Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is exporting a Black American tradition to the U.K. It officially charted the first AKA chapter in the country, which will be known as Alpha Delta Alpha Omega Chapter, on Friday. It is the 19th chapter of AKA’s international mission. Technically, there was a precursor to the AKA’s presence in London with the former Tau Sigma Omega Chapter, which was dissolved in 2006.
AKA inaugurated the new chapter in London on Friday. Alpha Delta Alpha Omega Chapter includes 25 professional women who work in fields like real estate, finance, medicine and business.
“History has been made across the pond!” the sorority wrote in an Instagram post. “Congratulations to the charter members of Alpha Delta Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® on your official chartering in London, United Kingdom!”
More on the UK’s first AKA chapter
Before its official induction, the interest group was titled the Royal Pearl Society. They have been working with local organizations to help communities in need this past year, according to Watch the Yard. The group spearheaded initiatives such as the distribution of 350 Childhood Hunger Power Packs, assembling over 200 Blessing Bags, organizing an eight-week entrepreneurship training program for women, investing over ÂŁ3,000 in Black-owned businesses and volunteering over 200 hours.
“These women are already making an enormous difference in and around London,” Carrie J. Clark, AKA’s International Regional Director. “They are an amazing group of servant leaders who I am confident will expand Alpha Kappa Alpha’s legacy of service in the Greater London area for years to come.”
Alpha Delta Alpha Omega Chapter will keep focusing on similar initiatives after its official induction. They plan on organizing activities like distributing children’s books by Black authors, as well as collecting professional attire for women re-entering the workforce.
Alpha Kappa Alpha chartered international chapters early on in its history
Although sororities are an American tradition, AKA established international chapters early on, according to their website. The first one to be established overseas was the AKA chapter in Liberia, which was chartered in 1954. AKA then opened another international chapter in Nassau, Bahamas, in 1963, in the U. S. Virgin Islands in 1978, and in Germany a year later. Other countries with international chapters include Japan, South Korea, Canada, South Africa and more.
The sorority has led global initiatives like efforts to reduce poverty in sub-Saharan African countries, building schools in South Africa after apartheid and service missions to support women and children in Liberia.
The organization now counts over 365,000 members across 13 countries and territories.
