Montgomery, Alabama June 28 - 30, 2023 Program & Guidebook Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Presidential Youth Conference Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors ' Wildest Dreams PICTURE BY TIME FOR KIDS - ALISHA CLARK
PRELIMINARY CONTENT | PAGE(S) Welcome and Congratulations | 1-3 Introduction | 4 Inspiration, Leadership & Implementation | 7 Presidential Academy | 8-9 Presidential GEMS | 10-14 Presidential EMBODI | 15-16 Participant Contract | 17 Participant Pledge | 18 TABLE OF CONTENTS Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Note: The intent and purpose of this guidebook is to provide you with a compilation of information to be used as a reference and resource during the 2023 Presidential Youth Conference in Montgomery. Our hope is that you will use the contents and reflective questions to guide you as you continue to activate your plan for success and Achieve Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams. Registration Welcome Reception & Conference Opening Youth & Parent Orientation WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2023 Schedule of Activities | 21 Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama | 22 President of Alabama State University | 23 About Alabama State University | 24 Brief History of Montgomery, Alabama | 25 Points of Interest in Montgomery, Alabama | 26 Note Pages | 27-28 Tuskegee University Tour Legacy Museum Tour Justice Memorial Tour Debrief & Wellness Check-In THURSDAY, June 29, 2023 Schedule of Activities | 31 About Tuskegee University | 32 About Legacy Museum | 33 President of Tuskegee University | 34 Note Pages | 35-36 Rosa Parks Museum Walking Tour PYC Kickback Empowerment Rotation Workshops Closing Program FRIDAY, June 30, 2023 Schedule of Activities | 39-40 Closing Ceremony (Litany) | 41-42 My 10 Year Plan | 43 Advocacy | 44 Mind Mapping | 45 Elevator Speech | 46 Note Pages | 47-48 A Letter of Support | 49 Special Acknowledgements | 50-51
DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED A Service Sorority Founded in 1913 1707 New Hampshire Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20009 | (202) 986-2400 | Telefax (202) 986-2513 Message from the National President & Chair, Board of Directors 1
DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED A Service Sorority Founded in 1913 1707 New Hampshire Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20009 | (202) 986-2400 | Telefax (202) 986-2513 Message from the Co-Chairs of the National Program Planning and Development Committee Greetings. Welcome to the National Presidential Youth Conference of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. You have been selected as an individual that excels in both academics and an eye on your future. It is our hope that you will have several takeaways during your participation. First, we want you to make a new friend that you will be connected to moving forward. Second, we hope that you will deepen your thought process around our culture, with a deepened understanding of what those who walked before you endured so that you could be here. And, at the end of your time with us, we also hope that you will think about the future – not only the future of our people – but also how your future footsteps in life will add to that history and guide you in your life’s choices and dreams. The public motto of our Sorority states that “Intelligence is the Torch of Wisdom.” May you always be driven by intelligence to light your path. Special thanks to the outstanding planning team led by Constance Turner Jackson and inspired by the vision of Sybil Knight-Burney, a team who has put their hearts into crafting and implementing a program and experiences that will shape your lives forever. Wishing each of you the best – now and always, Joan M. Prince Cheryl W. Turner Dr. Joan M. Prince, Co-Chair National Program, Planning & Development Committee Cheryl W. Turner, Co-Chair National Program, Planning & Development Committee 2
DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED A Service Sorority Founded in 1913 1707 New Hampshire Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20009 | (202) 986-2400 | Telefax (202) 986-2513 Message from the Chair of the National Educational Development Subcommittee Welcome to the 2023 Presidential Youth Conference! On behalf of the Educational Development Subcommittee of Delta’s National Program Planning and Development Committee, I am pleased that you are with us in the historic city of Montgomery, Alabama! Your commitment and participation in your local Delta Academy, Delta GEMS, and EMBODI programs have been noticed. Your academic excellence and desire to continue your posthigh school education have been applauded. Your leadership, character, and service to your communities have been recognized. You exemplify being “presidential”, and now you have been rewarded by being a participant in this select group of youth attending the 2023 Presidential Youth Conference, “From Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestor’s Wildest Dreams”. During these 2 ½ intensive and dynamic days, you can expect to enjoy the camaraderie of your likeminded peers; the in-depth and hands-on learning regarding our rich and challenged history; the advantages of attending an HBCU; the “what next” opportunities you will explore; and your own selfreflection of how you WILL achieve our ancestor’s wildest dreams as you realize how your empowerment matters. You will meet and speak with people that are empowered and have achieved our ancestor’s wildest dreams. You will have fun. You will ask questions. You will express your opinions. You may cry a little or you may laugh a lot. But in the end, it is our hope that you will return home with (and share with others) a new appreciation of our history, its challenges, and its future. After all, the future is yours and your role in it is crucial. Again, welcome to “From Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams.” Prepare yourselves for an experience that will remain in your memories for a lifetime! With hopes of dreams fulfilled, Constance T. Jackson Constance Turner Jackson Chair, Educational Development Subcommittee 3
