11119...O6!!!

Today is a great and wonderful day to be alive! I had a wonderful and exuberant weekend! It was cold here where I live in the city of Toledo, Ohio, however that had nothing to do with the brotherhood I experienced on yesterday evening. For those of you who know me, one of my affiliations is Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Yes yes yes...1119 06!

Well, before the religious right decides to crucify me for giving the Alphas a shout out...I want you to realize that I owe a lot to this fraternity. I didn't say anything sacrilegious and that's not my aim. It's just that from a child, I was raised to believe that it was a "sin" to pledge a fraternity. I learned that that was in err when I did some study on my own in college. What I found was that the "church" was basically condemning some of the initiation practices that pledgees had to do to become a part of the fraternity. All of that has been abolished so hazing nis no longer even in the equation anymore so enough already! Let's move on and get to the reason for the fraternity...which is the BROTHERHOOD!

I, being the only son of a preacher always asked my parents why they couldn't produce another boy into the family. I have a sister, but it's not the same as having a brother! (My sister probably feels the same way regarding having another sister, I might add) So I grew up feeling as if I was a bit deprived because I didn't know what it felt like to have any brothers. Well, I've experienced a brotherhood like no other since crossing the burning sands into the best and finest fraternity in the world...the mighty black and old gold!

Now for those of you who are apart of another fraternity, I wish you well, and don't choose to use this blog as a way to talk about anyone else. That's not my aim PERIOD. Today, I just thank the Lord for bringing a group of brothers into my life at the right time! I couldn't become an alpha while I was at Morehouse due to circumstances way way beyond my control, however, after talking to my uncle, who has since departed this life, I made it my business to finish the journey that I sought out while at school in the ATL in the mid 1990's. It was always a burning desire from junior high after seeing a brother by the name of Dave Young chill out with some of his fraternity brothers while at Bowling Green State University. I said to myself, "I want to be a part of that!" Not a church group, not a community organization, but a fraternity. A fraternity that is the oldest and wisest of its kind! When looking up this fraternity's website, you see many of the leading african american men listed amongst this group!

I even dare say that to be apart of this esteemed fraternity means to be listed amongst the "talented tenth" a phrase that was coined by, Wiliam Edward Burghardt DuBois, also an Alpha. Reflecting on yesterday, December 4th, I couldn't help but think about what this world would be like if it hadn't been for the 7 Jewels daring to do what hadn't yet been done! Yesterday was the 99th year of our existence and all I can say is that "Strong Men Keep-A-Comin' On!"

Happy 99th Anniversary, if yesterday was any type of segway to what the 100th is going to be like next year...all I can say is COUNT ME IN!

I love you all! To my sands...Taleb, Clarence, Marcus, Rob, Joe and Richie...I got yo front!

To the line that just crossed...Craig, Stephen, Mike, and JR...If you need anything...holla

Chief...Imma miss you bruh...

To those who have crossed those burning sands before me...Keith, Dre, Richard W., Tirrell, Che, Shelby, Sean, Nick, Steve, Henry, Coburn, Free, George, Zoom, Big brother ROY from the Bloody K, Tino, Jay, Marcus, Deron, James, Ron, Tony, Ward, Vince, Vic, Stephen, Sebastian, Gilchrist...I could keep goin and goin...but I'm going to stop before I really get started...

I'm being straight up from the heart and keepin it real!

Much love!

R