The City of South Fulton Professional Pearls Interest Group became the Alpha Beta Omega Omega chapter on June 11 at the Hilton Atlanta Airport in #SoFu in Hapeville. Celebration was in the air! The community was excited to be a part of the day when the first chapter this year was chartered in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s South Atlantic region.
Thirty-two charter members stand united and ready to “Soar to Greater Heights of Service and Sisterhood” in the City of South Fulton. The chartering is historic as they are the first National Pan-Hellenic Council Sorority chapter chartered in the City of South Fulton, Georgia. They look forward to collaborating with civic organizations in their service area and the greater Atlanta area respectively. The celebration luncheon boasted an audience of about 400 attendees.
In the Spring of 2020, Catherine Rowell and Trina Nkhazi began researching the idea of establishing a chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, that would have a service area footprint aligned with the boundaries of the City of South Fulton, Georgia.
Recognizing the magnitude of the road ahead, seven Alpha Kappa Alpha women were asked to join the official interest group resulting in 32 potential Charter Members committed to undertaking the work to become a chapter in The City of South Fulton.
The group has served diligently at many community events including the Divine Nine 5K/9K, Fill Your Bag Fill Your Mind, Lion’s Foundation Eyeglasses Drive, Soles4Souls shoe drives, combating childhood hunger, chemo clothing drive, Enhancing our environment and conserving natural resources by taking the Bottles for Britta challenge, and the beautification of Sandtown Park.
Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Board of Directors approved the City of South Fulton Professional Pearls application to charter on February 17, 2023 and the official ceremony was held on June 11, 2023.
Quotes from Visionaries and Chapter President
“I thought it fitting to establish a chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated because of its proven track record of community service. I knew our presence and community service would be impactful now, and in the future, for the 108,000 residents who live, work, play and worship here,” said Dr. Catherine Foster Rowell – Visionary and Group Organizer
According to Trina Nkhazi , Visionary and Group Organizer, there was a “definite need for AKA sisters in the community to connect and serve.” She went on to add that her “continued prayer is for all our hearts to gel and to make us a sisterhood to be looked upon as a Godly model of service to all mankind and to do so with love in our hearts.”
“As a 45-year Life member of the sorority, I have always served in the city/ community where I lived. I was so very excited to learn that an interest group was forming in the hopes of establishing a chapter in the City of South Fulton. GA. I could not be prouder to be a member of the 32 Charter members, moreover of being president of Alpha Beta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Sorority, Incorporated®️, lovingly known as the COSF AKAs. I will be eternally grateful for our visionary organizers - Councilwoman Dr. Catherine Rowell and Mrs. Trina Tolliver Nkhazi - without whom this would never have been realized.” -- Ruth ‘Peni’ Webster-Lewis - President
Chartering Members
LaToya KaVon Arnold, Shan'tell Boyce, Teresa Laverne Carter, Jaci Z. Edwards, Anjanette Fountain, Miranda Freeman, Sojourner Marable Grimmett, Carmalitha Gumbs, Anissa Hackett, Sandra Hall-Lay, Kenya Johnson, Felicia Key, Shelbia King, Monica Nelson Manning, Angela Miller, Nichelle Miller, Andrea Morgan, Trina Tolliver Nkhazi, Penny Brown Reynolds, Catherine Foster Rowell, Tiffany Carter Sellers, Malaika Marable Serrano, Jaclyn Beamer Showell, Chata Spikes, Tara Surratt, Deidre Thomas, Ericka Jones Thompson, Tuesday Henry Thompson, Franchesca Warren, Ruth ‘Peni’ Webster-Lewis, Lanita Williams, and Nikema Williams