INTRODUCTION Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Educational Development is one of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Five-Point Programmatic Thrust. It is through this Thrust that Delta Chapters conduct programs/projects designed to address the need for excellence in education. Theorists throughout history have identified adolescence as particularly challenging times for pre-adolescent and adolescent boys and girls. As Delta holds its eleventh Presidential Academy, seventh Presidential GEMS program and fifth Presidential EMBODI program, chapters continue their commitment to the young women and men in their communities. Through the implementation of the Sorority’s signature youth programs, chapters continue the Sorority’s long history in direct service and educational enrichment. Each Delta Academy, Delta GEMS and EMBODI program is a gesture of faith in the possibilities of mentoring and youth development. For Deltas, the best part of these youth programs is the promise they hold for enhancing the lives of our future leaders. The Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy: Catching the Dreams of Tomorrow – Preparing Young Women for the 21st Century, was created in 1996 out of an urgent sense that bold action was needed to save our young females (ages 11-14) from the perils of academic failure, low self-esteem, and crippled futures. The Delta Academy provided an opportunity for local Delta chapters to enrich and enhance the education that our young teens receive in public schools across the nation. Specifically, we augment their scholarship in math, science, and technology, their opportunities to provide service in the form of leadership through service learning, and their sisterhood defined as the cultivation and maintenance of relationships. A primary goal of the program is to prepare young girls for full participation as leaders in the 21st century. Picture By: Name Census, "We My Ancestors Slaves" 4
The energy in any program development is in the creativity of the program developers. Delta Academy is the work of many people – beginning with Delta’s 21st National President the Honorable Marcia L. Fudge, who is a strong believer in education as declared in her acceptance speech in Orlando, Florida (July 1996). Subsequently, the National Executive Board approved the idea of “an Academy.” Then, the National Program Planning and Development Committee with the help of special sorors throughout the nation brought to life the concept of the Delta Academy. The program description, guidelines, and suggested lessons are contained in a Delta Academy Manual. During the spring of 1997 permission was given by the family of Dr. Betty Shabazz, educator and Sorority member, to name the Academy in her honor. Over the years of implementation, Delta Academy has taken many forms. In some chapters the Academies are after-school or Saturday programs, others are weekly or biweekly programs throughout the school year, and still other programs occur monthly. The activities implemented most often include: computer training, selfesteem and etiquette workshops, field trips for science experiences and for college exposure, and special outings to cultural events, dinners, museums and concerts. The success of the Delta Academy gave Delta’s 23rd National President, Louise A. Rice, Ph.D., insight to create a new program that expands the Sorority’s service to young women, ages 14-18. This concept was developed into The Delta GEMS. The word GEMS is an acronym for “Growing and Empowering Myself Successfully.” The Delta GEMS program is a continuum of services that addresses the needs of young African American women who are developing as teenagers and preparing for post-high school opportunities. The goals of the program are to instill in the young women the need to: excel academically; sharpen and enhance their academic skills; and set goals and plan for their futures beyond high school. All GEMS participants are actively involved in service learning and community service opportunities. Additionally, while participating in the GEMS program, young women have the opportunity to define and “Discover their individual Brilliance.” Picture By: National Museum of African American History & Culture - RH Boyd and the National Baptist Publishing Board 5
Despite the success of Delta Academy and Delta GEMS, there was another area of concern in our community. In recent years, African-American males have had the lowest graduation rate of any other demographic segment in the country - and statistics reveal that they have outnumbered all other demographics in the prison population. This crisis of young black men is a crisis for the entire African American family unit. Something had to be done. Although “Summit III: Preparing Our Sons for Manhood” was a signature program for the Sorority in 1991, it was evident to the 24th National President Cynthia M.A. Butler-McIntyre that there was still much work to be done to improve the plight of African American males in our community. For this reason, she created the EMBODI program to address this need. EMBODI is an acronym for “Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence.” This program was designed to address issues facing African American males, ages 11 through 18. Though this program is much newer than the other two signature programs, its impact has already been felt across the nation thanks to the work of local chapters, in conjunction with other community organizations. It is our hope that the young women and men specially selected to attend the 2019 Presidential Youth Conference, leave with a deeper sense of self, more knowledge, new experiences, new mentors and lifelong friends. The National Program Planning and Development Committee has spared no expense in ensuring that this experience will be one that the conference participants won’t soon forget. So, Be Empowered to be the BEST YOU as you live out the hopes and dreams of our ancestors. It is our hope that the young women and men specially selected to attend the 2023 Presidential Youth Conference, leave with a deeper sense of self, more knowledge, new experiences, new mentors and lifelong friends. The National Program Planning and Development Committee has spared no expense in ensuring that this experience will be one that the conference participants won’t soon forget. So, Be Empowered to be the BEST YOU as you live out the hopes and dreams of our ancestors. Picture By: Literary Hub,"Black Descendants of President Madison" 6
PRESIDENTIAL YOUTH CONFERENCE 2023 Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: From a Seed ofInspiration to a TREE of EmPOWERment Dr. Betty Shabazz Honorary Member Dr. Jeanne Noble 12th National President The tree blossoms and flourishes through educational implementation and mentoring our youth Every season, our youth's minds are renewed under our visionary leader Constance Turner Jackson Chair, National Educational Development Subcommittee Dr. Joan M. Prince Co-Chair, National Program Planning & Development Committee Cheryl Turner Co-Chair, National Program Planning & Development Committee Elsie Cooke-Holmes National President & Chair, Board of Directors Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams 7
2023 PRESIDENTIAL ACADEMY Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Ewurama Amatey 8th Grade Aspires to be a Pediatric Critical Care Loudoun County Alumnae South Atlantic Region Elle Delissaint 7th Grade Aspires to be a Civil Engineer Washington DC Alumnae Eastern Region Laila Brown 6th Grade Aspires to be an Architect Designer Shelby County (TN) Alumnae Southern Region Daniya Dean 8th Grade Aspires to be a Post-Partnum Nurse Metropolitan Dallas Southwest Region Sienna Gordan 7th Grade Aspires to be a Lawyer or Veterinarian Nashville Alumnae Southern Region Kenadi Lightfoot 7th Grade Aspires to be an Orthodontist or Anesthesiologist Macon Alumnae Southern Region 8
