******This blog is a result of much thought and MANY conversations with my Sorors, Collegues, and Friends.******
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc was founded 100 years, one month, two weeks and six days ago. In that time 200,000 women have joined her ranks and left their marks in the sands of time. Women like Soror Rosa Parks, Soror Coretta Scott King, Soror Donda West, Soror Maya Angelou, Soror Mae Jemison, Soror Eleanor Roosevelt, Soror Marva Collins, Soror Leah Tutu, Soror Catherine Hughes and of course, our Guiding Light, Soror Ethel Hedgeman Lyle.
We are a rich sisterhood of women who have made impact all over the globe since our birth on the human condition. But what about now? Are we still the organization that sets the standard, or have we been reduced to following it? Are we still the sisterhood that consistantly draws the best, brightest and most influential women in the world, or have we been reduced to an organization reduced to just being "pretty girls" with arrogant demeanors and snobbish attitudes? Are we still the community known to lift our sisters up and strengthen one another via our compassion and determination to make a difference no matter what it is, or are we now reduced to being the club of women who lack dedication, pride and the compassion to be sisters who are of Service to ALL mankind, but only a chosen few?
In my opinion, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc is one of the finest organizations to ever grace this planet. The potentiality to influence change and to mold women of standard who will continue to grace our history book in the next 100 years is exponential......should we take the chance to do the work, NOW! What work you ask.....well....the work which is usually the hardest to do; that which requires us to look long, hard and DEEP within OURSELVES and make an OPEN and HONEST inventory or what is there (and what isn't), evaluate the truths of what we find, make a plan to positively effect those truths and most importantly, PUT THEM INTO ACTION!
Now the all important question....What ARE those truths. In all honesty, they are SELF evident, and they in some ways may even be a matter of opinion, but overall...are they really? When we take the time to remove ourselves and look with the eyes of those who have been the observers and mental historians of our journey and the changes that time has brought to it, we then and only then may have the chance to see what is really there. While there are those of us who are devoted to our Illustrious Sisterhood and to BEING the tools through which her purposes breathe, we have to look readily at the impact that WE are making vs the impact that those of us who are desirous of membership in her house because they want to be able to participate in a "party stroll" or send out a "Skee-Wee"; because they want to be able to wear a T-Shirt and a "line-jacket".
In the eye of the world...who is seen more? Well my sorors, I think that it is time to face the unfortunate truth, which is, that the "sorors" who perpetuate the stereotypes and who only particpate in our ranks to say that they belong, the ones who only participate in public events of notoriety, BUT not in community service projects, those who are quick to recommend their friends for membership, but NOT set the standard by being demonstrative of what an Alpha Kappa Alpha woman REALLY is; those who are QUICK to complain, but have not paid dues since they were taken from the fees originally paid for membership; those who walk around looking pretty in OUR pink and gorgeous in OUR green. And now....during the course of the observation of our centennial year, we MUST do some inward reflection if we indeed desire that we live for yet another centennial.
Individually and collectively we must be willing and equipped with the tools needed to ask ourselves and one another the HARD questions and then deliver the honest and often HARD TRUTHS that need to go along with those answers. It is honestly time for our sisterhood and others like her to implement the attitude that we must do what is needed to ensure that our membership(s), our involvements, our projects, our attitudes and processes are about QUALITY rather than the wasted and underlying emptiness of quantity!
Do I have the answer, unfortunately....NO.....I don't; however, I am determined to be a contributor to the solution that needs to be effected in order for us to continue to grow in the cohesiveness that our founding mothers intended for us to exist in. I am of the very STRONG opinion that if we are unwilling to stand and fight for our membership body to be made up more of those who carry her purpose in her heart and mind and the dutty of fulfillment in the ACTIVE palms of her hands....through every fault built and bred in the course inaction, we slowly...but most CERTAINLY, surely dig the grave in which our beautiful sisterhood will be tossed aside, buried and forgotten.
It is time out for taking in members who are merely decorations, designers of great jackets and mere perfectionists at "Skee Wee-ing", It is time to become what we have always been meant to be....The SETTERS of the STANDARD!
So, my dear Sorors and candidates......what will it be?
