FIRST VIRTUAL 3rd DISTRICT
MEMORIAL SERVICE

On March 12th, 2021, under the direction of our esteemed District Representative, Brother Conrado Morgan, the first ever Third District Virtual Memorial Service of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., was held. Approximately 386 Brothers, family members and friends participated in this virtual ceremony.

It was sponsored by the Northern Area II leadership council consisting of and under the guidance of Northern Area II Supervisor, Brother Earl Smith Jr., District Chaplain, Brother Pastor Courtenay Miller, and Northern Area II Chaplain and Automation Chairman, Brother Cornelius Beidleman.

The event was initiated and came to fruition through the efforts of the Northern Area II Chaplains and assistants, Brothers David Bonner, Tim Butler, Sanford Crenshaw, Eric Smith, Vince Smithers and Robert R. Smalls. Providing additional technical support with Automation was Brother Kevin Poplar. The event was hosted by the Psi Alpha Alpha Chapter of Fairfax, Va., Northern Area II, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. The ceremony provided the opportunity for all thirty-two chapters in the region to amalgamate and honor our Brothers who have transitioned to The Omega Chapter in the past year to date.

The event commenced at 6:45 p.m as all participants were able to access the link, which provided a musical interlude and pictorial images of our departed Brothers prior to the starting of the event. Promptly at 7:00 p.m., the welcome to all was extended by Psi Alpha Alpha Chapter Basileus, Willie J. “W.J.” Williams, Jr. The rejoinder to the welcome was graciously provided by District Representative Conrado B. Morgan, who recognized and acknowledged all dignitaries in attendance. His acknowledgment was followed by the opening prayer provided by Brother David Bonner( Sigma Mu Mu).

Inspiring renditions of the hymns “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “How Great Thou Art,” were performed by the exquisite second tenor voice of Brother Owen Nixon (Gamma Xi ). This was followed by biblical passages from Psalms 30, Romans 8:14-28, and Psalms 100 by Brothers Vince Smithers (Tau Rho) Brother Sanford Crenshaw (Omicron Kappa Kappa) and Brother Eric Smith (Psi Nu).

The introduction of our guest speaker, Brother Pastor Cozy Bailey, (Pi Iota 1988) was magnanimously provided by Brother Tim Butler (Pi Lambda Lambda). Brother Pastor Bailey spoke explicitly to the effectiveness of our organization to thrive during challenging times. The origin of our Memorial Service mandate and the honoring of others above ourselves, while referencing Romans 12:10 to solidify his point. Sacrifice, solemnity, and self-abnegation are all components of the fabric that are woven into the character of Omega men and paying homage to those who’ve come before us is the highest form of distinction and recognition.

Upon completion of his message Northern Area II Supervisor, Brother Earl Smith Jr. did the honor of presenting Brother Pastor Bailey with our token of appreciation for providing his services, as well as his inspirational delivery of the message. We were more than thankful for the participation of our Grand Basileus, Brother Dr. David Marion who provided us with words of inspiration and encouragement as a portion of his closing remarks.

As we prepared to initiate our service, District Chaplain Brother Pastor Courtenay Miller provided an invocation and call to worship prior to the Formal Memorial Service. Which was conducted by District Representative, Brother Conrado Morgan, District Keeper of Records and Seal, Brother Craig Spraggins and District Chaplain, Brother Courtenay Miller. As we honored nearly fifty Brothers for their distinguished contributions, bridge-building and friendship post their transition to The Omega Chapter. The service concluded with the playing of “Omega Dear” and a moment of reflection, as a simple image of soft clouds gave way to the memory of those gallant Brothers whose presence, in the physical life, has expired but whose legacy shall remain in the archives of Omega for an eternity.

A period for fellowship and reacquaintance was provided post the virtual event, with numerous mentions of well-deserved accolades bestowed upon those who labored for the success of the service. We thank all that attended as our success was contingent upon your participation, and pray that we gave due credence to our Brothers, who now reside in their eternal home, with the Supreme Basileus of the Universe.

For know that they have earned their wings.

Brother Robert R. Smalls,
Northern Area II Memorial
Service Committee Chairman
March 12th, 2021

Join us Saturday, April 17, 2021 for a special Virtual Social Event filled with games, prizes and music featuring DJ Rob Stacks!

