Thousands of members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.^® will descend on the metro Orlando area, mobilizing voters and feeding the community, ahead of its 71st South Atlantic Regional Conference, April 3-7, 2024, at the Orange County Convention Center. More than 6,000 members from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina are registered to attend.

With the theme, “Amplifying Our Voices of Sisterhood Through Service and Advocacy," voter mobilization, addressing food insecurity, and improving health and wellness are the primary objectives. Led by Orlando native and South Atlantic Regional Director, The Honorable Tiffany Moore Russell, Esq., AKA members will kick off the conference on Wed., April 3, by canvassing in the Washington Shores and Richmond Heights communities of Orlando; calling residents from phone banks; and holding a rally at St. Mark AME Church, all to encourage residents to vote.

“It starts with voter registration,” said Russell, who also serves as the Orange County Clerk of Court. “We have to get more people in our community registered. That is key. But it’s not enough. If registered voters are not motivated, educated and mobilized, what good does the registration do? We have to re-engage with our communities and make sure they understand how to amplify their voices by voting.”

Other highlights include:

• The return of the Denny’s 53-foot Mobile Relief Dinner to serve free, freshly cooked breakfast for the community from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wed., April 3, at the Dr. James R. Smith Center, 1723 Bruton Boulevard, in Orlando. AKA members will also pack bags of food donated by Kellanova for distribution to local families in need.
• “Serving our local communities is at the very heart of who we are at Denny’s,” said April Kelly-Drummond, Denny’s Chief Inclusion and Community Engagement Officer. “We are thrilled to fuel the service and advocacy work happening in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^®, and to be sponsoring the 71st South Atlantic Regional Conference. Not only do we get to give back with hot fluffy pancakes, but also with the announcement of the Denny’s Hungry for Education™ scholarship program winners.”
• Free CPR and AED training from the American Red Cross to a representative from every sorority chapter in the region – expected to be the largest diverse mass training the Red Cross has ever hosted – on Thurs., April 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• A community baby shower with items donated by the public and by AKA conference attendees, who will also assemble gift bags for Central Florida mothers in need on Sat., April 6, at 7:30 a.m. at the Orange County Convention Center. Members of the public may drop off donations in the convention center bus loop from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 4.
• AKA Public Meeting & Awards Ceremony on Thurs. April 4, 2024, from 8-10 p.m., featuring the nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump as the keynote speaker. The Public Meeting also will include a presentation of the 2024 “Soaring To Greater Service Awards” to local recipients who were selected based on their accomplishments in areas reflective of the Sorority’s 2022-2026 program initiatives established by AKA International President & CEO Danette Anthony Reed. Those initiatives are:
  • Strengthen Our Sisterhood
  • Empower Our Families
  • Build Our Economic Wealth
  • Enhance Our Environment
  • Advocate for Social Justice
  • Uplift Our Local Community
• Free breast cancer Bexa exam for AKA conference attendees by Touch4Life^™ Thurs., April 4, 3 pm - 8:30 p.m. and Friday, April 5, 8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. in the Vendor Exhibitor Hall.

“I am proud to host the conference again in my hometown of Orlando,” Russell added. The 70th South Atlantic Regional Conference was held in Orlando last year. “We foresee a significant economic boost for local industries, including lodging, dining, entertainment, and more, as well as an impact on local communities as we emphasize the importance of voting in every election this year, from the bottom to the top.”

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About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^®
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^® (AKA), an international service organization, was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American college educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^® is composed of more than 325,000 initiated members in graduate and undergraduate chapters located in 12 countries including the United States, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Dubai, Germany, Japan, Liberia, Nigeria, South Korea, South Africa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Led by International President & CEO Danette Anthony Reed of Dallas, Texas, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, is often hailed as “America’s premier Greek-letter organization for Black women.” For more information on Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^® and its programs, visit www.aka1908.com.

About the South Atlantic Region
With 24,000 graduate and undergraduate members in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, the South Atlantic Region is the largest region in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^®. The Honorable Tiffany Moore Russell, Esquire, leads the region in her role as South Atlantic Regional Director.