2023 PRESIDENTIAL ACADEMY Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Keely McBride 7th Grade Aspires to be an Entrepreneur in High Tech Futuristic Products Mobile Alumnae Southern Region Allyson Ross 7th Grade Aspires to be a Veterinarian or Orchestra Musician Atlanta Suburban Alumnae Southern Region Bethany Mickens 8th Grade Aspires to be a Production on Set Designer Jefferson County Alumnae Southern Region Logan Rhodes 8th Grade Aspires to be a Music School Teacher or Coder Baltimore Alumnae Eastern Region Carlie Smith 8th Grade Aspires to be a Lawyer Spartanburg Alumnae South Atlantic Region Cydney Smith 7th Grade Aspires to be a Marketing/Communications Charlotte Alumnae South Atlantic Region 9
2023 PRESIDENTIAL GEMS Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Alysia Adams 11th Grade Aspires to be an Anesthesiologist Orange County Alumnae Southern Region Jaya Coats 11th Grade Aspires to be an Actor, Animator, Film Director & Screenwriter Austin Alumnae Southwest Region Keely Cruzado 9th Grade Aspires to be a Motivational Speaker/Undecided Grand Rapids Alumnae Midwest Region Jasmine Echeverria 10th Grade Aspires to be in Public Policy and Law Harrisburg Alumnae Eastern Region Oluwakemi Adenbigbe 11th Grade Aspires to be a Bio-technician Orlando Alumnae Southern Region Taylor Alexander 11th Grade Aspires to be in Marketing Douglas-Carroll-Paulding Alumnae Southern Region 10
2023 PRESIDENTIAL GEMS Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Eryn Files 11th Grade Aspires to be an Attorney Tallahassee Alumnae Southern Region Chameli Govin 9th Grade Aspires to be a Psychiatrist/Writer Decatur Alumnae Southern Region Lea Graves 10th Grade Aspires to be a Public Defender/Criminal Defense Lawyer or Broadway Thespian Federal City Alumnae Eastern Region Carrington Howard 11th Grade Aspires to be an OB/GYN & Owns Private Practice Stone Mountain Alumnae Southern Region Ariel Fulmore 11th Grade Aspires to be a Business Entrepreneur Jacksonville Alumnae Southern Region Breanna Goodwin 11th Grade Aspires to be a Veterinarian Marietta Roswell Alumnae Southern Region 11
2023 PRESIDENTIAL GEMS Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams NaZyia Macon 11th Grade Aspires to be a Clinical Psychologist Gwinnett County Alumnae Southern Region Sasha Roberson 11th Grade Aspires to be a Surgery Oncology Collin County Alumnae Southwest Region Jai Laurielle Saylor 10th Grade Aspires to be an Entrepreneur in Beauty, Fashion, & Lifestyle New Orleans Alumnae Southwest Region Adira Smith 10th Grade Aspires to be a Forensic Scientist Burlington Alumnae South Atlantic Region Mackenzi Newson 9th Grade Aspires to be a Surgeon Clarksdale-Marks Alumnae South Region Radiance Ransom 10th Grade Aspires to be a Criminal Justice Lawyer Selma Alumnae Southern Region 12
Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams 2023 PRESIDENTIAL GEMS L'Naysha Thomas 9th Grade Aspires to be a Dentist Ann Arbor Alumnae Midwest Region Morgan Wellons 9th Grade Aspires to be a World-Renowned Performing Artist East Point College Park Alumnae Southern Region Kai White 11th Grade Aspires to be an Entertainment or Family Lawyer or Child Psychologist Raleigh Alumnae South Atlantic Region Nyla White 9th Grade Aspires to be an Attorney Union County Alumnae South Atlantic Region Autumn Walker 10th Grade Aspires to be a Mathematician or Engineer Southfield Alumnae Midwest Region Leah Walker 9th Grade Aspires to be a Physician in Obstetrics Neonatology Prince George's Alumnae Eastern Region 13
2023 PRESIDENTIAL GEMS Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Nyla Whitsett 11th Grade Aspires to be a Marine Biologist Detroit Alumnae Midwest Region Jazlyn Woods 9th Grade Aspires to be an Art of Fashion Savannah Alumnae Southern Region Diana Williams 9th Grade Aspires to be a Pediatrician Memphis Alumnae Southern Region Aliyah Windham 11th Grade Aspires to be a Computer Engineer Birmingham Alumnae Southern Region 14
2023 PRESIDENTIAL EMBODI Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Jordan Allen 10th Grade Aspires to be an Engineer Birmingham Alumnae Southern Region Jackson Major 11th Grade Aspires to be an Oral Surgeon Collin County Alumnae Southwest Region Caleb Osborne 10th Grade Aspires to Musician and Software Engineer Montgomery Alumnae Southern Region Eric Berry 10th Grade Aspires to be a NFL Player or Sports Broadcaster Southwest Dallas Alumnae Southwest Region Myles Gladen 11th Grade Aspires to be a Marine Biologist or Veterinarian Jefferson County Alumnae Southern Region Cohen Long 7th Grade Aspires to be a Minister Spartanburg Alumnae South Atlantic Region 15
2023 PRESIDENTIAL EMBODI Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Adrian Purifoy 8th Grade Aspires to be a Communications and Arts East Point College Park Alumnae Southern Region Chase Wright 11th Grade Aspires to be an Educator Morristown Alumnae Eastern Region Calen Wiggins 11th Grade Aspires to be a Crime Scene Investigator or NBA Player Jacksonville Alumnae Southern Region Jaheem Woody 9th Grade Aspires to be a Marine Biologist Decatur Alumnae Southern Region Aidan Randle 10th Grade Aspires to be a Biochemical Engineer Houston Alumnae Southwest Region Andrew Phillips II 11th Grade Aspires to be a Game Developer Orlando Alumnae Southern Region 1 16
MY CONTRACT Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams To actively participate in the discussions and exercises of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated’s Presidential Youth Conference that has been prepared for me, To come on time and be prepared to work with others and discuss and share my ideas and opinions. To be responsible and respectful of others at all times. To set an example of how to support those who have a passion to focus on the positive aspects of their dream using their vision and goals by providing continual encouragement. To always try to offer and receive positive and constructive criticism. I hereby understand and agree: The ultimate responsibility to achieving my ancestor's wildest dreams are my own. Although there will be circumstances, events, obstacles and challenges that are beyond my control, how I respond to those things is within my self-control. Those things that I can control include, but are not limited to, my creative ability to see things from different angles, my attitude, verbal and physical actions, challenge my commitment, to continuously learn, diligence, determination and steadfastness in pursuing my vision and goals to achieving the dream. This program is designed to help me achieve my vision and goals in becoming the change I want to see and ultimately to realize the dream. A window of opportunity is open for me at this time. I will take full advantage of the information I receive during the sessions and take powerful, solid steps toward meeting my goal. All the things we study and learn will in some way become an important part of the things I will need to always believe that I can ACHIEVE MY ANCESTORS’ WILDEST DREAMS. I hereby acknowledge: Participant Signature Date 17