Tickets/Vendor Booth: https://querantine2021.eventbrite.com

Sponsorship link: http://bit.ly/blbvse21

The 80’s QUE-rantine Extravaganza will be a highly attended event with patrons from all over the country, so this gives you an opportunity to purchase a vendor booth, display your products and services, expand your customer base, make a few sales, and foster new relationships/partnerships. An example of our vendor hall can be seen in the below links:

Exhibit Vendor Hall

Example: Ford Motor Company

STAY HOME!  Grab a glass of something delicious, and tune in at 6 pm to experience a virtual night that includes the following:

• Music: Come Groove with DJ Rob Stacks (Main Room)
• Casino Entertainment by: Showbiz Productions (Prizes included)
• Cigar Lounge Experience (Cigar 101) by: Stanton Cigars and Petworth Cigars
• Cooking Demonstration Experience by: our very own Chef LIVE
• Zumba: Bring the heat and feel the burn with Brickhouse Fitness
• 50/50 Raffle: Come party with us and win a monetary prize
• Costume Contest: Enter our costume contest to win prizes.

Individual tickets are $20.00 and vendor Booths are $55.00. Purchase a booth and encourage other fellow business owners/partners to do the same. Vendor booth sales are available until April 10, 2021

We also offer sponsorship opportunities which are available at multiple levels ($40 - $350). Each tax-deductible sponsorship comes with features including free tickets, advertisement, and the opportunity to be placed on the Sponsorship Wall of Fame during the virtual social event.

For questions on tickets, vendor booths, or sponsorships, contact Hector Sheppard at sheppardhector1@gmail.com, 928-581-9532 or Brad Caldwell at bcaldwe6412@aol.com, (703)587-5052. Please pass this to potential patrons, vendors, and sponsors. Thank you for your willingness to be part of our effort to make a difference in the lives of college bound students.

Tickets/Vendor Booth: https://querantine2021.eventbrite.com

Sponsorship link: http://bit.ly/blbvse21

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/1xxK19ePh

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairfaxcoques

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairfaxcoques/

Sincerely,

Hector Sheppard, Jr

Chairman, Virtual Social Event

Psi Alpha Alpha Chapter

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Due to the unprecedented times that our world is currently facing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psi Alpha Alpha Annual Talent Hunt Competition looked much different than previous years.  For the first time ever, the Brothers of Psi Alpha Alpha conducted a Virtual Talent Hunt on February 6, 2021.  “It couldn’t be done….” they say, - but with hard work and perseverance, we upheld our Fraternity’s aim by giving the youth in our community a platform to display their talents.

As the virtual curtains opened, the program began at 11am in front of a supportive audience of almost 100 people to include Brothers, family, and friends eager to support a great group of kids displaying their talents in the performing arts.  The showcase, which was attended and recorded via Zoom, featured 10 extremely talented high school students from across the DMV area.  Performances included dance, instrumentation, and vocal renditions.  The collaborative efforts of the Talent Hunt committee yielded a showcase that will be long remembered by the participants, their families, and friends.

This year’s Master of Ceremony was Bro. Darren Haynes (Epsilon Iota Iota '03).  A graduate of Wayne State University earning a BA Degree in Media Arts and Studies, the Emmy award-winning sports anchor is currently the Sports Director and Main Sports Anchor at WUSA in Washington D.C.  Prior to joining WUSA, he anchored for ESPN’s flagship program, Sports Center.  Over his career he has covered major sporting events to include the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, NASCAR Cup Series Championship, and the World Series.  He worked collaboratively with the committee to facilitate an informative, entertaining, and interactive event.  Bro. Haynes motivated and encouraged the performers as well as kept the audience engaged by providing historical facts about the fraternity, its mandated programs, and the numerous community service activities that Psi Alpha Alpha is involved in throughout the year.

With an extremely close competition this year, the judges had an arduous task selecting a winner but just like our student competitors, they too stepped up to the challenge. This year’s judges were Ms. Christie J. Blackmon, - an accomplished and professionally trained vocalist who had the honor of being requested to sing at a Northern VA rally during President Barack Obama’s initial campaign; Mrs. Stacey Y. Claytor – CEO and Founder of C4 Performing Arts Academy in Fairfax, VA; and Dr. Michael Nickens, Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Green Machine Jazz Band Ensemble at George Mason University.

All the competitors performed admirably and received a certificate of appreciation from the chapter and a monetary prize from the Bernie L. Bates Foundation.  The following students delivered performances that surpassed all others earning them the rankings of first, second and third place winners.  Taking the grand prize of $1000 and winning first place was Miss Karis Collins, dancer and senior at Wakefield High School.  Winning the second place $500 prize was Mr. Lawrence Wingfield, pianist and junior at Bishop McNamara High School.  In a rare feat, there was a tie for third place between Miss Azariya Bates, dancer and sophomore at KIPP College Preparatory School and Miss Chamir Yarborough, dancer and freshman at Duke Ellington School of the Arts.  Both third place winners received trophies and the prize amount of $250 each.

