Chapter History
The idea started as a VISION to provide community service within the 238-square-mile radius of Grand Prairie, Irving, Mansfield, and Midlothian, Texas. These communities faced frequent health, economic, education, and other civic issues that need to be addressed, and we saw how these communities could benefit from the programs that Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® readily offers.
It began New Year’s Eve 2016, Dr. Sylonda Burns, Carisma Ramsey Fields, and Linda Tezeno attended the annual watch night service together as they had done for years, and they once again ended up back at the home of Linda Tezeno. After hearing that inspirational message, they were all inspired to make more positive changes in their lives and the communities they loved.
As the old saying goes, “Life happens,” each of these visionaries experienced changes in their lives, yet the vision never left their minds.
On New Year’s Eve 2017, Dr. Burns, Fields, and Tezeno attended the watch night service again and were joined by Theresa Austin. Once again, they received an inspirational message, and this message confirmed the message about their vision a year earlier. The sermon was entitled “Having A Vision and Following It: Trust God and Move.” It was time to begin to work on their vision. Ramsey Fields felt the spark the most, so she took the lead. The other ladies had other obligations, so she began the two-year project to research how to start a chapter.
On Monday, November 26, 2018, Ramsey Fields enlisted the help of Theresa Austin, Gina Brown, Alisa Simmons, Linda Tezeno, and Erica Thompson. She sent the following email to them:
On Monday, December 10, 2018, the six sorority members met at the home of Gina Brown. They assembled a list of inactive members and discussed the cities they wanted to incorporate in the newest area of the DFW Metroplex. This group continued to plan for the next year, and it was concluded that the proposed service areas would be Grand Prairie, Irving, Mansfield, and Midlothian, Texas.
In the fall of 2019, Carisma spoke to the group about welcoming Sharon Temple, who could research and recruit inactive members in the DFW area.
Upper Row – Left to Right: Sharon Temple, Gina Brown, Theresa Austin, Erica Thompson, Alisa Simmons.
Lower Row – Left to Right: Dr. Sylonda Burns, Carisma Ramsey Fields, Linda Tezeno.
In March 2020, the women hosted their first sisterly gathering with inactive and general members that live in the proposed service areas regarding their vision.
On June 16, 2020, the group had its first gathering; at this time, the Residents of the Mid-Cities Region had grown to 21 members. They were: Rhonda Brookins; Gina Brown; Idora Caldwell; Kelly King Causey; Tiffany Clayborne-Holley; Monica Dabney; Jade Gaines; Rochelle Heslip; Katrina Holley; Keisha Jones; Alounda Joseph; Karen Lacy; Melina Mayfield-Williams; Raenalda Palmer; Melinda Pugh; Carisma Ramsey Fields; Quanesha Speed; Sharon Temple, Linda Tezeno and Erica Thompson.
At this meeting, the group leads were assigned. They were:
Melinda Pugh, Letters of Support Committee
Quanesha Speed, Membership Efforts
Keisha Jones; Explorative Finance Team;
Katrina Holley and Erica Thompson, Community Outreach
Rochelle Heslip and Tiffany Clayborne Holley, Sisterly Relations Team.
By December 2020, the group had grown to over 90 members. They prepared a virtual tour of the proposed service areas for Regional Director Joya T. Hayes and the newly formed South Central Chartering Committee. Corporate partners and community connections were featured as they gave a sample of services that could be done in the area. The response was overwhelmingly positive.
On February 26, 2021, the members and residents of the Mid-Cities Region of DFW were approved to become an official interest group of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® under the approved name of A Vision Fair.
On March 6, 2021, the first meeting of A Vision Fair was called to order. The group voted on bylaws, budget, meeting dates and times, and elected officers.
The Members of A Vision Fair worked tirelessly performing community service projects such as collecting eyeglasses and shoes; supplying food at local food pantries; sponsoring an HBCU virtual college tour; and meeting elected officials in the four service area cities, to name a few.
In June 2022, the seventy nine members of A Vision Fair were delighted to receive the news from the 26th South Central Regional Director, Joya T. Hayes. that the Board of Directors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® under the leadership of the 30th International President Dr. Glenda Glover approved the Interest Group’s application to charter a graduate chapter in Grand Prairie, Irving, Mansfield, Midlothian, Texas.
On August 14, 2022, A Vision Fair’s vision became a reality, and Alpha Beta Phi Omega Chapter was chartered, becoming the first chartered chapter under Danette Anthony Reed, the 31st International President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® and the 142nd chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® in the South Central region.
The officers who the Regional Director installed following the chartering were:
President
Carisma Ramsey Fields
Vice President
Kiffany Banks
Secretary
Terri-Ann McKenize
Corresponding Secretary
Melinda Pugh
Treasurer
Keisha Jones
Financial Secretary
Sharon Marshall
Hostess
Tanisha Gibbs
Ivy Leaf Reporter
Stephanie Swan
Stacey | Alexander |
Juanita | Allen |
Theresa E. | Austin |
Kiffany | Banks |
Marian E. | Barrett-Mayfield |
JilAvaunti | Bias |
Tonnette | Black |
Jasmine | Brazile |
Rhonda | Brookins |
Sylonda D. | Burns |
Idora J. | Caldwell |
Tiffany | Cathey |
Kelly King | Causey |
Summer Rose | Chaney |
Tiffany | Clayborne Holley |
Jaquetta | Clemons-Davis |
Adrienne | Coburn |
Andrea Elizabeth | Cook |
Monica | Dabney |
Cherry | Elder |
Shondra | Ewing |
Erika | Fadel |
Carisma Ramsey | Fields |
Sa’Carol | Ford |
Jade | Gaines |
Tanisha | Gibbs |
Freda | Hardaway |
Rochelle | Heslip |
Leigh | Holland |
Katrina | Holley |
Kimberly | James |
Cora | Johns-Trower |
Toni | Johnson Gunner |
Keisha N. | Jones |
Alounda | Joseph |
Tonya | Kirkendoll Lewis |
Karen | Lacy |
Cristal | Laury |
Elizabeth K. | Lewis |
Sherlyn | Lollis |
Kaia | Luke |
Sharon | Marshall |
Sabrina | Mayberry |
Melina | Mayfield – Williams |
Terri-Ann | McKenzie |
Christyn | Mullen-Lee |
Aysia | Parker-Shaw |
Melinda | Pugh |
Felicia | Quigley |
Wanda | Roberson Varner |
Karmen | Rubin |
Yolanda | Sampson |
Vertecia | Shoto |
Alisa | Simmons |
Joyce | Sloan |
Quanesha | Speed |
Stephanie | Swan |
Sharon | Temple |
Linda | Tezeno |
Erica | Thompson |
Lisa | Tomkies |
Stephanie | Viera |
Kimberly | Waiters- Heiskell |
Patricia | Webb |
Karen | Wright |