Strengthen their sisterhood, empower their families, build their economic wealth, enhance their environment, uplift their community and advocate for social justice. Those are the initiatives that members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority INC. embody in their week-long programming, otherwise referred to as SkeeWeek.
The name SkeeWeek is derived from the phrase “SkeeWee,” a greeting specific to the organization.
“It’s a symbol for our sorority specifically,” said Tamya Edwards, a junior studying political science and an AKA member. “Each D9, they all have their own symbol that represents them when you hear it.”
D9 refers to the Divine Nine, the historically Black sororities and fraternities that comprise the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
AKA began this year’s SkeeWeek with the theme of the “Phirst Renaissance,” paying homage to Beyoncé. Vice President Darian Andrews, a senior studying psychology, said they decided on the theme because of their love for the singer.
“We all love the album and Beyoncè, her tours, and we thought it would be a great idea,” she said.
Sunday, Sept. 17, they began the program by cleaning up their designated section of U.S. 33. They followed the rest of the week with a Pink Table talk, a financial aid seminar and a dance class. They completed SkeeWeek the following weekend with a volleyball tournament to promote voter registration.
Edwards helped host the Pink Table talk where they discussed certain social justice issues on campus. Edwards said they were going to focus on Senate Bill 83 because, “That’s going to affect minorities on campus a lot.” The Ohio Senate Bill 83 seeks to dissolve mandatory diversity, inclusion and equity training across all universities statewide.
At the Pink Table talk, they also shared their experience as a minority at a predominantly white institute.
“I think, especially with our SkeeWeek, being able to host events that help others educate themselves, and not only themselves (because) I get educated as well,” said Edwards.
To encourage voter registration the sorority not only had the volleyball tournament but also bounce houses, food and drinks.
“I think for this year, especially what’s coming up in November, our organization and AKA as a whole just want to get people out there and register to vote, and so we wanted to make it one of our main focuses this year,” said AKA President Naima Miller, a senior studying pre-law business and marketing.
Coinciding with the daily SkeeWeek affairs, AKA also held a donation drive to collect hygiene products and bookbags for the Athens County Reentry program.
“The Athens Reentry Program is a program that focuses on helping people who were recently imprisoned restart life,” said Edwards. “I think that really shows that community service side and I’m really excited that we’re going to be donating.”
Fundamentally, AKA is about supporting each other and advocating for their values.
“I feel like because I'm so passionate about (the initiative), being able to give my voice and opinion on it is really great,” said Edwards. “Overall, just the sisterhood. I see those girls every single day, and I just love seeing them. Myself and everyone else can continue to work to change and create a more positive aspect on just Black sorority and fraternity life.”
For Andrews, the draw is the same.
“Just knowing you’ll be a part of a lifetime commitment full of fun and community service, all these other very important things,” she said. “It’s really a dream.”
AKA will continue to uphold its sorority’s legacy and epitomize its six initiatives.
“It's just being a part of something bigger than yourself,” Miller said. “Every single day, if I wear my letters or not, I just feel this weight to do well. It's that long history of people who have come before me. I'm just proud to be able to say I can be a part of that.”
