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Arts & Letters

The mission of the Arts and Letters Committee is to participate in and create opportunities that will promote cultural awareness and creative pursuits in Berkeley County. Our vision is to promote literacy and the arts by partnering with local stakeholders such as educational entities, civic and community organizations, and businesses to advance our mission.

 

To support our Rural Literacy Initiative, we have placed three Little Libraries in Alvin, Cross, and Huger.  We will expand each year until we reach our goal of placing a library in each rural community throughout Berkeley County.  Ongoing and upcoming projects, activities, and programs that we will implement are our:

 

  • Grand Literary Café, Artist Spotlight, and Talent Search

  • Black History Month Jazz Brunch

  • Rural Literacy Initiative Expansion

  • Prom Dress and Formal Wear Giveaway

  • Book Club

  • Junior Book Club

  • Poster Contest and Creative Writing Contests

  • Community/School Library Book Drive

  • Art Supplies Grants and Donations

  • Reading Buddies Tutoring Program

 

Please contact us if we can help support you or your organization’s arts, literacy, or cultural awareness activities in the greater Berkeley County area.

Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy

Catching the Dreams of Tomorrow, Preparing Young Women for the 21st Century:

 

The Delta Academy was created in 1996 for young females (ages 11-14) to mitigate against academic failure, low self-esteem, and crippled futures. Delta Academy provides an opportunity for local chapters to complement young teens' education in public schools across the nation. A primary goal of the program is to prepare young girls for full participation as leaders in the 21st Century.

 

Delta Academy meets monthly throughout the school year.

Delta GEMS

As a natural extension of the Academy, Delta GEMS was created to catch the dreams of African-American at-risk, adolescent girls aged 14-18. The goals for Delta GEMS are:

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1. To instill the need to excel academically;

2. To provide tools that enable girls to sharpen and enhance their skills to achieve high levels of academic success;

3. To assist girls in proper goal setting and planning for their futures in high school and beyond; and

4. To create compassionate, caring, and community-minded young women by actively involving them in service learning and community service opportunities.

 

In an effort to accomplish the goals of both programs the Berkeley County Alumnae Chapter has hosted the following events:

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  • Community Career Fair(s).

  • Mother-Daughter Tea Parties.

  • Attended Girls Empowerment Conference(s).

  • Present an annual Black History Cultural event.

  • Annual community outreach projects benefiting the Ronald McDonald House, Carolina Youth Development Center, and local Nursing Homes.

  • Participate in workshops on Human Trafficking Awareness, Self-esteem, etiquette, and anti-bullying.

  • Tutoring and mentoring.

  • Sponsor opportunities to develop leadership skills and practice parliamentary procedure.

Economic Development

The Economic Development Committee (EDC) is one of the five-point programmatic thrust of our sorority.  National economic trends such as unstable employment, the threat to Social Security as we know it, and the widening gap between wealth and poverty are the basis for the development of Financial Fortitude, the current Economic Development Program Initiative of Delta Sigma Theta. 

 

Financial Fortitude is a process that will help program participants to set and define goals, develop a plan to achieve them and to put the plan into action.  The process services as a blueprint to address all aspects of personal finances. The Financial Fortitude initiative is comprised of ten components:   Goal Setting, Financial Planning, Budgeting, Debt Management, Savings & Investments, Retirement Planning, Homeownership, Insurance, Estate Planning, and Entrepreneurship.

EDC plans to partner with local and state agencies to promote financial literacy and consciousness.  Upcoming projects include:

 

·        “Do You Know Segments” during Sorority Meetings                                   

·        Financial Planning (Investments and Retirement)

·        Highlight African American businesses in Berkeley County

·        Retail Therapy Presentation

 

If you would like to join the EDC or if there are some financial issues you would like the EDC to address, please contact the committee.         

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