international news

AKA Black Dollar Days: Unleash the Power!

Sorors, it’s that time again to Wear Pink, Spend Green, and Buy Black as we support Black and minority-owned businesses. Make the pledge to spend $19.08 per week and track your expenses by signing into the Members Only portal. Under the “Program” drop-down menu, click “Resources”, and find the “Black Dollar Days” tracking form to enter your weekly spending.

What’s our goal? To again spend $8 million in one month! In addition, each Friday is "PINK FRIDAY" highlighting different industries where you can funnel your dollars to Black-owned businesses within each category listed:

June 14: Services - From beauty salons to legal services, choose Black-owned businesses for your everyday needs and specialties.

June 21: Retail Shops and Boutiques - Explore boutiques and retail shops where every purchase supports Black entrepreneurship.

June 28: Black-owned brands at Walmart and Target – Let’s show major retailers that representation is important.

On "PINK FRIDAYS," prepare to showcase your support on social media by Wearing Pink, Spending Green, and Buying Black. Use the hashtags #AKAPinkFridays #BlackDollarDays #BuildEconomicWealth and tag @akasorority1908.

EAF Car Raffle

Sorors, there is still time to purchase tickets for your chance to win a 2023 Mercedes Benz GLB250. The Mid-Western Region is currently in 3rd place for ticket sales (excluding online sales) and there are several tickets left to sell.

The winner will be announced on July 8, 2024, at the EAF Scholarship & Awards Luncheon during the 71st Boule in Dallas, TX, and you do not need to be present to win. If you would like to purchase tickets, go to Link and typing Mid-Western Region in the comments.

midwestern Region news

JUNETEENTH WEEK OF ACTION

June 19-23, 2024

Sorors, as you know, an e-Blast has been disseminated announcing a sorority-wide Advocate for Social Justice Voter Engagement Initiative—A Juneteenth Week of Action. This is an opportunity for chapters to plan activities in line with a chapter voter engagement plan geared toward registering possible voters.

Please review the e-Blast carefully and utilize the resources provided to implement your registration efforts, including the Voter Registration Guide. Be sure to list your registration activities using the link provided.

Volunteers who organize these events will receive FREE volunteer kits, including buttons, stickers, signs, and a When We All Vote T-shirt!

Please use the suggested posts in the social media toolkit below to encourage your audience to get themselves, their families, and their communities registered to vote throughout June.

JUNETEENTH WEEKEND OF ACTION SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT

If you have any questions, please contact our Mid-Western Region Representative to the International Connection and Social Action Committee, Soror Tiece I. Dempsey at dtiece08@gmail.com or (405) 202-5114.

Maximizing your program potential

Mid-Western Region Representative to the International Program Committee, Soror Lindsay Echols, hosted an informative presentation providing insight on maximizing your chapter’s program potential and international program expectations. Please utilize the links below to submit your YLI information as well as ways to participate in June’s AKA Black Dollar Days.

YLI Participants Final Presentation: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5TuHmoYusPQ3fYVnTJnFM8YUH-xfVnvmn8ZBWxOzFA9TNLg/viewform

2024 YLI Final Presentation Submission: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdDCZ9JYI29Q-q-9VDAa5RxDEiF-b4pss1PFJcZXEh701md-A/viewform

MWR Black Dollar Days Spending Spreadsheet: https://forms.gle/GzYVhsMeiS9rqAUT6

MWR Entrepreneurial Directory Submission Form: https://forms.gle/kGG3f17kxEopFkZr5

If you have any questions, please contact Soror Lindsay at lindsayechols1908@gmail.com or (405) 301-4949.

Bylaw amendments with soror martha perine beard

International Parliamentarian, Soror Martha Perine Beard, hosted an informative presentation to help with understanding proposed bylaw amendments. The presentation can be found here.

In an effort to be good stewards of our regions, we should also be good stewards for ourselves. Let’s join together and challenge each other to SOAR physically, mentally and emotionally. The challenge is for us to improve in different areas of our wellness. The challenge is from May 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024.

Global Goals:

Physical Activity 3 times a week
4-8 glasses of water a day
10 minutes of meditation and/or quiet time a day
Cut a bad habit/add a good habit in the 60 days
One self-care activity each week
Annual screening during the 60 days
Sleep 6-8 hours each day

100 Years of Sisterhood and Service

Sorors, as we continue to celebrate our 100th year as the Mid-Western Region, we want to encourage all Mid-Western Region chapters to participate in our “100 Acts of Service and Sisterhood” challenge. With this challenge, we are asking chapters to complete 100 hours of activities focusing on the current administration’s six initiatives. The challenge will run through the end of the year, December 31, 2024. Hours can be tracked by using this free downloadable form. Completed forms may be submitted to Soror Lindsay Echols, Mid-Western Region Representative to the International Programs Committee at lindsayechols1908@gmail.com.

If you feel that your chapter cannot meet the 100-hour requirement, a $100.00 donation can be made in lieu of the hours. Any proceeds received will go towards the MWR Region’s Boule Suite, Cluster Meetings, and the new and upcoming Undergraduate Summit. Should you decide to donate $100.00, please make checks payable to “AKA Mid-Western Region” and in the memo line, please write “100 Year Celebration”. Checks can be mailed to:

Alpha Kappa Alpha Mid-Western Region

c/o Sherrye Cravens Crawford

Regional Financial Secretary

P.O. Box 2741

OKC, OK 73101

our ivies

SeMonia Taylor

Alpha Epsilon Omega

IBTW Date: 5/25/2024

IBTW Submissions

To ensure we capture all sorors that have now become an Ivy Beyond the Wall, a submission link has been created for ease of reporting. Ivy Beyond the Wall submissions should be provided by the Chapter Basilei as soon as the chapter is notified. Forms will be accepted for all sorors who have become an Ivy Beyond the Wall from the end of the 2024 Mid-Western Regional Conference through the end of the year. Please use the following link:

https://forms.gle/cgnGaPjZksSDhLLG8.

ivy leaf submissions

Sorors, we are missing in action! Each year the Mid-Western Region impacts over 1,000 members of our communities with sustainable service projects such as CHIPP™ and YLI, but it is only shared locally. The Mid-Western Region is small, but mighty and Madam Regional Director encourages us to show that. We can do this! Submission details can be found in your latest Ivy Leaf magazine. Remaining deadline dates:

Fall Issue – July 15th
Winter Issue – October 15th

region scarves

Signature scarves representing the Mid-Western Region. Scarves can be purchased as a set or separately.

Purchase here.

mwR EVENTS

clusters

Save the tentative dates for Cluster Season 2024:

Cluster A: October 25-26, 2024, in Denver, CO
Cluster B & C (Combined): October 18-19, 2024, in Kansas City, MO
Cluster D & E (Combined): October 4-5, 2024, in Tulsa, OK

mw Region kudos

soror jamie polk

Announced as New Superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools

Dr. Jamie C. Polk was unanimously approved by the OKCPS School Board to lead the district beginning July 1, 2024. Soror Jamie, a member of the Theta Upsilon Omega chapter, joined the district as Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education in 2019, and she has more than 33 years of education experience. Congratulations, Soror Jamie!

SOCIAL MEDIA

YAPP!

Please join us on the Mid-Western Region’s official app, YAPP to get the latest news on the region, chapters, and events in your area. See you on the app!