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National History

On January 15, 1908, a group of young women at Howard University, caught the inspiration of a fellow student. Ethel Hedgeman (Lyle) initiated the movement of Greek-letter sororities among Black women in America. She along with Lillie Burke, Beulah Burke, Margaret Flagg Holmes, Marie Woolfolk Taylor, Lavinia Norman, Anna “Easter” Brown, Lucy Slowe and Marjorie Hill derived Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. They were later joined by a group of sophomore girls (Joanna Berry Shields, Norma Boyd, Ethel Jones, Sarah Meriweather Nutter, Alice Murray, Carrie Snowden and Harriet Terry) who had been impressed by the new sorority.
From this small nucleus, Alpha Kappa Alpha has grown to a membership of more than 170,000 college women in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa. The International Headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois operated by an Executive Director and several staff members.

Through the years, Alpha Kappa Alpha’s program has had as its chief aim “service to all mankind”. It has always remained the constant purpose to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve the social stature of the race.

ΨΩΩ Chapter History

In a referendum held on November 8, 2011, residents of Peachtree Corners, Georgia voted to incorporate as Gwinnett County’s 16th city. With a population of 34,274, Peachtree Corners became the largest city in the county. Peachtree Corners is a city in western Gwinnett County, Georgia. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta, and is the largest city in Gwinnett County. The city, situated on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, is located east of Dunwoody and south of Johns Creek. Peachtree Corners is the only one of all of Atlanta’s northern suburbs that was developed as a planned community.

Ora B. Douglass, a 20-year resident of the area and lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, recognized that the community was underserved. Neither Alpha Kappa Alpha nor any of the other “Divine Nine” organizations had an established presence to provide community service in the new city of Peachtree Corners. This acknowledgement sparked a vision and aspiration to engage with other members of the sorority, who shared a desire to fill this void. A transformation occurred as the idea of forming an interest group gained momentum.

Mrs. Douglass opened her home in late November 2011 as the initial meeting place for fifteen inactive and general members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, to design the framework for sisterhood and service in Peachtree Corners. These 15 members selected the name “AKAs Interested in Peachtree Corners”; (Ora Douglass, Beverly Barber, Miya Griggs, Apreal Bailey, Doris Gates, Sharon Thomas, Wanda Bonds, Bea White, Lavonda Smith, Crystal Clark, Paulette Bethel, Nicole Thomas, Sylvia Thomas and Renee Lawrence). The group immediately launched a campaign to welcome Alpha Kappa Alpha members without a chapter affiliation, to participate in mixers and sisterly social events to set the foundation for working together to provide exemplary service and authentic sisterhood. With the growth of this group, the members had to move their regular meetings to the Robert W. Fowler YMCA located in Peachtree Corners. Social activities were augmented by service projects, group worship, and active participation as general members attended sorority-sponsored events including Boulé, Regional Conference, Cluster Conference, and Founders’ Day celebrations. Community leaders in Peachtree Corners and other non-profits took note of this growing group of dynamic women and extended their support and opportunities to partner on projects of mutual interest.

As this strengthening and building was occurring, steps were underway to become an official interest group recognized by Alpha Kappa Alpha. Under Mrs. Douglass’ focused leadership, the group established organizational boundaries to guide the journey. Multidirectional communication occurred across the group and with the 17th South Atlantic Regional Director, Marsha Lewis Brown. Simultaneously, community service projects that supported each of the overarching programs of the sorority were planned and executed. The months marched on and the transformation continued. Like the city it served, the size of the sisterly group grew and the spacious Ivy Preparatory Academy emerged as the new meeting place. On October 3, 2013, after nearly two years of planning, growing, and serving, the application to form an official interest group was approved by the Directorate of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the Pearls in Peachtree Corners Interest Group (PIPC) was established.

