Think Alpha Phi Alpha, Talk Alpha Phi Alpha, Promote Alpha Phi Alpha
By: Bro. Andre Mitchell
Introduction
“Think Alpha Phi Alpha, Talk Alpha Phi Alpha, Promote Alpha Phi Alpha and labor for the broad principles of idealism for which Alpha Phi Alpha was created so that humanity shall look on us as a body worthwhile”. These words from Brother Henry Lake Dickason, our 5th General President continue to resonate and give context to why Eta Sigma Chapter is important to our work in the community. Our organization cannot sustain itself without College Brothers, the lifeblood of our dear Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. This is an appeal for all Brothers to contribute through their time, treasure, and talents towards reactivating and expanding Eta Sigma Chapter.
A Legacy of Excellence
Eta Sigma Chapter, our 370th house, was founded on the campus of the University of California San Diego on September 9, 1972. It has a legacy of leadership with ASU presidents, Black Student Union presidents, Vice Presidents, and NPHC Presidents. It boasts a legacy of community service with their voteless people is a hopeless people programs, their contributions to the MLK Parade, Feeding the homeless at St. Vincent DePaul, their involvement in Big Brother and Big Sister through Monte Vista High School, and Habitat for Humanity. It served the community’s soul through its Gospel Extravaganza, which funded their annual Barron McCall Scholarship Award. It expanded the community’s knowledge through its AIDS Awareness programs. And it acknowledged the San Diego Black Community through its Tribute to a Black Woman, and Mrs Black and Gold Scholarship Pageants. Eta Sigma Chapter won the Western Region’s Outstanding College Chapter of the Year in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, and 2000. It won the Western Region’s Brother of the Year multiple times, it won the Oratorical Contest in 1993 and even had February 17th proclaimed “Eta Sigma Day”. This has been missing for over a decade as this chapter has been inactive. Brothers, it's time to expand an essential piece of our Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated’s impact by reactivating this college chapter in the San Diego area.
A Call to Action
Brothers are needed to make this reactivation successful and sustainable. Success isn’t defined by initiating new Brothers into the house of Alpha, but by mentoring, collaborating, serving, financing, ideating, and training these Brothers to be self-sustainable. Partnering with Eta Sigma Chapter will help us reach more people in this community. Collaboration is a key element in the reactivation process of the Eta Sigma chapter. It is essential for brothers to work together in order to achieve our common goal of reactivating the chapter and ensuring its long-term success. The role of collaboration in the reactivation process is to bring together brothers’ time, talent, and treasure to achieve our shared mission statement. This effort started four years ago with Brother Reginald Marbray’s first words on the stage at San Diego State University’s Meet The Greeks. Through follow-up, relationship building, promotion, and work, we are now approved to reactivate Eta Sigma at UCSD, SDSU, CSU San Marcos, and USD. Brothers of Zeta Sigma Lambda Chapter are responsible for each step towards reactivation including but not limited to: Risk Management certification, IMDP certification, creation of a five-year operation plan, financial support for five years, continued mentorship, development, and service with our soon-to-be College Brothers. Think Alpha Phi Alpha, Talk Alpha Phi Alpha, Promote Alpha Phi Alpha.
