Source: Courtesy of Disney / Disney
The Divine Nine Black Greek-letter organizations are some of the most pivotal groups in Black culture.
They are oftentimes the intersection for community, connection and advancement among educated Black people. And while these organizations have already created lasting legacies based on tradition, pride and camaraderie, continued support from corporate partners could go a long way in ensuring the noble works of these organizations continue.
The weekend of July 9, hundreds of members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, blessed Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park through collaboration with Walt Disney World.
The women took part in a private after-hours reception hosted by Walt Disney World Resort to celebrate the start of their 70th biennial conference known as the Boule which is taking place in Orlando, Florida from July 10-15.
“There was mutual interest between the Sorority and Disney to collaborate during their time in town for this city-wide convention that brought some 12k attendees to Orlando. There is a lot of excitement for the Disney brand from the membership,” said Michelle Stepney, Director of Inclusive Strategies for Walt Disney World. “It was particularly an honor to welcome the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as they celebrated their conference theme, “the Magic of Excellence.”
The message strongly connects to what we do each day at Disney as we share the magic of storytelling and exceptional service with our guests.”
The welcome reception inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park featured a night of delectable treats, live entertainment, and interactions with some of the Disney characters.
Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-letter organization founded for Black collegiate women in this nation’s history. They are also one of the biggest Divine Nine organizations with more than 300,000 members. Their reach is beyond powerful and with collaborative efforts from corporate titans like Walt Disney World the sorority can only continue to expand its impact.
According to Walt Disney World, the work with Alpha Kappa Alpha is not done. Disney will also establish workforce development strategies throughout the conference to help undergraduate members of the organization.
“In addition to hosting the private, after-hours welcome reception at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney was on-site at the convention with its Disney on the Yard initiative. This workforce development effort provides educational and career resources for students at HBCUs and underrepresented students from other institutions. We are very interested in cultivating this relationship with the intention of establishing career connections for the undergraduate members of the sorority,” said Stepney.
This same blueprint can continue to be utilized and perfected by all Divine Nine organizations.
In a time where social consciousness is nearly a requirement for corporations, this could open the door for some of the most beloved organizations in Black culture to continue their efforts to impact lives on an even greater scale.
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