MY PLEDGE Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Identify special qualities that define “Who I Am” Learn our history and promote conversation and engagement around our race past and present Exercise our voice to inspire others Confront false narratives that sustain racial injustices and discriminations Stand for things that matter to me and for what is right Stimulate my mind and stir my thoughts Always accept positive challenges in my life Want, choose and commit my actions to follow my dreams Exercise my self-control Choose wisely between right and wrong Gain strength from weakness when obstacles occur in my life Be a survivor, remain calm in the event of chaos and find hope Never give up, never quit and never fail Keep my Faith, the power of my spirit Believe everyone’s life has purpose, meaning and value Be a person of action, not mere words Generate empathy from one another Be the change to allow the ideas of my mind to become the conviction in my heart Show goodness and kindness from the heart Love myself, therefore I can love others See past problems to get to the possibilities and solutions Be dedicated, committed and responsible to myself Communicate and interact with others in positive ways Lead by example and let my inner strength be a light for my friends, family and people I meet in the schools and community Think BIG! Make my passion, vision and goals … My EMPOWERMENT to Achieving My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams!!!! I, , pledge to: 18
Montgomery, Alabama June 28 - 30, 2023 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Presidential Youth Conference Our Legacy From Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors Wildest Dreams CIVIL RIGHTS MEMORIAL - ROSA PARKS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2023
Time & Location Schedule of Activities 2:00 pm -6:00 pm Rosa Parks Conference Room Registration/Youth and Chaperone Check-In Attire: Current school or college top with nice jeans Mix & Mingle-Get to Know Each Other (Download HiHello App) 6:00 pm-7:30 pm MLK Ballroom Welcome Reception and Conference Opening (Students and Chaperones – one per youth) Mistress of Ceremonies Marva Maples, National Educational Development Subcommittee Conference Overview and Agenda Constance Turner Jackson, Chair, National Educational Development Subcommittee Invocation LaWanza Spears, National Headquarters Staff, Programs Coordinator Light Meal Served 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm MLK Ballroom Cheryl Turner, Co-Chair, National Program Planning & Development Committee Amaris Johnson, Southern Regional Director Tonia Y. Stephens, President, Montgomery (AL) Alumnae Chapter Elsie Cooke-Holmes, National President & Chair, National Board of Directors Alabama State University - ASU Representatives, Staff & Golden Ambassadors Dr. Malinda Swoope, ASU VP Student Affairs & Enrollment Management Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., ASU President Greetings Welcome and Overview ASU Boardroom Rosa Parks Conference Room Katryna Lowery Kinn, National Educational Development Subcommittee Parent/Chaperone Orientation Dr. Sybil Knight-Burney, Chair, National Risk Management Subcommittee Youth & Parent Orientation Group Photo, Distribution of T-shirts and Drawstring Tote Bags Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2023 Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams 21
Steven L. Reed Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama Mayor Reed led the effort to increase funding for Montgomery’s public schools for the first time in nearly 30 years. In doing so, he organized a cross-community, broad, and diverse coalition of supporters, including faith and business leaders to educators, activists, and parents. Mayor Reed previously served as Montgomery County, Alabama’s first African-American and youngest elected Probate Judge. He expanded mental health services to some of Montgomery’s most vulnerable residents, improved the facilities of the Probate Court, and modernized the office to better serve the community. Amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and its sweeping effects on public and private sector budgets, Mayor Reed restructured the city government to increase efficiency and effectiveness while ensuring the City maintained a balanced budget without having to touch reserves, borrow money or initiate layoffs. In July 2021, Route Fifty named Mayor Reed on its inaugural list recognizing ten local leaders who are tackling some of the most pressing issues facing America’s cities. In 2020, Mayor Reed was named one of the ten most powerful and influential local officials by Yellowhammer News. Mitch Landrieu’s E Pluribus Unum (EPU) invited Mayor Reed to join its inaugural class of UNUM Fellows, a group of 14 accomplished and diverse Southern elected leaders who embarked on a year-long journey to address inequitable and discriminatory policies and practices within their communities. Mayor Reed received the Dr. Martin Luther King Leadership Award for Governmental Service and was chosen as a New Deal Leader, which selects leaders who are committed to innovative, progressive ideas. He was selected as one of 40 chief executives for the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a program designed to equip mayors with innovative leadership and management tools to tackle complex challenges and improve the quality of life in their communities. Mayor Reed also serves on the National League of Cities Reimagining Public Safety Task Force, the Transportation and Communications Committee, and the Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports Committee of the United States Conference of Mayors. An alumnus of Leadership Alabama, Mayor Reed has volunteered as a YMCA football coach and serves on various boards. Mayor Reed is the Moderator at Community Congregational United Church of Christ, as well as an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Mayor Reed is a proud graduate of the Montgomery Public School system. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Morehouse College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Mayor Reed and his wife Tamika are the proud parents of three children. Steven L. Reed was sworn in November 2019 as the 57th Mayor of the City of Montgomery, Alabama, a historic destination known globally as The Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement. Mayor Reed, a native of Montgomery, is the first African American to hold the position. 22
Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., is entering his fifth year as President of Alabama State University, having assumed the leadership role at his alma mater on October 3, 2017. His tenure has been marked by transformative and innovative leadership that has included a 130 percent increase in fundraising, expansion of national and global partnerships, advancement of strategic initiatives under the brand of “CommUniversity, ” and an increased emphasis on student success. President Ross is a three-time graduate of Alabama State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education English, and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Law. Dr. Ross is a distinguished career educator with more than 28 years of experience in Higher and K-12 public education. Prior to becoming the University’s 15th President, Dr. Ross served with distinction as a senator in the Alabama Legislature for four terms. Dr. Ross has received numerous awards and recognitions and has been featured in many publications, particularly because of his commitment to equity and quality in education. Dr. Ross received The Montgomery Advertiser King Spirit Award, K.E.E.P. Production’s Young Legend Award and the Daring to Make a Difference Community Service Award. Dr. Ross received the Alabama School Board Association’s Power of One Award (2009) and recognition by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., locally, statewide and districtwide as Citizen of the Year (2011). Other awards include the Alabama Adult Education Director’s Association 2012 Champion Award, 2015 Citizen of the Year for the Montgomery Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and the 2016 Beloved Community Award from the Alabama State University Friends of the Theatre. Dr. Ross also was selected by the Business Council of Alabama as a 2017 Business Champion. He is the recipient of the 2020 Charles Townsel Higher Education Leader Award. Dr. Ross holds professional memberships in several organizations, such as the Alabama Council of Presidents, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, National Education Association, National Council of Higher Education, Alabama Education Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and 100 Black Men, Inc. His most notable accomplishment is being a loving husband and father of two sons. Dr. Quinton T. Ross , Jr. President, Alabama State University 23
Alabama State University was founded in 1867 as the Lincoln Normal School of Marion in Marion. In December 1873, the State Board accepted the transfer of title to the school after a legislative act was passed authorizing the state to fund a Normal School, and George N. Card was named president. Thus, in 1874, this predecessor of Alabama State University became America's first state-supported educational institution for blacks. This began ASU's history as a "teachers' college." In 1878, the second president, William Paterson, was appointed. He is honored as a founder of Alabama State University and was the president for 37 of the school's first 48 years. Paterson was instrumental in the move from Marion to Montgomery in 1887. In 1887, the university opened in its new location in Montgomery, but an Alabama State Supreme Court ruling forced the school to change its name; it was renamed the Normal School for Colored Students. The campus was chosen in 1889 although preparing the buildings at the site took a while longer. In the decades that followed, Lincoln Normal School became a junior college, and in 1928 became a full four-year institution. In 1929 it became State Teachers College, Alabama State College for Negroes in 1948, and Alabama State College in 1954. In 1969, the State Board of Education, then the governing body of the university, approved a name change; the institution became Alabama State University. The 1995 Knight vs. Alabama remedial decree transformed ASU into a comprehensive regional institution paving the way for two new undergraduate programs, four new graduate programs, diversity scholarship funding and endowment, funding to build a state-of-the art health sciences facility, and a facility renewal allocation to refurbish three existing buildings. ASU's urban, 172-acre campus has Georgian-style red-brick classroom buildings and architecturally contemporary structures. ASU is home to the state-of-the-art 7,400-seat academic and sports facility the ASU Acadome; the Levi Watkins Learning Center, a five-story brick structure with the state-of-the-art John L. Buskey Health Sciences Center which houses classrooms, offices, an interdisciplinary clinic, three therapeutic rehabilitation labs, a state-ofthe-art Gross Anatomy Lab, Laboratory for the Analysis of Human Motion (LAHM), a Women's Health/Cardiopulmonary lab, and a health sciences computer lab; and WVAS-FM 90.7, the 80,000-watt, university operated public radio station. Alabama State University has nearly 6,000 students from more than 40 states and over 20 countries. Approximately 40% of the student body come from outside Alabama. About Alabama State University 24
Montgomery, the second largest city in Alabama, lies southeast of Birmingham on Interstate 65, on the banks of the Alabama River. Montgomery is the state capital and has a number of connections with the Civil Rights movement. Between 1817 and 1819, three towns were established close together in Alabama: New Philadelphia, Alabama Town, and East Alabama. In 1819, they were consolidated into Montgomery, named for General Richard Montgomery, who died in the Revolutionary War attempting to capture Quebec. Montgomery gained status as a city in 1837 and was named the state's capital in 1846. In 1861, the convention that created the Confederate States of America was held in Montgomery. The city served as the first capital of the Confederacy, until it was moved to Richmond, Virginia. Montgomery is close to Maxwell Air Force Base, presently the home of Air University. Maxwell AFB is on the site where Wilbur and Orville Wright operated the world's first flight training school in 1910. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, was arrested for not relinquishing her seat to a white bus rider. The reaction to this act of defiance led to the 382-day Montgomery bus boycott that forced the city to desegregate its transit system on December 21, 1956. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., an American Nobel Laureate, achieved national attention for civil rights issues during his occupancy term as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. In 1965, he led a four-day, nationally-publicized march for justice from Selma to Montgomery. Located in the heart of central Alabama, the city of Montgomery holds a strategic place in state, national, and international history. A frontier settlement, it became a center of the cotton kingdom, Alabama’s seat of government, and the original Confederate capital. Later, the 1886-87 Lightning Route electric trolley system and in 1910 the Wright Brothers’ civilian flying school brought it recognition as a center of technology. During the turbulent civil rights era, Montgomery citizens played a central role in some of its most important events, including the bus boycott and the Selma to Montgomery March. In 2019, the city elected its first African American mayor, Steven L. Reed, who also was the first black probate judge in Montgomery County. He is the son of the former longtime Alabama Education Association associate executive secretary and state Democratic Party official Joe L. Reed. Today, the city is the center of policy and economic development leading the state’s rise as a manufacturing and technology center. Brief History of Montgomery, Alabama 25
