THE WALL ST. ALPHA REPORT

The official Wall Street Alphas newsletter,

Kappa Xi Lambda Chapter, NYC

Vol. 4, No. 4

THE WALL ST. ALPHA REPORT

The official Wall Street Alphas newsletter,

Kappa Xi Lambda Chapter, NYC

President’s Letter

Dear Brothers and Guests,

I hope this newsletter finds each of you well. It is

truly an honor to inform each of you of all the

great work the brothers of Kappa Xi Lambda

have already done in 2011 and begin to disclose

some of the details behind the events in the

upcoming months.

Since our last newsletter, the brothers of Kappa

Xi Lambda have continued to strive for

excellence with our efforts in the community and

focus on strengthening of our brotherhood. We

were involved in and supported meaningful

programming in February in celebration of Black

History Month. We were able to collaborate with

some of our strategic partners in this effort

focusing on making sure the community was

informed of the importance of the African

American’s contribution to America’s history, but

also the importance of us stepping up and

serving as leaders for our future.

In the beginning of March, we had several

brothers head out to our 79th Eastern Regional

Convention held in Bermuda. All who were in

attendance came back to the US motivated and

re-energized to do the work of our beloved

fraternity. Many of the brothers have stated how

much they enjoyed the fraternal bonds built from

the gathering of brothers from different chapters

and areas. The upcoming months will find the

brothers convening in Chicago in June for our

National Convention and in August for the

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Ceremony. I

encourage all brothers who can to make an

effort to attend these events.

I continue to be impressed with the development

of our Alpha GENTS throughout the year. The

brothers and GENTS spent several weeks

Continued on page 2

Vol. 4, No. 4

The ALPHAmazing Race! by Bro. Dr. Ted Ingram

Students were challenged to explore lower New

York City, learning more about some of the most

significant landmarks that Manhattan has to offer.

This was the task G.E.N.T.S. (Gaining Essential

Networking Tools for Success) students recently

faced in the ALPHAmazing Race. The objective was

for the GENTS to be aware of the educational

offerings and history that exists in their immediate

surroundings. GENTS were expected to pay

attention to the historical landmarks, higher

education options, as well as learn more about the

contributions of African American and/or Latin

Americans’ in their everyday environments.

Additional goals of this activity were for participants

to embrace teamwork as well as to demonstrate

effective communication when approaching and

speaking to strangers to help them achieve their

goal. Equipped with a scavenger list and a camera

phone, GENTS were paired with brothers to

accompany them along their journey. Within 3

hours, teams of 4 were created and the young men

scattered throughout Manhattan in hopes of winning

while learning more about their home city. Their task

was to take pictures of various sites while

completing random acts along their journey. Some

of the sites included popular places like City Hall

and local Colleges while taking pictures of

miscellaneous items (e.g. taxi cabs, dogs in

clothing), all while answering relevant trivia. Teams

were able to earn points by taking the most pictures

and providing the right answers to the trivia.

Time was of the essence as GENTS and brothers

were running against the clock in hopes of

becoming number one. This was a fast-paced day

Continued on page 2

President’s Letter

Continued from Page 1

working on the planning of our Annual National

Project Alpha, which took place on April 16.

Judging by the participation of the brothers and

feedback from the GENTS, this may have been

the best program yet! We continue to work with

our Alpha GENTS on their professional

development and focus on assisting our outgoing

seniors with their transition into college life.

The brothers are working diligently to support our

efforts in the community. Our chairmen for March

for Babies, our annual chapter initiative of Alphas

Against Aids, and establishing our relationship

with the Wall Street Walk/Run, are at the forefront

of our minds. We are also in the midst of finalizing

the logistics of our highly anticipated wine tasting

entitled SIP in June. This event will assist us in

our continued development and mentoring of our

Alpha GENTS and is sure to be a very eventful

night.

As you can see the brothers have been extremely

busy over the last few months and continue to

answer our call to service as stewards of the

NYC community. While we have had a very

productive year, I encourage each and every

brother to continue to hold the light high and

support the chapter with our efforts to end this

fraternal year with the energy and enthusiasm we

have maintained throughout this fraternal year.