In the year that followed, the motto “Authentic Sisterhood and Unsurpassed Community Service” that propelled the Interest Group in its formation, continued to be a driving force and the banner under which they worked tirelessly. Initial Community Service activities included; Mentoring girls at the Ivy Preparatory Academy,

Donating food to local pantries, Planting trees at the Fowler YMCA, Partnering with Belk to provide suits for homeless women, providing training on heart disease, diabetes and hypertension and volunteering for the Peachtree Corners Festival, donating school supplies and collaborating with the Salvation Army in support of Toys for Tots.

In July 2014 after the change in the sorority’s administration during the 66th Boulé in Charlotte, NC, the newly installed 18th South Atlantic Regional Director, Sharon Brown Harriott, took the reins of guiding the Pearls in Peachtree Corners Interest Group on its vision to charter. Under the leadership of the 29th International President Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson, the Peachtree Corners Interest Group was presented to the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Directorate in October 2014, and approved to charter as an Alpha Kappa Alpha graduate chapter in the city of Peachtree Corners.

Psi Omega Omega was chartered with 70 members on December 13, 2014 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. South Atlantic Regional Director Sharon Brown Harriott officiated the rituals and delivered the key note address to the new members of Psi Omega Omega and 300 guests during the public Chartering Luncheon. Other special guests in attendance included Charletta Wilson Jacks, International Recording Secretary; Marsha Lewis Brown, 17th South Atlantic Regional Director; Ella Springs Jones, 16th South Atlantic Regional Director and Shevawn Broxton Young, Cluster V Coordinator. The day’s significance spanned many levels, least of which was its numerical sequence 12/13/14, which will not occur again for 100 years. Psi Omega Omega is the 15th graduate chapter in metro Atlanta area, and the second Alpha Kappa Alpha Graduate Chapter in Gwinnett County.

The chapter’s first administration includes Ora Douglass, President; Beverly Barber, Vice President; LaVonda Smith, Recording Secretary; Christine Smith, Treasurer; and Joy Treadwell, Corresponding Secretary.

The legacy of Psi Omega Omega which started as a vision is now defined by hard work and determination and is nurtured by strong women of Alpha Kappa Alpha who provide sustainable “Authentic Sisterhood and Unsurpassed Community Service” in Peachtree Corners, Georgia.

The Seventy (70) charter members are: Deborah Allen-Gillum, Apreal Bailey, Courtney Baines, Beverly Barber, Gwendolyn Beard, Lori Beard-Daily, Ashley Belmer, Paulette Bethel, Winton Brown, Bethany Bryant, Liz Carnegie, Darrlyn Cornelius-Averhart, Simone Cox, Terri Daniels, Ora B. Douglass, Robin Dunson, Doris Evans-Gates, Constance Franklin, Mary Gilliam, Sonji Gill-Yancy, Kimberly Gowdy, Nastassia Graves, Miya Griggs, Gail Harper, Genora Harrell, Carol Hayes, Yolanda Head, Althea Henderson, Nyaa James, Sharon January, Candace Johnson, Leisa Johnson, Jamila Jones, Karen Kelly, Valerie Keye, Sharon Lowery, Tanis Miller, Sherri Morales, Nicole Neal, Monica Noel, Jocelyn Michelle Henderson Norman, Selma Owens, Donna Phillips, Marlissa Phillips, Kimberly Pleasant, Wanda Prince-Bonds, Sharri Rittenhouse, Brenda Robinson, Crystal Rosser, Natasha Rowland, Talicia Scriven, Robin Sloan, Christine Smith, Felicia Smith, KathySmith, LaVonda Smith, Lisa Smith, Detra Terrell, Nicole Thomas, Sharon Thomas, Sylvia Thomas, KristyAnne Thompson, Nadine Thompson, Joy Treadwell, Jill Triplett, Catherine Turk, Melissa Turk, Adria Welcher, Jewel Wheeler, and LaDeanne Wilson.

Peachtree Corners is a city in western Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta, and is the largest city in Gwinnett County. The city, situated on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, is located east of Dunwoody and south of Johns Creek. Peachtree Corners is the only one of all of Atlanta’s northern suburbs that was developed as a planned community.