Points ofInterestin Montgomery, Alabama Nicknamed "the most historical short street in America," Dexter Avenue presents a striking opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the leaders of the civil rights movement. The street was the final stretch of the Selma to Montgomery march that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Start your journey at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Rev. Martin Luther King was minister, and the nearby Dexter Parsonage, where the King family lived. During scheduled tours of the church, visitors are encouraged to join in prayer services and gospel hymns. There are few cities that have affected the flow of American history as much as the state capital city of Montgomery, Alabama. To stand on the front portico of the State Capitol Building and look down Dexter Avenue is an awe inspiring experience. Men and women who dramatically impacted the course of our nation did so within view of the capitol steps. Prevail Union looks much like any upscale coffee house but its brick walls were made by slave women. Just outside is the former Montgomery Fair department store, where Rosa Parks worked as a seamstress. Down the street is the Court Square Fountain, once home to Montgomery's slave trade. (In fact, the road was known as Market Street long before it became Dexter Avenue.) And around the corner on Montgomery Street, the Rosa Parks Museum takes visitors on a fact-filled journey of the bus boycotts of 1955 and 1956, including Parks' original fingerprint arrest record and other court documents, a 1950s-era Montgomery city bus, and a restored 1955 station wagon (known as a "rolling church") used to transport boycotters. But perhaps the most striking historical marker in the city is the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, dedicated to the more than 4,000 men, women and children of color lynched and murdered between 1877 and 1950. Across town, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival takes place in Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park, with offerings ranging from Steel Magnolias to Romeo and Juliet. The same park is home to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, where the exhibits range from glass pieces by Tiffany and Chihuly to watercolors by Homer Winslow. There's a hands-on children's section, as well as children's art and an outdoor exhibition with room for little legs to roam. The New York Amsterdam News 26
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Montgomery, Alabama June 28 - 30, 2023 THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2023 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Presidential Youth Conference Our Legacy From Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors ' Wildest Dreams THE CHILDREN WILL LEAD THEM JACKSON FREE PRESS
Time & Location Schedule of Activities 7:00 am - 8:00 am MLK Ballroom Continental Breakfast 8:15 am Board Bus to Tuskegee University 9:30 am Arrive at Tuskegee University (1200 W Montgomery Rd., Tuskegee, AL) 12:15 pm Board Bus to Montgomery 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm Legacy Museum (400 N. Court Street, Montgomery, AL) and Peace & Justice Memorial (417 N. Caroline Street, Montgomery, AL) 4:45 pm Board Bus to Return to Hotel 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm MLK Ballroom Debrief, Wellness Check-In, Group Photo 6:00 pm Chaperones/Sponsors sign out youth for the evening. Dinner on your own. Nearby restaurant list provided during Parent Orientation THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2023 Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Attire: Choice of bottoms, PYC T-shirt and comfortable shoes 31
Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land- grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was designated as the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site by the National Park Service in 1974. The university has been home to a number of important African American figures, including scientist George Washington Carver and World War II's Tuskegee Airmen. Tuskegee University offers 43 bachelor's degree programs, including a five-year accredited professional degree program in architecture, 17 master's degree programs, and five doctoral degree programs, including the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Tuskegee is home to nearly 3,000 students from around the U.S. and over 30 countries. Tuskegee's campus was designed by architect Robert Robinson Taylor, the first AfricanAmerican to graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in conjunction with David Williston, the first professionally trained African-American landscape architect. The school was founded on July 4, 1881, as the Tuskegee Normal School for Colored Teachers. This was a result of an agreement made during the 1880 elections in Macon County between a former Confederate Colonel, W.F. Foster, who was a candidate for reelection to the Alabama Senate, and a local black Leader, Lewis Adams.[9] W.F. Foster offered that, if Adams could persuade the black constituents to vote for Foster, then Foster, if elected, would push the state of Alabama to establish a school for black people in the county. Hired as principal of the new normal school (for the training of teachers) in Tuskegee, Alabama, Booker T. Washington opened his school on July 4, 1881, on the grounds of the Butler Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The following year, he bought the grounds of a former plantation, out of which he expanded the institute in the decades that followed. The school expressed Washington's dedication to the pursuit of self-reliance. In addition to training teachers, he also taught the practical skills needed for his students to succeed at farming or other trades typical of the rural South, where most of them came from. Washington wanted his students to see labor as practical, but also as beautiful and dignified. As part of their work-study programs, students constructed most of the new buildings. Many students earned all or part of their expenses through the construction, agricultural, and domestic work associated with the campus, as they reared livestock and raised crops, as well as producing other goods. About Tuskegee University 32