Let us continue to seek the opportunities to make

a difference in the community, reclaim our

brothers and bring them back into the house of

Alpha, continue to find ways to get our brothers

involved in the business of the chapter, and enjoy

the impact we are having on the community and

each other’s lives. Onwards and upwards!

Lael Chappell

President, KXL Chapter

“Wall Street Alphas”

Inside this Edition

President’s Letter Editor’s Report Resurrection Sunday Brother on the Move! KXL “Alumni” Spring Additions March for Babies & Alphas Against AIDS

2

….ALPHAmazing Race

Continued from page 1

as team players tested their physical and mental

endurance. Ultimately there was only one winning

team as Brother Gio Gallaread and his GENTS

teammates (l -r) : JordanToby (9th grade), Robert

Spencer (12th grade), Mamadou Bah (11th grade) and

Thomas Ravello (9th grade) earned the most points.

Members of the winning team hold their prize -

“Decoded”, hip hop mogul Jay-Z’s latest reader (first

picture) and are seen participating in a race task

(second picture).

3

Greetings Brothers,

I think it‟s safe to say that spring is finally here

after a long NY winter. With that brings a sense

of energy and renewal as we roll up our sleeves

and try to finish off the fraternal year strongly.

This time of year may be our busiest yet as the

calendar is jam packed with events. In this

newsletter we highlight some of the things we‟ve

been up to and what the near future brings.

Bro. Dr. Ted Ingram continues to provide

tremendous leadership in creating and facilitating

programs each month for our Alpha G.E.N.T.S.

(Gaining Essential Networking Tools for Success).

Be sure to read about the latest workshops that

he and the KXL brothers organized for the

G.E.N.T.S. including the ALPHAmazing race, a

resume writing workshop and our national

program Project Alpha. Great work bruhs!

We put the spotlight this month on Brother Eric

Dickens in our Brother on the Move section.

Brother Dickens is a young up and coming

filmmaker. He discusses his passion for film,

those who inspire him to make film, and what led

him to seek affiliation with Alpha Phi Alpha

Fraternity while a student at Delaware State.

Christmas holiday, it‟s pretty easy to allow

yourself to get caught up in the

commercialization of the day, worrying more

about colored eggs, Peeps, and chocolate

bunnies. Bro Toussaint gets into subjects like

belief, resurrection, and salvation.

Dust the snow off your walking shoes and locate

your Alpha gear. The chairmen have been busy

getting everything ready to facilitate our teams

for March for Babies (May 1st), Alphas Against

AIDS (May 15th), and for the first year ever we will

participate in the Wall Street Walk/Run (May 17th).

Besides being opportunities to burn off a few

calories, it‟s an opportunity to come out strong

and walk as brothers and family. If you have not

put up your website pages to assist in raising

contributions for March for Babies and Alphas

Against AIDS, please contact the chairmen for

assistance!

We are happy to once again feature some of our

KXL “alumni” brothers who have left the chapter

and moved on to new geographies, new

vocations, but in most cases, continue to do the

work of Alpha. We also happily welcome new

members of the KXL family as a few of our

brothers have been blessed with children over the

past few months.

THE EDITOR’S REPORT

In a few days many of us will

celebrate Easter Sunday and

appreciate a sense of renewal

because of the meaning of that

day. Bro Wiky Toussaint put

the day in perspective,

preferring to have us think of

the day as “Resurrection

Sunday”. Not unlike the

Oh, yeah. SIP is back! 6/6/11.

Get your tickets before it sells

out!

„06,

Brian Pruitt

Newsletter Editor in Chief

Wall St. Alphas

Note: The Editor’s report reflects thoughts or opinions of the Editor and are not necessarily

shared by the chapter or the Fraternity as a whole.

4

Resurrection (Easter) Sunday: A Day of Belief and Salvation

by Bro. Wiky Toussaint

We will dissect these two topics of

“Resurrection Sunday” together.

First, you must BELIEVE the

Resurrection ever took place. Let’s

say one day you are given a new

Mercedes S 550 because of a

contest you entered and with

excitement you share the news with

your line brother. The conversation

may go this way:

Spr 97 #2- “Guess what, I won a

contest and received a new

Mercedes!”

