Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Beta Epsilon Omega Chapter presented its “From a Sister’s Heart Women’s Conference” Saturday as part of its Women’s History Month outreach.
The conference, held at Oak Grove Baptist Church, 7289 Stage Rd., provided “an opportunity to empower, engage and enlighten women in ministry and in professional careers,” organizers said.
Attendees heard from speakers and participated in workshops, suggesting strategies for strengthening empowerment and relying on their spirituality while navigating a political world.
Speakers included sorority member Deborah Dewitt, who spoke on the topic “Sustaining a Spiritual Relationship with God In a Chaotic Political Climate.” She focused on three categories: Praying for those in leadership/authority; being anxious for nothing; and remembering “God is in control.”
“The natural tendency is to complain about the governing leaders and to see them as enemies rather than to pray for them and to seek to help them come to faith in Christ,” Dewitt said. “(Apostle) Paul specifically tells us that we should pray for kings and all who are in authority. And it’s in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”
Sorority member Telesa Payne Mason presented six steps to consider to choose the best candidate, one being the quality of the workplace team placed behind that leader.
“When you have leaders, and one of the most important things about a leader is what? The people that are on your team,” Payne said. “Regardless of how fantastic of a coach he is, he stands on the sidelines. The action happens on the court, right?”
A leader’s role is to facilitate, encourage and orchestrate plays, but her team has to execute, Mason added.
Pamela Addison, Beta Epsilon Omega chaplain and chair of the Spiritual Committee, conceived the idea of the conference as something she wanted to do for her mother. The sorority embraced it immediately, she said.
“It focuses on sharing our personal experiences from one sister’s heart to another sister’s heart,” said Addison.
Workshops allowed sorority members and attendees to interact during discussions, sharing and learning from each other.
“I’m very happy to be here helping to learn something to help you mentally, physically and emotionally,” said chapter member Lynetra C. Ross.
Judy Martin, Beta Epsilon Omega president, said she was pleased with how the conference has grown and developed since it started three years ago.
“You always wonder when you’re having an event how people are going to respond to the offering. But I was pleased to see that folks were very responsive,” Martin noted. “We have an interesting group now. We have people that are very spirit-laying.”
