Tell us about the first Alpha Kappa Alpha event you ever attended...
 

Some of you may have to think further back than others. :D

I knew nothing about greek life in high school. As a college freshman in 2001, I attended several organizations' programs. The first Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. event I attended was called Freshman Reception. There, members of the chapter introduced themselves to those of us who were new to campus. They offered advice such as study and survival tips. They passed out favors that included glasses that said "AKA Welcomes You" and medicine bottles that contained little strips of papers filled with encouraging words. The point was that the transition from high school to college could be difficult at times, and you could go to the medicine bottle to be reminded that you were not alone and that each task was something you could conquer. We signed in as we entered the event. A week or so later, I received a phone call from a member of the chapter stating that they were having a time management program and she asked if I would be interested in attending. I was interested and impressed that they were keeping us freshman involved. That was the first of many programs that I attended. This leads to another story...

The chapter's next rush was Fall 2003. I desperately wanted to attend, but I had also been in the National Guard since 2001. I had military orders for training, so I did not attend rush. The following year brought rush for Fall 2004. I had military orders to Iraq. I was on those orders from Oct 2004 until Jan 2006. Once I returned to the States, I immediately enrolled in school and was back for the Sp 2006 semester. There was a rush that semester that I did not attend because many of the chapter members I had known had graduated in my absence. I spent the year attending programs, volunteering, and getting to know the current chapter members. Finally, Sp 2007 was my chance! The rest is history. :D;)

First of all, that Freshman reception is THE BEST program I've probably ever heard of.

Secondly, Xi Zeta Omega's Tea Rose Ball was the first AKA event I ever attended as an Alpha or otherwise, hee hee.

The first AKA event I EVER attended was a Read-In in celebration of Black History month. It was sponsored by my mom's chapter and I was only 8.

Once I got to college, the first event I attended on campus was a book club meeting. I don't remember the book, but I remember my friends and I were scared to death. It went well, and I was very impressed with the chapter.

They (we :)) were the South Central Region's undergraduate chapter of the year that year and several years prior & after until we had to pass the torch.

This is not the first event that I ever attended, but the first event that I attended as after "declaring" my interest was a book club meeting.

I was at one of the chapter member's homes. We read Make You Want to Holler by Nathan McCall. I remember the dicussion being really stimulating and the women being very welcoming, even though I was the only non-soror at the event. I remember being very nervous as I chose my ensemble for the evening, making sure to pick neutral colors and trying to find something that was appropriate for the event and the weather. :)

I did not end up pledging that chapter, but I still have very close ties to sorors there.

20 years is a long time...

The first AKA event I attended was when my mother had me in a stroller at a chapter meeting...

Like Soror Little32 said, the first event I attended after I "declared" my "interest" in college was being in a Fashion Show, presented by the chapter...

my first AKA event was the chartering of the Lambda Tau Omega chapter in Chicago. my mother was a charter member and i was nine. not terribly exciting but i remember it was nice and the other sorors were really nice. i figured that i would be just like Soror Mom one day. next event, the 1980 Boule in ATL. that sealed the deal for me:D

my first true AKA event was after my chartering going to NARC Regional Conferences an exact week after I got in

I don't have to tell you how blown away I was. I love my letters. I love my sorors.

And I bless God every day for helping me make the correct choice ;)

That is wonderful soror! On the AKA Ave. of GC, we are asked to present and announce ourselves in this forum by clicking >here<.

And as a new soror, reading the Pearls of Wisdom is strongly suggested...

This is about decorum and protocol... :)

TTT For the new sorors and confident sisterfriends on the board.

Loving this thread ... :D

I'm just like Soror IlovemyAKA in that I knew nothing about greek letter organizations while in high school, so I certainly knew nothing about Black Greek Letter organizations by the time I reached college.

Long story short, once I began doing my research, I was so drawn to AKA that I boldly decided to attend Fashionetta back in 1996. But I was so nervous, because I didn't know a soul in the chapter, and I was also not prepared for how enormously HUGE this particular event was for them either. But I remember being so mesmerized and awestruck that a Black sorority could put on such an unbelieveably amazing show. I was hooked. I was determined to make my presence known from that point on. I met the Basileus at that time, made some new friends, connected at church, networked and ... well, ... in the year 2000, ... I was reborn! :p

Ah, memories ... :)

^^^
That's an awesome story!! Love it!

