ronâle Taylor-Hoes, Soror Carla Haynes Harper, Soror Naomi Fauntleroy, Soror Camille Leverett, Soror Staci Luckett, Soror Kendra White, Soror Aisha Jefferson, Soror Taneshia Reeves, Soror Margo Smith, and Soror Brandi Williams.
Although we continued to experience challenges with reaching students this year due to the pandemic, #CAP℠ engaged in the following activities: • In February, we, in collaboration with Target 1 and the Scholarship Committee, sponsored gift cards for the 19th Annual ASBC Foundation Virtual HBCU Festival for students who won our giveaway contests.
• In June, we celebrated two #CAP students, Dieunette Adusei-Peasah and Saul Rodriquez-Posada, who are now college students. Dieunette attends Virginia State University, and Saul attends Northern Virginia Community College.
• Throughout the year, #CAP℠ shared college admissions information and resources via the Ivyette for sorors to pass along to high school students within their families and circles. Articles included: the pandemic’s effect on the College Admissions Process, SAT/ACT preparation, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Form, and narrowing top college picks.
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS REPORT
Signature Program: #CAP℠ (College Admission Process)
Chairman: Soror Andrea Sparks-Brown Co-Chairman: Soror Madeline Wingate-Alfonso
Sorority Goal: Chapters will assist 50,000 high school students with the college application and enrollment process.
Target 1: HBCU For Life Chairman: Soror Janice Hill Co-Chairman: Soror Joyce Putman
Sorority Goal: Chapters will enlighten the community regarding HBCUs as institutions of excellence with historical and current significance, as well as raise $10 million to establish and capitalize the Alpha Kappa Alpha HBCU Endowment Initiative.
Target 1 focused on promoting and supporting HBCUs in various ways: • In January during our MLK Day Virtual Service Challenge, 57 chapter sorors and community members donated $1080 to the Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF) HBCU Fund, gave $570 directly to HBCUs, as well as posted on their social media pages about the significance of HBCUs.
• In February, we, in collaboration with #CAP and the Scholarship Committee, sponsored gift cards for the 19th Annual ASBC Foundation Virtual HBCU Festival for students who won our giveaway contests. These contests required students to share what makes HBCUs special and list Virginia’s HBCUs and famous HBCU graduates.
• In September during AKA HBCU Impact Day, we encouraged chapter sorors to donate at least $35 to the AKA EAF HBCU Endowment Fund and matched donations up to $1000. Including the match, 57 chapter sorors contributed $5135. In addition, we encouraged chapter members to wear HBCU paraphernalia during the September General Body meeting. We also posted HBCU facts of the week. • Throughout the year, we incorporated trivia questions, promoted virtual HBCU college tours and the HBCU Museum, and provided a running total of HBCU contributions throughout the year via the Ivyette.
As of this writing, 99 sorors have contributed a total of $82,850.57 in support HBCUs this year ($8665 to AKA EAF, $74,195.57 in direct contributions across 28 HBCUs).
Top HBCUs receiving donations (by # of whom donated):
#1: Howard University (11)
#2: North Carolina Central University (5) #3: Virginia Union University (4)
Top HBCUs receiving donations (by $ amount): #1: Florida Memorial University ($34,905.39)
#2: Langston University ($10,000) #3: Hampton University ($5,325)
Target 2: Women’s Healthcare and Wellness Chairman: Soror Tori Watkins Co-Chairman: Soror Karlyn Boler Target 3: Building Your Economic Legacy Chairman: Soror T’Anya Newell Co-Chairman: Soror Ronké Hughes
Sorority Goal: To reach 100,000 women throughout the United States and the communities we serve worldwide in order to raise awareness of risk factors for heart disease through partnerships with community health professionals and engage in the community in low-impact, heart health activities and support. Sorority Goal: To reach 20,000 African-Americans committed to increased savings and asset accumulation; to reach 20,000 through workshops on credit repair and monitoring; to increase direct member support of Black businesses by 5% or 10,000 Black business; and to supply goods and services to 100,000 homeless individuals and families.
Target 2 educated women on health and wellness from heart health to nutrition to care for caregiving: • In January during our MLK Day Virtual Challenge, we reached over 120 women on information about health and wellness and the importance of care for caregivers
• In February for Pink Goes Red for Heart Health, we held weekly social media challenges to promote heart health and announced weekly winners. In addition, we encouraged Chapter members to wear red during the February General Body meeting. • In March for National Nutrition Month, we hosted a ZCO Virtual Kitchen Cooking Demonstration featuring Chef Rob A. Myers, known as the Kitchen Sink Cook. • In May and June, we hosted virtual fitness sessions led by instructors who were sorors. In May, Soror Jessica Howard Jackson facilitated a gentle flow yoga session. In June, Soror Karlene Chung led an energetic Zumba session. • In August, we invited Soror Jessica Howard Jackson back to host a guided meditation during our chapter retreat.
• In October and November, we celebrated our Chapter’s breast cancer warriors and caregivers, respectively. We also posted resources on our social media pages regarding breast cancer and caregiving.
• Throughout the year, we held various social media campaigns on topics involving heart health, breast cancer awareness, and caregiving.
