Eyewitness News is celebrating Black History Month by uncovering unsung stories across western New York tonight we are talking about philanthropies roll in black history for hundreds of years historically black fraternities and sororities have made service a way of life 7 Eyewitness News reporter Taylor Apps spoke with nine local organizations
About their contributions to the community nine organizations one common goal we’re here to make sure that we all make it to the next level together known as the divine nine historically black fraternities and sororities are making a difference here in western New York we provide over the last couple of years
Over twenty thousand dollars to high school graduates we adopt a school every year and members go into the school to mentor the young men ages 12 to 18 we have one registration drives we have care food drives many consider joining Greek organizations as an experience exclusive to college but for the Dean
I’m joining a fraternity or sorority is a lifelong commitment and it’s not just something that I just want to do it’s something that I live I probably devote forty forty five percent of my time to Alpha Kappa Alpha each organization comes with its own rich history we started on the campus of Howard
University in 1908 notable alphas that most people know are the Reverend dr. Martin Luther King Thurgood Marshall locally we have mayor Bryan Brown who’s an alpha it’s the sisterhood it’s the scholarship and service in that foot we’re pretty much built on but it’s not all business we step as a form of celebration
There was a promotion of our just our pride and our heritage and it’s it is so deep is so rich members of the d9 say they take pride in coming together for a common purpose in our community sometimes power needs fall by the wayside that’s why giving back and making sure
That making sure the home is taken care of is so important Taylor EPS 7 Eyewitness News
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