*bump*

SFs, you're welcome to post here as well.

great!
 

Now that I have the green light! :D My first event I attended, was at USC! My older sister (as well as my Grandmother) is a member of the organization so I was always exposed to her and her Line Sisters. My mom thought it would be great to take myself and one of my cousins to the step show that the chapter at USC was having. I was only 13 at the time so I really didnt have a full understanding of Greek life but I was immediately drawn to it. My sister did not attend USC but some of her other friends did and we were allowed to sit near them. I was so amazed at how poised and together the ladies were. And thier presentation at the Step show was amazing! They were always respectful and they were also very well dressed....As soon as it was over I ran to my mother and begged her to buy me a T-Shirt with the organizations letters...just as she was about to purchase it, my sister quickly intervened and explained why that wasn't such a good idea. :) Again, I didn't really understand...But from that day on, my sister nor Grandmother never heard then end of me asking a million and one questions or touching some of thier Paraphernalia....As I've gotten older and seen the bonds that the 2 ladies have developed with the other members and how active they still are in thier communities, I've developed a clear understanding of what it means to be an Alpha Kappa Alpha woman.

See, now, I do like this thread... But, seriously, you missed its point... QFP... I am supporting my Sorority Sister ILovemyAKA's vision here! :)

botched it!
 

Many apologies for my mistake, Im not sure where I went wrong in the post. Just from reading the previous ones, I thought speaking about the event and the impression it left on me was appropriate. However, I do take contstructive criticism well and will make the proper effort to make the necessary corrections for future reference. :o

QFP... There is such a thing as discretion. Define it, use it in a sentence and incorporate it into your vernacular wisely... That is all.

Thanks Soror AKA_Monet!

JBaby, share your post with your sister who is a member. Maybe she can offer insight. Thanks for sharing :)

Welp if what homegirl posted is any indication, I would be leery. But that would be me...

Could you please help me, I'm really trying hard to refrain from speaking to someone who knows so little about discretion? Should I try to point out concepts or continue letting this person make a fool of herself? Is it worth my efforts? How discreet should I be? LOL!

Thank You
 

Thank you both for pointing out what have been a oversight to me. As an SF, it does help.....and I had already shared and asked what I did wrong :o I totally understand....Thank you for allowing me to share my experience....

lol--I think it depends on what you see in the person and how generous you're feeling today. I'm leery of those whose interest appears to be superficial.

I would say that some are ignorant & need a little guidance on how to express interest. I was one of those, but I also didn't know about gc. There is a lot of useful information in this forum if posters will utilize it.

I try to be generous, really I do. I like this thread. But locking it really would not allow full expression on one's perception of our Sorority... Some people would say "given enough rope..."

To be honest, I really don't care if an interest is superficial. I think that can be appropriately examined. I also think "loose lips sink ships..."

As far as ignorance about expressing interest, I have seen craziness and entire processes have had to shutdown for inappropriate behavior, especially on the internet--especially on Facebook pages and possibly Twitter. This information is of course all on AKA1908.com.

We all falter due to our eagerness prior to an invitation toward membership, but I have seen public correction made by Directorate sorority sisters and expulsions due to that overexuberance, which actually looks like a stalker who would risk all to become members... Let's just say I disagree with anything crying out... I am all about simplicity and respect.

And you are right, plenty of information can be found just by doing a search--specificity is key to that search! And commentary must be refrained.

Here is my generosity:

Do you mean to tell the public that your most impressionable event for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is a Stepshow with the members of Iota Beta Chapter at USC?

So does that mean Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. International Program and community service mean nothing? What about our donations, our global meetings, our leadership and our scholarship? I guess that high scholastic, moral and ethical standards fails to impress you as an event?

Maybe it is a new world, but when I gaze upon the events of my sorority sisters, I see business roundtables, entrepreneurship seminars, how-tos in social media and addressing social determinants for healthcare. I see political think tanks, legislation drives and worldly debates run by the secretary of the UN, for the President of Liberia, and all kinds of US Congresswomen. I see activities of outreach by pastors, reverends and leaders of large congregational churches. But I guess that is not an event you that would impress you enought to state that publicly... :rolleyes:

Do you really think you are not under evaluation?