Target 3 promoted economic legacy, celebrated entrepreneurship, and assisted shelters and other populations in need: • In January during our MLK Day Virtual Challenge, we spent over $880 in support of Black-owned businesses; promoted over 50 Black-owned businesses; donated $590 to Feeding Children Everywhere, $250 in gift cards to the Carpenter’s Shelter, and over $200 to the Alexandria Community Shelter; and educated over 60 people about personal finance. • In June, we held an “It’s-a-Cart” drive to procure shopping carts for 17 local families who receive groceries from the United Community food bank. • In November, we partnered with NoVA Project GiveBack, leading the effort in packing Thanksgiving boxes for our 400 local families in need.
• In partnership with the Foundation for Financial Education (F3E), we hosted monthly webinars that educated 166 attendees on financial topics such as credit repair, the stock market, investing post-pandemic, retirement planning, financial fitness, and mortgage and real estate. • In partnership with the Ivy Foundation of Northern Virginia, we delivered financial literature and provided meal services to 105 residents of the Carpenter’s Shelter; donated linens, laundry items, and personal care items to residents of the 64-bed Alexandria Community Shelter, and purchased Metro cards for five Residential Program Center (RPC) residents. This month, we will provide a Christmas meal service for 45 RPC residents.
• We hosted quarterly Black Dollar 365 contests, encouraging sorors to “Buy Black.” Be sure to buy Black during this holiday season and send your receipts to economiclegacy@aka-zco.org by January 5th!
Target 4 Signature Program: The Arts! Chairman: Soror Veronica Jackson Co-Chairman: Soror Eboni Jones
Sorority Goal: To expose 20,000 middle and high school youth and community members to the legendary works of African-American artists during the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement, as well as their influence on contemporary African-American art and culture.
Target 4 shed light on the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement: • In January, during our MLK Day Virtual Challenge, seven participants created their own MLK art piece. • In February, we hosted Harlem Renaissance LIVE!, an interactive presentation about musicians of the Harlem Renaissance, including musical performances by the Tri-M Music Honor Society students and the Target 4 committee. • In March, we hosted “The Fab 5 of Harlem,” an original skit written by our very own Soror Shannan Burrell and performed by the drama students of the now-Alexandria City High School and Francis C. Hammond Middle School. • In April, we began our first “Arts in the Afternoon” series with our very own Soror Gwendolyn Everett, an art history associate professor at Howard University, who showcased art and artists of the Harlem Renaissance. • In June, we hosted our second “Arts in the Afternoon” series with a free jazz concert, held in celebration of African-American Music Appreciation Month, featuring the dynamic vocalist-trumpeter duo, S.O.A.R. (Sounds of April and Randall), who performed their original songs, as well as songs from other artists. • This month, we are hosting our third “Arts in the Afternoon” series, featuring a virtual sip and paint with celebrated artist, Alexis Long a.k.a. The Greek Painter.
Target 5: Global Impact Chairman: Soror Edith Bartley Co-Chairman: Soror Karen Ford-Jackson
Sorority Goal: To conduct a large-scale community service project that reaches across regions, borders, and oceans; to collect 500,000 shoes for Soles4Souls, 50,000 eyeglasses for Lions Club International, as well as 50,000 dresses for girls and 25,000 shirts for boys for the Pillowcase Project; to support 10,000 refugees of color through partnerships with organizations engaged in the work.
Target 5 engaged from a global perspective: • In January, during our MLK Day Virtual Challenge, participants donated 65 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls and 40 items for our 1 Child @ a Time campaign. • From February-March, we participated in the Mid-Atlantic Region Pillowcase Shirt Sew-a-Thon, where we exceeded the large chapter goal, sewing 78 pillowcase shirts for young boys in Haiti (versus the 30-40 shirt goal). • In March, we hosted a watch party for the documentary film, Human Flow, which spotlighted the current global refugee crisis. Before the movie, we facilitated a discussion with guest speaker, Nezia Munezero Kubwayo, a former refugee and consultant for the African Community Center. • In April for AKA Global Impact Day, we delivered 1200 masks to the Carpenter’s Shelter and the Alexandria Community Shelter, as well as posted COVID-19 information and resources on our social media page. • In June for World Refugee Day, we delivered 200 masks to the African Community Center. • In October, we donated $200 and numerous care items to JJS Missions, Inc. to support its Haiti Disaster Assistance Project. The donated funds was distributed to the Mission of Grace, Haiti, to provide much needed emergency aid (e.g., food, repairs) to those affected in and around the town of Plaisance Du Sud due to the August 2021 earthquake. • From October-November, we held our Fall Collection Drive for new and gently used shoes and eyeglasses. We hope to exceed our goals of donating 465 pairs of shoes (per the region’s expectations for large chapters) and 200 pairs of eyeglasses. At the time of this writing, we donated 320 pairs of shoes and 87 pairs of eyeglasses. • This month, we will close out our yearlong 1 Child @ a Time campaign; thus far, we’ve given over $3000 worth of baby and children items to the African Community Center.
LOCAL PROGRAMS
Senior Citizens’ Holiday Celebration
Sorors, we are sending individual holiday cards and gift cards to the residents at our designated centers again this year. Special shout out to the team captains: Soror Sharon Gregg (Annie B. Rose House), Soror Regina Crawley (Cherrydale Rehabilitation Center), and Soror Martha Coleman (Regency Care of Arlington).
In addition, we plan to send a pre-recorded video that includes a short presentation from our community partner, AARP.
If you have additional questions, please reach out to Soror Darlena Ricks at seniorsholidayparty@aka-zco.org.
