16-04-2025
AKA regional conference in Tampa leads to multi-million dollar impact
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Nearly 7,000 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated are making a major financial and community impact during its annual regional conference.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is the first Black Greek-letter organization founded in the United States. Created by college-educated women on the campus of Howard University in 1908, the sorority's foundation is built on sisterhood, scholarship and service. Those values will be on full display Easter week and weekend in Tampa.
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The South Atlantic Region of AKA, which is comprised of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina members, are meeting in Tampa for their 72nd Annual South Atlantic Regional Conference. According to Visit Tampa Bay, with more than 8,000 hotel rooms booked in the city, preliminary estimates show an $8 million economic impact. While the organization will be conducting a lot of business, they'll also be giving back to the Tampa community.
'One of our initiatives of our national office is childhood hunger initiatives, so we are going to be packing bags, giving out food to designated schools here in Tampa Bay,' said Tiffany Moore Russell. 'Then we're going to receive donations from chapters all over the region to give back to homeless organizations here in Tampa.'
AKA will donate the backpacks to B.C. Graham Elementary School and the food bags will be donated to Metropolitan Ministries.
It has been 17 years since AKA hosted a regional conference in Tampa. Russell said the organization plans to spend its dollars at local minority-owned businesses while also allowing the city to see and feel AKA's core values of sisterhood, scholarship, and service to all mankind.
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'We want people to know that we are not just what they see on TV,' Russell said. 'Yes, we have a good time, yes, we stroll, ye,s we step. That's the cultural celebration of our organization. We also serve, we also do social action and connection education. We also give back to children, we also have so many youth programs. That's what we want people to see in all of our D9 organizations.'
There are events open to the public, including a political forum on 'The 2024 Election: Where Do We Go From Here.' The public is invited to attend on Thursday, April 17, from 2-3 p.m. at the Tampa Convention Center. Later that evening, the conference will host a Public Meeting from 8-10 p.m. featuring Ms. Jotaka Eaddy, founder/CEO of Full Circle Strategies and founder of the#WinWithBlackWomen movement, as the keynote speaker. The Public Meeting brings together community leaders, elected officials, conference participants and others to celebrate leadership, service, and community engagement.
Visit Tampa Bay's President and CEO, Santiago C. Corrada, released the following statement:
'Tampa Bay is proud to host Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated's 2025 South Atlantic Regional Conference April 16- 20. This is the third time Tampa has hosted the regional conference for this historic Divine Nine organization, and we're delighted to welcome them back to the heart of Florida's Gulf Coast. Founded in 1908, AKA is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American college-educated women and its tenets, particularly to be of 'Service to All Mankind', are in keeping with the open and welcoming spirit of the Tampa Bay region. We know this year's conference will be an amazing success. With 8,000 hotel room nights booked and preliminary estimates of close to $8 million in direct economic impact, Hillsborough County's stands to see a major positive financial and community impact from this gathering over Easter weekend.'
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