Here's my direct answer to the original question posed:

I was a senior in high school, but, my first event I attended that opened this world to me was for both Spelman and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The members of the I.C.Y. 64 line picked me up from the ATL airport for the Spelman-High School weekend. I spent the night at one of the member's house. They put me to work to making campaign signs for the Spelman Student Government Association President for one the most prolific members I HAD EVER encountered. She was running for president. It was her speech that impressed me so much so that it made me, this small Southern Californian girl attend Spelman--because I wanted to be just like her!!! That was my true first impression of an event!

It was NOT stepping! NOT a party! And NOT how cute they looked... But their confidence displayed by a speech.

We all have reasons we choose to join, I wish that the superficiality of stepping could be one of them. At least we would have a definition we would be fighting. But seriously, as many chapter meetings members attend, stepping is the least event I would attend that gives me a first impression... But that would be me.

With all due respect, I do know that I am always being evaluated....The post was called for the first event you ever attended, which is what I shared. It is by far not the most memorable or what has had the most impression on me as an interest. But as a 13 yr old, the superficial things are were stuck out the most. Since then I have had other experiences that have aided in the lasting impression your organization has had on me. I do appreciate the guidance that is offered here on this forum and I do my best to follow the guidelines you ladies have set. Again I will say that I do welcome and accept the constructive critism and take it all in stride to do better the next time around. I think I can speak for alot of the SF's on the board when I say that this is all a learning process and as someone who is truly sincere in interest, I do not take any of it personal. Your genorosity is greatly apprecated!!! I do realize you did not have to even respond to my post if you felt it did not warrant a response....

Allow me, sorors ....

Uh, no. The post asked, and I quote, "Tell us about the first Alpha Kappa Alpha event you ever attended", ... NOT the first GREEK letter event you attended. I would imagine a greek step show as being an event with several BGLOs participating, and NOT specifically an Alpha Kappa Alpha event. Am I right about this, sorors? If I'm out of line, let me know, but I think the title of the post was pretty clear.

Yes this is true, however I was told that it was the organization who sponsored the event. Again I can do nothing but apologize for whatever mistakes you ladies felt I have made and do what is needed to make the necessary corrections. Which is what I intend to do....I do like reading the forums and posting and hope to not cause issues in the future...

I am sorry, but lol.

Keep it humble 1981. Not everything requires a response.

Wow! You all are sincerely nice to assist this young lady in her quest... I mean really is it wise to say anything?

Thank you for your kindness!

Hello all, I am a SF.

My first event I attended was a Women's Entrepreneurship event, in which female minority business owners talked about there struggle and eventually success in owning their own business. It was empowering and eye opening.

I am a SF, and my first event (actually this year) that I attended was the Epsilon Zeta chapter Roadside Clean up... Lord it was HOT... and we had on these neon orange vests, that were either too big or too small! It was so fun though! I had a great time bonding/laughing/talking with all the ladies who showed up. It was a great way to kick off the semester as a transfer student!

Just because. ;) lol

SMH. :)

Every time I thought of a response for this, I would remember something even further back. I think I had interactions here and there and may not have been aware of it until I read this question. Funny how those things stick with us.

The earliest I can really be sure was an Alpha Kappa Alpha event (and not just something there were members present) was some kind of food drive, I think. I recall putting food in a bag at a church with either my grandmother or mother, when I was maybe six.

Man, I need to call grandma and take a walk down memory lane. :)

Exactly! And I think it was when you declared your interest. I mean being born into a major family of sorority sisters is one thing, but what event made you really want to become a member? Just asking? I have several... But that's me.

I'm a sisterfriend, but the first time I was introduced to greek life was a few years back. My daughter is a Girl Scout and they attended a tea party at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL (I believe that's the right university). It was a very nice event. I think it was very special thing for the sorority to do and I will always be thankful for them for taking black young ladies (as young as 7 yrs. old) under their wings and showing them something new and different. I never had anyone to show me things like that when I was younger, But before that I always thought you had to go to BIG well know colleges or university.