Alpha Phi Alpha starts community service project

hoosier · #1 09-12-2002, 12:15 PM

Fraternity, Church's partners in growth
Alpha Phi Alpha joins with a fast-food chain in an effort to spark black enterprise and revitalize neglected neighborhoods
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Andrea K. Walker
Sun Staff
Originally published September 11, 2002

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the country's oldest black fraternity, has entered into a $30 million deal with Church's Chicken to acquire franchises in inner city neighborhoods and create a new pool of African-American business owners.

The Baltimore-based fraternity will acquire at least one franchise and help its members buy 49 others over the next five years. The agreement is part of an initiative by the fraternity to develop neglected neighborhoods and open the door to business opportunities for minorities.

"We [African-Americans] don't own many franchises now because of roadblocks," said Alpha General President Harry E. Johnson Sr. "We're trying to erase some of those roadblocks."

The deal is the first business venture for the fraternity, which recently created a separate foundation for economic development projects.

Although the fraternity and its members expect to eventually run franchises in 17 cities around the country, Johnson said he hopes to open the first in the Baltimore or Washington area in the next nine months.

librasoul22 · #2 09-12-2002, 01:30 PM

This was a good article and a nice gesture on your part...but the subject line? A little tasteless.

Would you want someone to call your org "the chicken org"?

hoosier · #3 09-12-2002, 01:37 PM

A juicy headline sucks in a lot of readers.

No one would look at "APA starts community service project"

Steeltrap · #4 09-12-2002, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hoosier
A juicy headline sucks in a lot of readers.

No one would look at "APA starts community service project"

I'm a journalist with 13 years experience, as well as a member of a GLO. Trust me, the people who visit the forum where this was originally posted would pay attention to APA starts community service as a headline.

librasoul22 · #5 09-12-2002, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hoosier
A juicy headline sucks

I agree, I truly do.

Really though, a juicy headline is one thing, but it is quite another to seemingly disparage an organization's name. Again, insert your org into that headline...it just isn't the best choice of words.

FeeFee · #6 09-12-2002, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Steeltrap

I'm a journalist with 13 years experience, as well as a member of a GLO. Trust me, the people who come to this forum would pay attention to APA starts community service as a headline.

Amen to that 'cause I would seriously pay attention to a community service headline!
I highly doubt if APA would like to be referred to as "the chicken fraternity"

Richard(SNU) · #7 09-12-2002, 02:35 PM

lovelyivy84 · #8 09-12-2002, 02:46 PM

This thread seriously needs to be renamed.

Not at ALL cool.

Reds6 · #9 09-12-2002, 02:56 PM

Do you really expect anything different on here?

Quote:

Originally posted by lovelyivy84
This thread seriously needs to be renamed.

Not at ALL cool.

prayerfull · #10 09-12-2002, 02:56 PM

Uh...Hoosier....

You are COMPLETELY OUT OF LINE! And I suspect that you knew you were disrespecting Alpha Phi Alpha when you posted that subject line!

The topic is being discussed in its appropriate location - the Alpha Phi Alpha forum here on GC. Please go to that thread to continue the discussion.

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...threadid=21962

amycat412 · #11 09-12-2002, 03:17 PM

Title of thread has been updated to be more tasteful (no chicken pun intended,lol).

violets · #12 09-12-2002, 03:25 PM

Hoosier,
I have to agree that "chicken fraternity" title belittles the achievement of The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
I didn't read this thread because of it's "juicy" language but because I was disturbed by the headline.
What Alpha Phi Alpha is doing is nothing short of groundbreaking, truly. As someone who has worked in corporate America for over a decade now, I can only just imagine the monumental amount of work that Alpha Phi Alpha undertook to establish this deal with Church's. We should all be taken aback at how they are living their founding principles. In addition, they seem to be proceeding with enormous humility, I have to say that if my organization undertook and was successful with this type of effort, you wouldn't be able to stop me from screaming about it from every platform available.
The men of Alpha Phi Alpha truly deserve all the accolades that come their way.
violets

violets · #13 09-12-2002, 03:28 PM

Hoosier,
Thank you for changing the title!
violets

DeltaSigStan · #14 09-12-2002, 03:40 PM

Just as a side note, the Eta Sigma (San Diego Metro) chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha put on a step show last week. First step show I've ever been to, and although they are a small part of NPHC operations, I just wanted to say that was one of the tightest things I've seen as a Greek.

Richard(SNU) · #15 09-12-2002, 04:04 PM

I was fortunate enough to see Spike Lee's movie "School Daze" back
when I was still in college and I still think it's the best movie
about Greek Life anyone's ever made, and a real eye-opener to people
who are unfamiliar with the culture and traditions of NPHC orgs.

It's available on DVD and shouldn't be too hard to find as a rental.
And yes it has a really cool scene at a step competition.