Black AIDS Institute: Heroes In The Struggle Honors Soror Boyd and Soror Elders
 

Black AIDS Institute: Heroes In The Struggle
08.18.04

On November 12th, the Black AIDS Institute will unveil the portraits of the 2004 Heroes in the Struggle at the fourth annual Gala reception and awards presentation in Los Angeles at the Director Guild of America. Heroes in the Struggle is a photographic tribute to people of African descent who have been on the frontline in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
From Hollywood celebrities to grassroots activists, from community organizers to elected officials, the men and women we honor tell us that AIDS in the African American community can, and must, be fought. By showcasing examples of heroism from within our own communities, this exhibit galvanizes Black people to refocus and recommit to overcoming this epidemic.

The 2004 "Heroes in the Struggle" Nominees are: Coretta Scott King, Human Rights Activist and Leader; General Kofi A. Annan, United Nations Secretary, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (2001), and Author; Dr. Keith Rawlings, Medical Director of Peabody Health Center in Dallas, Texas; Jenifer Lewis, Acclaimed television and movie actress; Stevie Wonder, Singer, songwriter, and humanitarian; Dr. Joycelyn Elders, First African American US Surgeon General; Gwendolyn E. Boyd, National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Pastor Faith Central Bible Church in Inglewood, California; Pat Nalls, Founder and Executive Director , The Woman's Collective; Jerry Lopes, American Urban Radio Networks; Ron Simmons, Executive Director, Us Helping Us; Stuart Burden, Director of Community Affairs - The Americas, Levi Strauss & Company.

The Heroes in the Struggle Gala is one of the Black communities' most high profile HIV/AIDS events, drawing civic, community, business, and entertainment leaders from across the country. This evening is meant to remind us that the war on HIV/AIDS is not over and move us to renew our commitment to a world without HIV/AIDS.

The evening will symbolically pay homage to Black people whose lives have been lost to AIDS and community leaders that have contributed to the fight against it.

For more information, visit www.blackaids.org

The Black AIDS Institute is the only national public policy and research center in the United States focused exclusively on HIV/AIDS among Black people. Our mission is to stop the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Black communities by mobilizing Black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV/AIDS.

Stepping it up
 

The article is about a week old but interesting!

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/200...os/step175.jpg

Big competition in Cincinnati
brings together stellar stompers

By Lauren Bishop / Enquirer staff writer
At about 10 p.m. on a weekday night, this part of the Xavier University campus is dark and quiet. The call of crickets chirping breaks the silence - and then, suddenly, the sound of stomping, clapping and chanting from inside the Armory.

"We ... are ... the ... divas (stomp clap, stomp clap) of D-S-T!"

So begins a routine that eight members of two Cincinnati-area alumnae chapters of Delta Sigma Theta sorority will perform at one of the largest Greek step competitions in the Midwest Saturday night, bringing eight Ohio teams to the Aronoff Center for the Arts.

The show is part of a weekend full of festivities associated with the P&G Ohio Classic, the centerpiece of which is Saturday's football game between Grambling State and Bethune-Cookman at Paul Brown Stadium.

Read the rest

Delta is Falcon's exec
 

Nice profile from Sunday's AJC. Check the link for the entire article, but here is a snippet.

http://www.ajc.com/sunday/content/ep...08014002f.html


Susan Bass

She has unfettered access to players (and great viewing spots at Falcons games). More importantly, her chief concern is making the Falcons and all things connected to them look good --- off the field and in the community. Her job takes her inside the locker room, on the sidelines, throughout the community and in the Falcons' boardroom, as well as the front office of the team's Flowery Branch headquarters.

Her title --- vice president of communications and community relations --- takes her places most football fans can only dream and places her squarely among Falcons owner Arthur Blank's trusted team of image-makers.

Delta Sigma Theta Partners with Chase Home Finance and Genworth Financial To Promote
 

Press Release

African American Newswire:


Contact: Shelley Bates
Phone: 212-868-9439
Email: shelley.bates@primeaccess.net


Delta Sigma Theta Partners with Chase Home Finance and Genworth Financial To Promote Minority Homeownership


(AANewswire)Washington, D.C., October 6, 2004 – Building on its commitment to promote home ownership, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. today announced a partnership with Chase Home Finance to provide discounted and flexible products, dedicated mortgage specialists and financial education and counseling. Chase will offer Delta Sigma Theta members and their families a closing cost rebate, and has established direct access to a broad range of home finance solutions through a dedicated phone number and dedicated local loan officers assigned to the Delta chapters nationwide.


“Our organization understands the role that homeownership plays in stabilizing families, building wealth and creating a legacy for the next generation,” said Dr. Louise A. Rice, the National President of Delta Sigma Theta, the largest minority sorority in the United States . “By joining forces with Chase Home Finance, a leading mortgage lender that has made significant inroads in closing the gap in homeownership among minorities, and Genworth Financial, we are advancing our mission to promote financial literacy and economic empowerment among African American women and the broader community.”


Delta Sigma Theta has more than 290,0000 members and over 900 chapters in 38 states. Last year, when Gwendolyn Boyd, the former president, established homeownership as a priority for the organization, the sorority began working with Genworth Financial, a provider of mortgage insurance, which often is needed for home purchases.


Now, the Chase Home Finance partnership will provide members and their families with discounted and flexible products, dedicated mortgage specialists, educational workshops, financial counseling services, as well as online information on the home buying process. Delta members will also have access to Chase’s Union Plus® Mortgage Program, which offers mortgage discounts and other benefits such as free mortgage assistance in the case of unemployment due to disability, redundancy or short-term strike. Genworth Financial will continue to provide lower-cost alternatives for mortgage insurance.


