Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., which on March 30 was named the most popular fraternity in America for having “more active college chapters than any other by Time.com, Southwestern Region will convene for its 69th meeting April 9-12 at the InterContinental Dallas in Addison. The convention’s theme is “Alpha Impact: Year Two – Impacting Our Community” highlighting two community service projects. The April 9th Public Program and April 11 health fair, both free and open to the public, will address community health. The convention will open with a Habitat for Humanity build April 9.
According to reports, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Dallas County and the condition disproportionately affects people of color. The “Passport to Health” community health fair–9 a.m.-12 p.m.–will offer public education and services including heart healthy cooking demonstrations, stroke prevention tips, and heart education designed for people of color. The event is in partnership with the American Heart Association. There will also be diabetes, cholesterol, and cancer screenings, a blood drive by Carter BloodCare, CPR training, and an on-site fitness evaluation in addition to other services. A full list of services is available at AlphaSouthwest.org.
Preceding the health fair will be the Public Program, 7 p.m. April 9. Family physician, LeCresha Peters, M.D., will serve as the keynote speaker as well as a counselor at Saturday’s health fair. The program’s theme is “Black Lives Matter: Addressing the Issue of Health and Healthcare Disparities in the African American Community”.
On April 9, members of the fraternity will participate in a Habitat for Humanity build at Oak Cliff Gardens 1-3 p.m. College and alumni members from Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma will participate in the project.
Other events open to the public are as follows:
April 10: Career Fair, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Job seekers from the area are invited to view employment opportunities from companies and organizations. The event is free.
April 10: Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant, 8 p.m.
The pageant will feature women from around the region, competing for a scholarship.
April 10: Step Show and After Party, 10 p.m.
Alpha Phi Alpha “step” teams who won their respective district competitions in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma will compete to represent the Southwestern Region at the fraternity’s national conference in Charlotte in August.
April 11: College Brothers Leadership Luncheon, 12:30 p.m.
The luncheon will feature awards and honors for college fraternity members.
April 11: Alpha Casino Night, 7 p.m.
Themed “Harlem Nights”, the event is a fundraiser for Alpha Merit Group, a mentoring program that has existed for more than 50 years. The mentoring program is a project of the host chapter, Alpha Sigma Lambda.
This year, the fraternity expects at least 1,000 brothers and guests in attendance. More information about the convention’s public events is available at AlphaSouthwest.org.