About The Legacy Museum The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration is situated on a site in Montgomery where Black people were forced to labor in bondage. Blocks from one of the most prominent slave auction spaces in America, the Legacy Museum is steps away from the rail station where tens of thousands of Black people were trafficked during the 19th century. The Legacy Museum provides a comprehensive history of the United States with a focus on the legacy of slavery. From the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact on the North and coastal communities across America through the Domestic Slave Trade and Reconstruction, the museum provides detailed interactive content and compelling narratives. Lynching, codified racial segregation, and the emergence of overincarceration in the 20th century are examined in depth and brought to life through film, images, and first-person narratives. Situated on a site where enslaved Black people were forced to labor in bondage, the Legacy Museum offers an immersive experience with cutting-edge technology, worldclass art, and critically important scholarship about American history. Along with the critically acclaimed National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the museum presents a unique opportunity for visitors to reckon with challenging aspects of our past. A Transatlantic Slave Trade wing includes more than 200 sculptures and original animated short films narrated by award-winning artists Lupita Nyong'o, Don Cheadle, and Wendell Pierce. Photograph: Courtesy of Equal Justice Initiative/Human Pictures 33
Dr. Charlotte P. Morris President, Tuskegee University Dr. Charlotte P. Morris began her current tenure as Tuskegee University’s 9th president on August 1, 2021. Her 30-plus-year tenure at Tuskegee has included numerous leadership and faculty appointments at the college and university levels. Her most recent prior appointment on November 1, 2020, as interim president was her third appointment to the university’s top post— the first having been in 2010 following the retirement of President Benjamin F. Payton. Morris began her tenure at Tuskegee University in 1984 as a faculty member of the now Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science. In 1987, she began serving as executive associate/chief of staff to the university president and secretary to the university’s Board of Trustees — duties she faithfully performed for 23 years. During the last eight years in that position, she also served as the director of the university’s Title III program and as chair of the university’s Convocations and Special Events Committee. After concluding her first appointment as interim president, Morris returned to the Brimmer College, where she served as associate dean and professor of management — until appointed as the college’s interim dean in 2016 upon the retirement of Dean Tejinder Sara. Morris’ early career experience includes teaching appointments at Trenholm State Community College and Kansas State University. Other higher education experience includes serving as program associate for planning, management, and evaluation at Mississippi Valley State University. A native of Kosciusko, Mississippi, Morris completed a bachelor’s degree in business education at Jackson State University, a master’s degree in business administration and management at Delta State University, and a Ph.D. degree in education and business management from Kansas State University. A resident of Montgomery, Alabama, since 1983, Morris is a Golden Life Member of the Montgomery Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a member and former president of the Agnes J. Lewis Women’s Club, and a member of the Lilly Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves on the usher board, as a Sunday School teacher, and as a member of the missions’ circle. Additionally, she holds/has held membership in the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), Beta Gamma Sigma National Honor Society in Business, the Golden Key National Honor Society, the National Council of Negro Women, and the American Council on Education. Morris was married to the late Dr. William R. Morris and is the parent of one adult son. 34
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Montgomery, Alabama June 28 - 30, 2023 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Presidential Youth Conference Our Legacy From Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors Wildest Dreams 1965 CIVIL RIGHTS MARCHER FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2023
Time & Location Schedule of Activities 7:30 am - 8:15 am MLK Ballroom Continental Breakfast 8:30 am - 10:30 am Walk to and tour Rosa Parks Museum 252 Montgomery St., Montgomery, AL 10:35 am Walk Back to Hotel 11:00 am - 12:30 pm PYC Kickback with Regional Representative and Collegiate Divine 9 Moderators: Katryna Lowery Kinn, Valerie Bates Gates & Nuntiata Portis-Buck, National Educational Development Subcommittee 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch on Your Own (Restaurant list provided. Chaperones sign-out and sign-in youth.) 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm ASU Boardroom Rosa Parks MLK Ballroom Empowerment Rotation Workshops/Mind Mapping National Educational Development Subcommittee Mind Mapping - Marva Maples/Valerie Bates-Gates/Linda Bates Leali Advocacy- Pamela Jo Wilson/Nuntiata Portis-Buck/Karla Jones Elevator Speech - Katryna Lowery Kinn/Karyn Aguirre 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Rest and Attire Change Business Professional 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm MLK Ballroom Professional Head Shots FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2023 Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Attire: Arrive dressed in PYC T-Shirts for the day 39
Time & Location Schedule of Activities 6:00 - 8:00 pm MLK Ballroom Colonel Ed Brown, Alabama CARES Affiliate Stephen Powell, National CARES Co-Executive Director & Chief Programs and Partnership Officer Pamela Smith, National First Vice President Elsie Cooke-Holmes, National President & Chair, National Board of Directors Closing Program (Light Meal Served) Mistress of Ceremony Katryna Lowery Kinn, National Educational Development Subcommittee Greetings & Recap Constance Turner Jackson, Chair, National Educational Development Subcommittee Entertainment/Dance Moves Academy, GEMS, and EMBODI Participants Rite of Passage (Litany) Pamela Jo Wilson & Valerie Bates-Gates, National Educational Development Subcommittee Pass the Mic (Reflections) Nuntiata Portis-Buck & Linda Bates Leali, National Educational Development Subcommittee Evaluation Marva Maples, National Educational Development Subcommittee Gifts & Certificates Karla F. Jones & Karyn Aguirre, National Educational Development Subcommittee & Executive Board Closing FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2023 Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors Wildest Dreams Attire: Arrive dressed in professional business attire 40