Spr 97 #1- “Oh yeah!”

Spr 97 #2- “I can’t believe God’s

favor.”

Spr 97 #1- “So when can I see it?”

So when can I see it?

This is our response to many of life’s unbelievable acts. We need to get to a point in our belief system

where we believe without seeing. A familiar passage in the bible-Mark 9:24 says, “The father at once cried

out, I do believe, but help (me in) my unbelief. Help me believe more”. Brother’s until we return to Jesus or

upon his return, the “Resurrection” is a thing we must believe without physically having been at Calvary to

see. John 20:29 says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”. “Blessed” means

empowered to prosper. Brothers you’ll be empowered to prosper in your career, family, finances, health,

etc. if you’ll just believe. Trusting that Jesus Christ went to the cross on our behalf is not an easy thing to

do, but nothing that ever came in life was “easy”. The cross at Calvary was not “easy”, but the love Jesus

had for us allowed him to endure the cross.

You must know the resurrection was for our SALVATION. Salvation is described as preservation or

deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil. God says in Jeremiah 29:11 that he knows the plans for us,

but the enemy (Satan) has a plan for us too. The plan is to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10). He

wants to bring difficulty and evil into our words. Thankfully, God’s plan is to redeem us from this and he did

this by sending his only begotten son – Jesus Christ. Honestly speaking, we merited death, but Jesus

dying on the cross saved us from impeding destruction. If you could imagine, always “weeping and

gnashing of teeth” (Luke 13), well that will be the outcome if you do not accept Jesus Christ’s free gift of

salvation. Simply…accept Christ as your savior.

Final thought: we have always been taught Resurrection (Easter) Sunday was about new church suits,

pretty dresses, the Easter bunny, and chocolate, but Resurrection (Easter) Sunday means so much more.

We are so blessed that this act of love took place. Do not succumb to the commercialization of Easter that

the media promotes. This Resurrection (Easter) Sunday take the time out to reflect on the Savior’s

sacrifice with your families. God bless! 06!

5

Brother on the Move:

Up and Coming Filmmaker Bro. Eric Dickens by Bro. Tony Thompson

According to Webster’s, creativity is marked by the ability or power to create, to bring into existence, to

invest with a new form, to produce through imaginative skill, to make or bring into existence something

new. Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story idea, through scriptwriting, shooting,

editing, directing and distribution to an audience. A filmmaker has a significant degree of control over the

creation of a movie. This can be a daunting task but not for the intelligence and determination of an Alpha

Man! Bro. Eric Dickens is well on his way to becoming a major filmmaker, having had 2 of his short films,

Justine and When It Rains, accepted into film festivals around the country.

Eric hails from Philadelphia, PA where he graduated from the Franklin Learning Center in 2002 with a

concentration in Art. In 2006 he received his degree from Delaware State University with a major in

Television Production and a minor in Marketing. He decided to continue his education and went on to

graduate school at the New School in New York City graduating with a degree in Media Studies. He is

currently employed at Turner Broadcasting as a Digital Traffic Specialist. Eric was initiated into the

Gamma Sigma chapter of Alpha in the Fall of 2003 on the Campus of Delaware State.

I had a chance to speak with Eric and find out more about the brother who is destined to become a force in

the entertainment industry.

Brother Dickens I am happy for your success and proud to call you a Brother. What made you decide on

Alpha Phi Alpha? What led you to become a member of KXL?

I grew up in West Philadelphia and studied Art at a Performance Arts High School. Prior to college I knew

very little about Greek Lettered Organizations. I was first exposed to the fraternity through the Dean of the

Mass Communications department at Delaware State University, Bro. Dr. Gorum. He informed me on how

deep rooted Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. is within American History and how the brotherhood has

contributed to society. After researching the organization, and seeing them interact within the community, I

decided that Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. was the right choice for me. I instantly realized that Alpha Phi

Alpha Fraternity Inc. was the only organization that I identified with and that mirrored my core values.

When searching for a graduate chapter, I felt like the Wall Street Alpha’s were one of the youngest

chapters in the city. I spoke to a few brothers prior and was invited to a chapter meeting. After attending, I

quickly felt like I found a place to call home.

