Alpha Kappa Alpha, the nation’s first Black sorority, has a new chapter in southern Gwinnett County.
The Alpha Alpha Pi Omega chapter, composed of 71 college-educated women, received its official charter from the sorority in March. The chapter will provide community outreach and service to the Grayson, Loganville and Snellville areas as the 16th chapter in metro Atlanta.
“The organization itself means to me a place for sisterhood and service,” said Adelma Stanford Brown, president of the chapter and 27-year member of the sorority. “It has provided me the opportunity to serve a community where I live, work and play, as well as grow a bond with sisters I wouldn’t normally have.”
To become a chartered chapter, Brown and other members formed an interest group called The Ivy League of South Gwinnett in 2019. They had to show their dedication to launching a local sorority chapter, Brown said, volunteering more than 3,200 hours over the past two years to help the “underserved.”
The sorority chapter promotes historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and higher education in general by raising money for scholarships, said Chaundra Luckett, publicity committee co-chair.
Members have helped 29 area students get enrolled in a college of their choice through the chapter’s College Admissions Program, Brown said. The program mentors high school students through the college application process, coaching them through writing essays and taking standardized tests.
The chapter also partners with local organizations, like Helping Mamas and Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op, to help promote women’s health and combat issues such as food insecurity.
Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded at Howard University in 1908. The sorority today has more than 300,000 members and thousands of local chapters, including ones in Lawrenceville and Peachtree Corners. It focuses on post-graduate endeavors unlike traditional sororities, with women from colleges across the nation joining by invitation.
Notable members of the Alpha Alpha Pi Omega chapter include Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner Tiffany P. Porter and Superior Court Judge Tadia Whitner. Vice President Kamala Harris is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
“We hope we can leave a legacy after we’re long and gone for it to continue for young girls to have someone to look up to and something they can ultimately carry on themselves,” Brown said.
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