In 2015, nine members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc began discussing the possibility of reaching out to the South Atlantic Regional Director about chartering a new chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® in the Upper York County area. Those nine trailblazers were Wakita Barksdale, Tabatha Bluford, Amber Jackson, Joy Joseph, Latifee Land, Shatoshia Mays, Ericka McCottry, LeTricia Parks. and Denise Wilson. This core group of women prayed weekly for guidance in seeking approval to form an interest group in the Upper York County area. In the summer of 2015, the group composed a letter which was sent to the South Atlantic Regional Director, Ms. Sharon Brown Harriott. Ms. Harriott responded favorably to the letter, giving the core group permission to find 25 inactive or general members in the area who wanted to form an interest group of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. The core group of members continued to fervently pray and seek God’s guidance on how to go about finding others who shared the same vision for the area.
It was the mission of this group to find members who shared a desire to find a group which had a passion for community service and an unwavering love for Alpha Kappa Alpha. The group also wanted to find those who were invested specifically in providing exceptional service to the communities in the Upper York County area.
By January 2016, the group had grown to 40 eager members. Ms. Harriott was presented with a letter on behalf of the larger group for consideration for Interest Group establishment. By April 2016, the group began to complete the application for interest group status. On October 25, 2016, Ms. Harriott notified the group of the approval of the establishment of York County Pearls of Promise Interest Group by Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Board of Directors. The Interest Group held its first meeting on Tuesday, November 1, 2016, at the Spratt Building in Fort Mill, SC. At that meeting, officers were elected, and the program calendar was established.
The service programs executed by the group during its 12-month interest group period were well attended and provided quality service to the Upper York County community. The group worked meticulously to ensure that all programs executed were in line with the Sorority’s international program targets. These programs were also planned or designated to meet the needs of the local community as well. The group developed several partnerships in the community during this initial period, including the Towns of Fort Mill and Tega Cay, LOOM Coworking, and Habitat for Humanity.
Members of the group also participated in several workshops and activities that were planned to help the group to get reacquainted with the Sorority, and to bond together as sisters. In January 2017, the group participated in their Interest Group orientation, led by Ms. Gloria Harrison Boozer, Cluster VIII Coordinator. The members also attended cluster, regional, and national Sorority conferences throughout the remainder of the year.
In June 2017, the group accepted new members to the interest group after receiving approval from Ms. Harriott to do so. During this time, 20 members were added to the group. Ms. Harriott presented the group’s Application to Charter at the October 2017 Board of Directors meeting. Under the leadership of International President, Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson, the Board of Directors approved the application. Once notified of the approval, the plans for a chartering ceremony and celebration commenced.
The Upper York County Graduate Chapter interest group, formerly known as York County Pearls of Promise, was officially chartered as Omega Tau Omega on Saturday, December 9th, 2017, at the River Place in Fort Mill, SC.
The members of Omega Tau Omega are excited to continue to evolve in the community and are dedicated to supreme service and sisterhood. Through their humble beginnings, the women of this group have established a firm foundation of which the chapter will build on for generations to come.