Our winner, Miss Karis Collins, a 17-year-old honor student and member of the National Honor Society and Black Student Union, wowed the audience and judges with her dance presentation of “Swan Lake: Odette Variation” by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.  Karis’ hobbies include dancing, singing, reading, painting, arts & crafts, piano, and community service projects.  She is an athlete excelling in Outdoor Track (High Jump) and a three-year Varsity Cheerleader.  An active member of Grace Community Church in Arlington, Virginia, Karis is well aware that her gifts truly come from God.

Karis will proudly represent Psi Alpha Alpha at the Virtual Talent Hunt Competition during the 88^th annual 3^rd District Meeting on Saturday, May 22, 2021.

The 2021 marquee event for Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) was a virtual event that featured “A Conversation with Dr. Henry Louis Gates and Dr. Evelyn Higginbotham.” The 95th Annual Black History theme is The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.

As a capstone to Black History Month, Bro. Clarence Demory (Pi Gamma 1965) and ASALH Black History Chairman Bro. Nate Ards (Psi Alpha Alpha, 2017) attended the pre-recorded event, which was moderated by Joe Madison, an established Washington DC media personality.

One of the highlights of the evening was the celebration of the latest release in the Black Heritage Stamp Series. On January 28, 2021, the August Wilson Black Heritage Stamp was unveiled. Wilson was an American playwright, considered a literary trailblazer. His play, “Fences”, set in the 1950s explored the evolving African American experience and examined race relations, among other themes. The play won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 1987 Tony Award for Best Play. Wilson’s play, “The Piano Lesson,” was also a Pulitzer Prize winner.

The primary focus of this virtual marquee event was Dr. Gates’ commentary. He mainly discussed the genesis of his PBS show, “Finding Your Roots…” and his views on the importance of the Black church. Dr. Gates’ curiosity about family lineage stemmed from his grandfather being exceptionally light skinned with straight hair. He could not figure out how he was the descendant of a grandfather that looked so different than he did. In later years, with the advent of new DNA testing essentially in a tube, Dr. Gates set out to deliver to the average American the type of extensive family lineage revealed by Alex Haley in “Roots.”

Dr. Gates proclaimed the Black church was the oldest, first, and most continuous institution, since 1773, for black American families. The 1773 date establishes the Black church 3 years prior to the Revolutionary War of 1776. He recognized the church as the birthplace of every social, educational, political, and artistic form in our community. It was a “cultural laboratory.” He alluded to the black church being the “Wheel in the Middle of the Wheel” as stressed in the book of Ezekiel.

As an aside, Dr. Gates stressed that even in this digital age, it is important to label hard-copy photographs with names so that young men and women and future generations will have the ability to identify who’s who in those priceless family photos.

The depth of knowledge gained during this event was immeasurable.

On February 6, 2021, the Brothers of Psi Alpha Alpha Chapter did not let the Covid-19 pandemic interfere with their customary flair when it comes to honoring their sweethearts and significant others. This year’s Virtual Sweetheart Affair (2021) met the standards and provided an evening of fellowship and opportunity to get reacquainted. The event consisted of a cooking demonstration by a local celebrity chef. The chef led Psi Alpha Alpha through an interactive cooking demonstration where the brothers and/or their sweethearts prepared spinach and cream cheese stuffed chicken breast, rice pilaf, and bacon-wrapped asparagus. They also played a couple of family-friendly games and gave away a copy of former President Barack Obama’s book, “A Promised Land” and $50.00 Amazon gift cards to the winners.

The local celebrity chef was none other than Psi Alpha Alpha’s own, Bro. Julian “AKA Boss” Gudger. A native of Washington, DC, Julian has been innovating in kitchens around the world for nearly 20 years. Julian is the head chef for a local food company, Mangia DC, where he conducts private dining and cooking class experiences for corporate groups and individual consumers. His cooking style is a combination of Northern Italian and American Southern fusion cuisine.
The evening would not have been complete without some music to uplift the soul. So, to cap the evening off Kool-K Entertainment, Bro. Keith Wilson serenaded the Sweethearts with his saxophone playing some of the classics smoothed jazz tunes that made the night even more memorable. It was truly an evening of ambience and friendship. Everyone in attendance had an enjoyable and fun-filled evening.