Build Our Economic Wealth

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is launching our most progressive and revolutionary economic initiatives this century. This administration has created institutional-level solutions to combat institutional-level challenges.
We will further encourage and equip our members to place key strategies into action to build personal, organizational, and community economic wealth.

Areas of focus include…

For Members Only TM Credit Union – For Members Only Federal Credit Union will be the FIRST, Black-owned, woman-led, sorority-based, digital banking financial institution in the history of the United States.
Financial Wellness & Planned Giving – Financial wellness and planned giving efforts will assist members with legacy planning supported by expert members and wealth management partners.
Sister Circles – Sister Circles are accountability groups designed to help set and achieve personal savings, investing, and giving goals.

Supporting Women Entrepreneurs – Supporting Women Entrepreneurs will focus efforts to promote, celebrate, enhance, reach, raise visibility and offer access for greater revenue-generating opportunities.

Black Dollar Days – Black Dollar Days will be held during the month of June with a focus on leveraging our collective buying power to funnel revenue to Black-owned businesses and brands.

Target 3: Building Your Economic Legacy

Alpha Kappa Alpha will emphasize financial planning, asset accumulation, and wealth building including savings and investments, managing debt, and improving credit.

• Personal Financial Planning and Asset Accumulation. Financial Freedom Legacy Workshops will be conducted in partnership with local certified financial planners who will share information on saving, investing, and retirement planning. Chapters will train community residents on ways to perform financial assessments to achieve their financial goals.
• Credit Repair and Monitoring. This initiative will focus on ways to repair credit and improve credit scores including how to check for inaccurate or outdated information in credit reports, and how to protect against both identity theft and unauthorized credit history use.
• Entrepreneurship and the Black Dollar 365. This initiative will highlight and promote successful African-American owned businesses with an aim toward spawning new entrepreneurial ventures in our communities by encouraging intentional support and leveraging the power of the black dollar 365 days a year.
• Operation AKA Assist. This initiative will focus on implementing programs to assist those in need in various communities by directing attention to the plight of the homeless, including homeless children, and homeless veterans. Chapters will partner with or adopt a shelter, a transitional home, or an organization that provides assistance to these needy populations.

Target 4: The Arts!

Alpha Kappa Alpha will expose students to arts enrichment and culture by focusing on visual and performing arts and by showcasing talent through the exploration of writers, entertainers and various other artists.

• Salute to the Harlem Renaissance will celebrate the contributions of African-American artists during the Harlem Renaissance through student research and chapter sponsorship of student talent showcases. This initiative will correlate with HBCUs and African-American culture and will include colleges with art collections.
• Salute to the Black Arts Movement will focus on student research and celebration of African-American artists during the Black Arts Movement. Chapters will champion activities that express the movement message and highlight members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority who served as leaders and participants. Activities will include art events, poetry slams, dancing, painting, and performing arts.

Target 5: Global Impact

Alpha Kappa Alpha will engage in programming designed to enhance the international footprint of the sorority.

• National Global Impact Day. Chapters will engage in a community service project that has an international impact and will partner with organizations that make a difference worldwide.
• Global Assistance Activities. Chapters will engage in global partnerships that provide assistance to the underserved in international areas populated with people of color. These partnerships include the following:
• Soles 4 Souls. Chapters will collect gently-worn shoes and transport the shoes to specified locations. Soles 4 Souls, a non-profit organization, will process and ship shoes to destinations around the world populated with people of color.
• Lions Club International. Chapters will participate in an eyeglass initiative designed to prevent blindness, help restore eyesight, and improve eye health and eye care for millions of people around the world by donating used eyeglasses in partnership with local Lions Clubs.
• Pillowcase Project. Chapters will continue to use pillowcases to make dresses for little girls and will expand the sorority’s efforts to include shirts for little boys. The pillowcase dresses and shirts will be sent to Haiti to provide clothing for children in need.
• Refugees in America Assistance Program (RAAP). Chapters will focus on refugees of color in the United States by partnering with organizations engaged in support activities that assist refugees and their families to integrate into American life. This includes literacy classes, educational training, and other necessary transitional support.

AKA-ILO AKADEMY

The AKA-ILO Akademy supports the academic, social, physical and emotional development of children in Howard County. The AKA-ILO Akademy has developed numerous programs and initiatives specifically designed to foster educational enrichment, leadership skills, character building and civic engagement in Howard County students. In addition, the AKA-ILO Akademy collects, maintains, and evaluates data related to all of the chapter’s services to students.
The AKA-ILO Akademy has implemented the following services and programs:
• Emerging Young Leaders (EYL) program
• Support for the Black Student Achievement Program (BSAP) initiatives including the Community Based Learning Centers
• Math, Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Clubs
• Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas gift donations
• Support for students with food insecurities
• Volunteers for Howard County Public School System programs and activities
• Little Library donations

For more information about the AKA-ILO Akademy please email programs@akaiotalambaomega.org.

Program Resources

We hope that you will find these resources helpful! Please feel free to share them with others.

National Breast Cancer Resource Guide

National Caregiver’s Resource List

Community Impact Days

Alpha Kappa Alpha members will implement International Community Service Days annually  to highlight the organization’s collective impact in program target areas: 

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