Council of Presidents of the D9
 

A Pronouncement from
The Council of Presidents of the Nine (9) International Black
Greek-Lettered Organizations Reaffirming Their Support for Programs
Designed To Ease the Plight of the African-American Male


WHEREAS, the African-American male is unequivocally under severe,
persistent attack; and

WHEREAS, the African-American male is most at risk from attack on his
physical, emotional, mental, educational, or financial health; and

WHEREAS, the Council of Presidents of the National Pan-Hellenic Council
(NPHC) and their respective organizations, recognize that they are
situated to support the African-American male and that the fraternity
members of the NPHC â?? Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi,
Phi Beta Sigma, and Iota Phi Theta â?? are, in fact, uniquely situated
to have a positive impact on the African-American male; and

WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha positively impacts the African-American male
through a number of programs, including its Alpha Head Start program â??
which fosters various initiatives which intervene in the lives of
African-American fathers by increasing their parenting and relationship
skills in order to remedy negative social factors with the goal of
enhancing the ability of African-American families to remain strong and
overcome negative social consequences; and,

WHEREAS, Kappa Alpha Psi positively impacts the African-American male
through a number of programs â?? including Kappa League (where male high
school students are trained for academic, social and community
leadership), Kamp Kappa (a free weeklong summer leadership camp for
40-50 at risk Washington, D.C. area youth), Kappa Kamp (a two week
national summer enrichment camp held at the Piney Woods School for youth
focusing on academic, social, leadership and physical fitness skills),
the Achievement Academy (a mentoring program pairing alumni and
undergraduate Kappas to assist the undergraduates in succeeding in
graduate and professional school) and a partnership with the A-MAN
program (a science and technology mentoring program for African-American
and other minority students); and,

WHEREAS, Omega Psi Phi positively impacts the African-American male
through a number of programs â?? including an initiative in
collaboration with Florida State Senator Tony Hill, an Omega, and the
Black Male Explorers program (a program held at a number of Florida
colleges and universities which is directed at increasing the graduation
rates of African-American males in high school by pairing them with
African-American male college students who serve as mentors to, and are
role models for these at-risk youth); and,

WHEREAS, Phi Beta Sigma positively impacts the African-American male
through a number of programs â?? including The Sigma Beta Club (an
affiliate group for teen males ages 12 to 18 which focuses on the
academic, athletic and cultural development of young leaders), the
Sigmas against Teen-age Pregnancy Plus Program (a partnership with the
March of Dimes that provides tools for teenagers to make smart choices
regarding healthy lifestyles), and Project SWWAC â?? Sigmas Waging War
Against Cancer (a partnership with the American Cancer Society focusing
on influencing behavior and lifestyle changes in the African-American
community regarding diet, nutrition and tobacco consumption to reduce
the incidence rate of prostate, lung and colorectoral cancer in
African-American males); and,

WHEREAS, Iota Phi Theta positively impacts the African-American male
through a number of programs â?? including its IOTA Youth Alliance
(which is the national umbrella organization that assists individual
chapters in working with existing groups, or creating new organizations
to address the needs of African-American youth â?? such as the
Washington, D.C.-based African-American Male Educational Network which
provides mentors for males ages 8 to 13 to foster and enhance their
academic, social and leadership skills.)

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of Presidents does hereby
commit to continue to encourage the leadership of our respective
fraternity organizations to require their organizations and membership
to actively develop, implement, and support programs designed to ease
the plight of the African American male and help him live, grow, succeed
and achieve and to, where appropriate, work together nationally,
regionally and locally to accomplish this goal; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of Presidents does hereby
commit to continue to encourage the leadership of our respective
sorority organizations to exhort their membership and leadership to
support and assist in these worthy endeavors nationally, regionally, and
locally where reasonable and appropriate; and,

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Council of Presidents does hereby
steadfastly commit to continue to support the programs of our respective
organizations, and otherwise, which positively impact the
African-American male and ease his plight.

Duly authorized for the Council of Presidents and the five (5) Black
Greek-Lettered Fraternities: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Darryl
R. Matthews, Sr.-General President; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.,
Samuel C. Hamilton-Grand Polemarch; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.,
George H. Grace-Grand Basileus; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Paul L.
Griffith, Jr., International President; and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity,
Inc., Larry D. Frasier, Grand Polaris, on this Thirteenth Day of June in
the Year of Lord Two Thousand and Six.


Samuel C. Hamilton, Chairman
Council of Presidents