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BEAUTIFUL AND INTELLIGENT~~~~~~~~~~~
9 comments:
Dr. Blackmon,
I must say you always seem to amaze me with your words of wisdom. I feel that this post speaks nothing but the truth as to how much committment one should be ready and willing to give when seeking membership into such an illustrious organization, not only in seeking membership but in life as well. In order to become outstanding and successful individuals in life one must set their standards high for themselves and expect nothing less from themselves or others as well.
Seeking the truth and nothing less,
Carrie
Dr. Blackmon,
This was an excellent post and it makes me think of people who join organiztions just to say that they belong. I think people should think long and hard at what they want to belong to and do the work to keep up the organization.
Dr. Blackmon:
I am at work like wow! This is awesome. It exemplifies what expectations are expected and anticipated. As people become members of other organizations and want to hold office (potentially), it becomes overwhelming and something falls by the wayside. Individuals should really decide what level they would want and would need to be involved to be a productive and working member.
Dr. Blackmon,
This entry is very beautiful and inspiring. It urges us as not only human beings but women to take the time to move forward and do the work to become the best that we can be and provide the best service to our communities as well as the world. I believe it is a wake up call to all who aspire to gain membership into the beauty that is Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and also those who are currently members of many other service organizations whose cause is to make this world a better place than it was the day before. We can't even expect the beauty and strength that lies within us and the organizations we belong to or aspire to belong to be seen if we are not willing to do the work to be the best in life. Thanks for this post Dr. Blackmon.
Dr. Blackmon,
Your post calls all of us, both members and non-members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. to evaluate ourselves and realize what it means to be an Alpha Kappa Alpha woman. It is time to remember the illustrious sorority's original purpose and work towards fulfilling it. Thank you for your words
Dr. Blackmon,
I have had the same thoughts about people and their motives for being a part of organizations that I have been involved with over the years. Some join for the prestige, or for what being a member can do for them. When that happens, the whole organization begins to suffer. When joining an organization, and in life in general, make sure you have a positive influence.
Dr. Blackmon,
This post was amazing. You hit the nail on the head. My reasons for aspiraring membership is to give something back to our communities and make a difference. So it upsets me to see people join just so they can hold up the sign, where the colors/letters, or to just be a part of something. I think it is time for women to think long and hard about why they want to be apart of any organization, because you want to be the link that upholds the organization not bring it down.
Ladies please be aware that this "Dr. Blackmon" is NOT a member of AKA. This is an individual who is perpetrating as a member of AKA. She has been a member of a private AKA group, that she suddenly disappeared from. I inquired about her online club Sisterfriends: A Quest to Continue a Legacy of Greatness. Upon my first email she responded promptly providing an overview of the group. I replied asking her information about where she was initiated. She NEVER responded. What is her first name and why does she only refer to herself as Dr. Blackmon? She has never indicated where she obtained her degrees from. She has never stated where she resides. She has never stated what year or what chapter she was initiated in Alpha Kappa Alpha. Several Sorors have viewed her MySpace page (which is now the deleted) and she stated that she has two daughters. She never mentioned having any sons, and she said to have had two sons that had passed away. This may sound unbelievable and is a SERIOUS allegation but it appears that she may have not been honest about one or both of her sons passing away. She stated that her daughter recently became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha last year. However according to her MySpace page she indicated that she has two younger daughters. In addition she did not indicate any information about her daughters initiation (i.e. school, chapter). Is she a member of a graduate chapter now? Is she a general or inactive member? Here is what another Sisterfriend had to say about Dr. Blackmon:
"There is no record of a female Blackmon licensed to practice medicine in the state of Georgia. This is one of the inconsistencies the other sisterfriends pointed out to me. The second obvious lie is that she attend last years Boule. How is that possible when she has stated in her yahoo groups that her son died around the time of last years Boule. Then there were some sisterfriends that were trying to join a undergraduate chapter in New York that said she was helping them but when the time came for her to deliver on what she had promised them she had another death in her family. How many children and aunts have died in one years time? She posted something about her daughter in the yahoo group and she had her name up there but that post disappeared today. I get the messages delivered to my inbox though and I will give you the name if I find it.
There was also a time when she said she went to Belize with her husband but was on conference calls with other aspirants who she didnt tell the Belize story to.
Like you I want to get to the bottom of this. I know many of my fellow sisterfriends have purchased greek items for her from her wish list. If she is a fake I am sure everyone would want to know.
Wow i heard about this to and was watching several of "her" YouTube videos
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