“We’re delighted to be partnering with Delta Sigma Theta on this very important initiative,” said Thasunda Brown, Chase Home Finance’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. “In 2003, Chase Home Finance announced the $500 billion Chase Dream Maker CommitmentSM, a pledge to helping millions of traditionally underserved minorities and communities meet their home financing needs. This partnership will help us deliver on that commitment.”


To support this commitment, Chase has developed a new suite of customized loan products and services and launched a National Housing Advisory Council comprised of key national leaders from minority and under-served segments.


“We’re proud to have played a part in launching this program and look forward to working with Chase,” said Lori Jones Gibbs, Director of Affordable Housing/Emerging Markets for Genworth Financial’s mortgage insurance business and a member of Delta Sigma Theta. “As one of the nation’s leading mortgage insurers, we’re always looking for better ways to educate people on the home buying process so that they can break the rental cycle and start building equity through ownership.”


“Delta Sigma Theta has always been on the forefront of social change,” says Dr. Rice. “The change that is required of African American in the 21st century is wealth creation through homeownership---this partnership is a part of that journey.”

http://blacknla.com/news/prnews/Delta.asp

EXCELLENT!!!!



I remember posting last year an article where an alumnae chapter in Raleigh/Durham area was promoting home ownership.

PSA: Dr. Joycelyn Elders to Give Lecture at Hudson County Community College
 

Hudson County Community College's popular Faculty Lecture Series will begin next month. All of the lectures for the 2004-05 year will focus on “Gender: Diversity and Discrimination.” The series will begin with a presentation by former United States Surgeon General M. Joycelyn Elders.

The Lecture Series, which is open to the general public, will start with Dr. Elders on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Student Center at the College’s Historic Pathside Building, 25 Journal Square in Jersey City, NJ. There is no charge for admission.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
(BB91 comments: I hope as many of you as possible who live in the NY/NJ area will be able to come out. The topic seems ripe for discussion and I think Dr. Elders will have a lot of valuable insight.)

Prince George's Community Church Women's Annual Prayer Breakfast
 

PGCC Women's Annual Prayer Breakfast

The Women's Ministry will hold its Annual Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, October 23, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the College Park Holiday Inn. The theme is "Experiencing God More." Our renowned guest speaker is Gwendolyn E. Boyd, Immediate Past President, Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Tickets ($25) will go on sale immediately after worship. All women of the church are encouraged to participate and to invite family and friends.


http://www.pgcchurch.org/cnotes.shtmlraged

Re: Prince George's Community Church Women's Annual Prayer Breakfast
 

baby hijack:

When she was at our Boulé in July, I could tell that the woman spends puh-lenty of time with the Lord! Just listening to her, you can tell there's something about her - and she has an absolutely POWERFUL and commanding voice! Somebody please attend this breakfast and report back!

end baby hijack.

Kudos Soror Markesha
 

http://www.onnidan.com/04-05/news/nov/siac1103.htm

SIAC names McWilliams as Director of Communications November 3, 2004

The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has named Markesha McWilliams as Director of Communications. Markesha McWilliams McWilliams comes to the conference office from CNN Sports, where she was an Assignment Coordinator.

A native of Milwaukee, WI, Williams moved to Atlanta in 1999 to pursue a career in sports journalism at CNN. While working at the cable news network, she provided sports content for over 800 television stations worldwide.

An accomplished athlete, McWilliams attended the University of Wisconsin on a full athletic scholarship in track and field. She earned two-time All American honors and qualified for the Olympic trials in 1996. A knee injury prevented her from competing in the trials but the following year she competed in several grand prix track meets in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France. She also served on the Student Advisory Board and was appointed team captain.

As a senior, she became only the second African American woman in school history to be crowned Homecoming Queen.

Following graduation from UW, she earned a Master of Science degree in Sports Administration from Georgia State University.

McWilliams has an extensive public service portfolio. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and served as the organization's National Second Vice President and a member of the National Executive Board for 6 years. While working for CNN she served on the company's volunteer council and was a project leader for their annual Turner Volunteer Day. She is also a volunteer public relations consultant for Why Not Sports, Inc., an organization that helps youth explore off-the-field career options in athletics and prepare for the rigors of collegiate athletics.

Heroes in the Struggle Gala Photos
 

A photographic tribute to African American AIDS warriors who have made outstanding contributions to the fight against HIV/AIDS

2004 Honoree Portraits includes Gwendolyn E. Boyd, 22 National President of DST, and Soror Joycelyn Elders.

To view gala photos:

http://www.blackaids.org/hitsphotos.htm

And of course Soror Boyd looks beautiful in that Crimson. :)

Sharon Warren who plays Ray Charles' mother in the movie "Ray" is a soror. She pledged at Stillman. Visit the DST national website at www.deltasigmatheta.org and click on the Fall Newsletter part 2.

Bishop McKenzie
 

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is scheduled to be on Tavis Smiley's PBS program tonight (check local listings). If you're unable to watch the broadcast, Tavis' website usually posts the show within a few days.

Sorority to hold tsunami fund-raiser tonight
 

Posted in the Greek Life forum as well.

The University of Kentucky

Sorority to hold tsunami fund-raiser tonight
By Erin Thomas
Published: Friday, February 18, 2005
©2004 Kernel Press, Inc.

Don't know if this is appropriate for this thread, but there is a new Verizon Wireless commercial where there are girls stepping and a drumline playing. The girls stepping are members of the Kappa Epsilon Chapter of DST. For more info visit kappaepsilon.com.