CLOSING CEREMONY LITANY Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams All Leaders: Good evening! My name is _________________________________________ and my sponsoring chapter is the ______________________________________________Alumnae Chapter in _____________________________________(City) of the ___________________________ Region. (Pause) All Leaders: We are speaking on behalf of the participants of this year's Presidential Youth Conference of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated as they celebrate 110 years of Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service, and Social Action. Presidential Conference participants, please stand and prepare to recite the Participant portion of the Litany. (Pause) EMBODI: We thank the dynamic, caring ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. for providing this momentous opportunity for us to participate in these three days of positive, life-altering experiences. Participants: We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Academy: You planted the seeds and guided us toward learning how to follow our dreams and become tomorrow’s leaders. Participants: We graciously thank you. GEMS: You provided speakers who gave us encouragement and examples of how we can pursue our dreams. Participants: We are grateful for your direct guidance. EMBODI: You provided the opportunity for us to visit 2 great Historical Black Colleges and Universities: Alabama State University and Tuskegee University that opened our minds to excellent higher education and career possibilities. 41
CLOSING CEREMONY LITANY Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Participants: We are motivated to do our best in school and to attend college. Academy: You helped us focus on our dreams and understand that challenges and problems must be faced head-on in order to be solved. We must move forward in a positive manner as we fight for injustices like human trafficking. Participants: We will stand up for what is right and just as we move forward stepby-step toward accomplishing our dreams. GEMS: You graced our presence with women and men who are examples for us to follow. Participants: We will remember to emulate their actions and their demeanor as we navigate our path toward achieving our dreams. EMBODI: You provided important information and experiences for us regarding colleges, social advocacy, mind mapping, the elevator speech, the importance of mental wellness and self-care, the importance of being prepared and personal presentation, local Black history, reflections and how to face and work through challenges. Participants: We will conduct ourselves in a socially and civically appropriate manner as we move steadily and deliberately toward achieving our dreams. Academy: You gave us opportunities to network, make acquaintances, and new friends. Participants: We thank you for helping us to expand our world, and we will make the effort to stay connected and encourage each other. ALL: This Presidential Youth Conference has provided a positive, life-altering experience for us – one that we will cherish and draw upon throughout our lives. The activities will help us build leadership skills and confidence to move forward in our communities, and the world. WE WILL ACHIEVE OUR ANCESTORS’ WILDEST DREAMS. 42
My name: My age: Things I love to do: Who/What inspires me: Places I would like to go: In 10 years, I plan to be a/an: In 10 Years, I plan to be a/an MY 10 YEAR PLAN Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Plan of Action “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” 43
Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams ADVOCACY Effective advocacy enables you to shape the public debate on important social issues and ensures that underserved communities have a voice in the policies that impact their lives. The term “advocacy” encompasses a broad range of activities (including research, public education, lobbying, and voter education) that can influence public policy. Advocacy is the number one way you can advance the issues that you care about and help bring about systemic, lasting change. Change only comes when the current condition of something is challenged and forced to become something different. Effectively advocating is the best way to make significant change in our community. Find your voice, organize, raise awareness, and fight against issues that negatively impact our communities. Southern Coalition for Social Justice Educate. Inform everyone about the current policies and problems affecting your community. Assess. Assess your community. Try to understand the community needs and problemsto assist with finding solutions. Advocating is a way to solve problems occurring in your community. Collaborate. Work in coalitions with others whose philosophy and goals resonate with yours. Together, pooling resources, all parties involved in the coalition should be better equipped to take on campaigns and work for change. Evaluate. Create a process to measure your success as your advocacy progresses. How do you know that you’re having an impact and creating real change? 44
Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams MIND MAPPING A mind map involves writing down a central theme and thinking of new and related ideas which radiate out from the center. By focusing on key ideas written down in your own words and looking for connections between them, you can map knowledge in a way that will help you to better understand and retain information. How do I Achieve My Ancestors' Wildest Dreams? Actions 45
Our Legacy from Enslavement to Empowerment: Achieving Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams Provide a specific goal/career interest. By this point (about 15-20 seconds in), you want the person to stop wondering what you’re doing here. Let them know where you’re headed in your career, your goals, aspirations – something that they can obviously help you with. Drop your past achievements (show how you’ve demonstrated that interest). Now you want to let them know you’re qualified despite your “student” status. What better way to do that than to show that you’ve been there and done that – while killing it through relevant experience, awards, and a personal story. The request. Go in for the kill – that doesn’t mean ask them for an internship, but you can steer it one of three ways: continue the conversation by letting them take the wheel, propose a future meeting to learn more about each other, or ask for their organization’s Head of recruiting to apply to their position of interest, now that you’ve made an impression. ELEVATOR SPEECH An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what you or your organization does. You can also use it to create interest in a project, idea or product – or in yourself. A good elevator pitch should last no longer than a short elevator ride of 20 to 30 seconds, hence the name. Introduce yourself (name, position, what you do, how you do it) Provide compelling details about yourself. Whether it’s something cool (and relevant) you learned recently, an interesting story on how you got into your field, or a pain point you can both relate to, mention something that comes off friendly and unique. Careerify 46
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