By: MADISON MCCARTHY/ SPORTS CO-EDITOR
Established in 1908 on the Howard University campus, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority is one of the first Greek-letter organizations established by African-American women. The organization is made up of over 325,000 members in all fifty states and twelve countries.
The organization’s mission statement is “to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to be of ‘Service to All Mankind.’”
Seawanhaka sat down with some of the sisters of AKA’s LIU chapter, Alpha Mu.
The second vice president of Alpha Mu, Camille Watson, a senior from Toronto, Canada, joined the sorority because she felt that their mission resonated with her.
“As I did my own research on the organization as well as the chapter, I learned to love what Alpha Mu had to offer and what the women of the organization embodied,” she said.
In similar fashion, Ayanna Khadijah II, a senior from Boston who is Alpha Mu’s treasurer, joined the sorority to be surrounded by ambitious Black women who hold themselves to the highest standards.
“My favorite part of being a member of this organization is that I have been able to meet women who I would have never encountered before, and be able to call them my sister. The bonds that I have built will last a lifetime with the mutual understanding that we are all here to support and uplift one another. If any one of us needs help at any point in time, there is always a sister who is able to do so,” Khadija II explained.
“For the president of the chapter, Yasmeen Walker, a junior from Baltimore, it was also the organization’s mission as well as their purpose that brought her to Alpha Kappa Alpha.
“I believe that my purpose, personal goals and beliefs are a match with the organization’s, which includes cultivating and encouraging high scholastic and ethical standards, promoting unity and friendship amongst college women, studying and helping alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature, maintaining a progressive interest in college life and to be of service to all mankind, “ she said.
“Given the climate of today’s society and the pressures amongst African-American women in particular; it is most important to me to strive for educational excellence and to maintain a positive image in all areas of my life,” Walker added.
Others have a more personal reason for joining Alpha Kappa Alpha.
“A woman in my life who I share parallel life experiences with was an AKA. I had discovered my organization on my own but after learning that she was a member, I knew that this was the sisterhood I wanted to be a member of, “ said Aaliyah Antrobus, a junior from Campden Park, St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
For many of the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, giving back to the community is at the heart of the organization.
Cameryn Lindsay from Englewood, NJ who is a part of the class of 2025, explained that she joined to become a part of a sisterhood of like minded women and to engage in service.
“I wanted to be a part of the first black Greek sorority to form everlasting relationships with women and to serve the community working to accomplish work that will make a positive impact on the lives of others,” Lindsay said.
Serving the community was also what brought Ylé Blackburn, a junior majoring in psychology and digital art, to the sorority.
“I joined Alpha Kappa Alpha because I deeply valued the community service work and principles the organization was committed to and I wanted to be a part of the wider mission,” Blackburn explained.
Khadija II, who has been a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha since her sophomore year, is excited for where the LIU chapter is heading.
“I joined the organization my sophomore year at LIU and have watched the presence of Greek Life grow on campus each year with AKA being at the forefront of involvement.”