Minority members, Majority Impact: the Pearly Awards presented by Majority Greek Magazine
The Divine 9 is a collective of the Predominantly and Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities who have, are, and are committed to making a positive impact across multiple areas professionally and civically. Eight of the 9 organizations have a 100 year or more lineage of leadership and service (including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (who just celebrated their 111th Founders' Day), Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and the newest member of the "Century Club", Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.), and with nearly 60 years of contributing to the greater good, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. is next up (founded in 1963) adds to the ongoing, ever-evolving, and living legacies left in the community and beyond.
As impressive as their individual and collective efforts are, there's a need to continue to amplify their narratives, including those of individual members who through the lenses of their respective organizations, leave a positive footprint across the aforementioned areas of life and society. On December 10th (2022), the Divine 9 community and greater community has an opportunity to meet, greet, connect, celebrate, be inspired, and empowered in a formal affair at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center/Blue Planet Room (in Buford, GA).
Presented by Majority Greek Magazine, the inaugural Pearly Awards provides a mature and festive affair to positively engage members within and across their respective organizations, but for the greater community to do so. In our conversation with founder and publisher Antoine Duane Jones (who is a 23-year member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. via Fayetteville State University), under the magazine's underlying theme and premise of "Minority members, Majority Impact", he details not only the magazine's exceptional work, but the focus of the event (the full conversation is provided here):
Complimented with the red carpet entry at 6pm EST and a start time of 7pm EST, the event is hosted by actress/comedienne Coco Brown along with featuring nearly 20 members of the Divine 9 recognized for their service, leadership, and related efforts. As if the nominees for each organization (Member of the Year), and Blazing Pearls (up-and-comers within their organizations), the featured honorees of the Lifetime Pearl Awards include media presence Rashan Ali (a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.), arts and entertainment trailblazer Syleena Johnson (a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.), and faith community leader Dr. Jamal H. Bryant (a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.) only add showing what all members are doing, along with the realization to continue being a presence in any space and place in our community and society.
With larger plans including (but not limited to) conducting similar events in other cities, along with a longer-term goal of providing scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors and students in college, it's more than just a celebration of the work taking place. It's more of a constructive and festive "launch point" where all can add to making a difference in developing future leaders in the public and private sector.
Tickets are still available (general admission for the formal affair is $50 per person) via the magazine's website and clicking on the menu for the Pearly Awards (click HERE for more details). There are other engagement opportunities, including a call for coverage from additional media outlets (the contact email is info.majoritygreek@gmail.com).
It's about sharing the stories of impact of the Divine 9 and its individual members.
It's about engaging within the Divine 9 and greater community in a festive, mature, and enriching environment.
It's about seed-planting for the future.
It's about Minority members, Majority Impact.
Notes: All images are courtesy of Majority Greek Magazine (click HERE to visit their website for tickets along with their social media info).
The first photo grid features the Lifetime Pearl Award nominees (Rashan Ali, Syleena Johnson, and Dr. Jamal H. Bryant) and the second photo grid features nominees and awardees for the event.