Do you think Alpha can do a better job retaining Brothers after they leave college? What would you

suggest?

I believe the only way to encourage undergraduate brothers to remain active within the Fraternity is to work

alongside them while they’re still in undergrad so that the transition is smooth for them upon graduation. If

alumni brothers and undergrad chapters constantly sponsor events and workshops together, then I believe

more brothers would remain active.

How did you become involved in filmmaking? What types of films do you make?

Throughout college I initially wanted to pursue a career as a director in television, but after several

Continued on page 6

6

internships with different networks that include, BET,

ESPN, Court TV and CBS, I realized that I wanted to

tell a story that would impact viewers across the

world. While attending graduate school, I developed

a passion for film when I first read the book entitled

“Uplift the Race: The Construction of School Daze”,

written by Spike Lee and Lisa Jones. Within the

literature, it gave an inside look into the pre-

production, production and post-production phases of

the film “School Daze”. Although Spike Lee had

garnered great success with his first film entitled,

“She’s Gotta Have It”, I believe that School Daze was

his first timeless piece that is still relevant within

today’s society. Witnessing the way that he was able

to bring his vision to big screens across America,

played a factor in encouraging me to embark on my

journey within film.

Currently I’ve written several short films that focus on

the black experience within real life situations.

Although, I specialize in Drama’s, I’ve begun

challenging myself to write screenplays that display

no color in regards to race.

Has the success of men like Spike Lee, John

Singleton, or Tyler Perry influenced you?

I’ve been influenced by several filmmakers that that

include Spike Lee, John Singleton, The Hughes

Brothers, Martin Scorsese, John Hughes, The Hudlin

Brothers and William Packer, but one in particular

that I admire the most is F. Gary Grey. I believe that

within any career, progression is the key. Grey made

his directorial debut with “Friday” and later directed

the “Negotiator”. He was given a budget of $50

million dollars for that specific movie, which was the

highest budget ever to be given to a black director.

Continued on page 7

….Brother on the Move Continued from page 5

Bro. Eric Dickens in a profile spot and doing what he loves behind the camera filming “When it Rains”.

7

….Brother on the Move Continued from page 6

Our February newsletter highlighted Brother Eric Hamilton and his work with his Web Academy. Congrats to Bro Hamilton on being highlighted recently in Black Enterprise in a feature on social media. Black Enterprise Magazine

Bro. Hamilton recognized in Black Enterprise Magazine

Actor Anthony Mackie was recently quoted as saying

that all of the barriers in Hollywood for African-

Americans have been broken. "I think right now

[blacks] are being kinda lazy on our game," Mackie

said. "There are enough brothers with distribution deals

and production deals where we should be making our

own movies." What is your response to his

statements?

I believe that Anthony Mackie is 100% correct. Why

wait for someone to give you the green light when you

can put your own dreams into motion. Tyler Perry is a

prime example of an overachiever. He has turned a

stage play into an empire that includes his own

production studios in Atlanta, Georgia. I believe within

today’s society, black people have been forced to

make films that are limited to drug–related topics and

romantic comedies. There is so much more to be told

and in order for that to happen we have to come

together within our own communities.

I’ve had the opportunity to interview Dr. Edward

Robinson, who is also from Philadelphia, and at the

age of 92 still fighting to change the images of blacks in

film. He says that dramas are what shaped not only

the negative opinions of other races when it comes to

blacks, but also our mindset and perceptions of

ourselves. What is your opinion on this subject? Do

you think filmmaking has that power? And if so do you

have any plans to combat these images yourself?

Films have an extremely important influence on

people’s perspectives. I believe as a director you have

a responsibility to consider your audience when

choosing your message. A lot of different nationalities

that do not interact with African Americans believe

what they see on television and in film are

accurate depictions of black culture. Bill Cosby and

Sydney Poitier did an excellent job by showcasing

blacks in non-traditional roles within films like, Uptown

Saturday Night, Let’s Do It Again, and A Piece of the

Action. My personal favorite movie is Boomerang,

directed by Reginald Hudlin. This film not only

launched numerous acting careers, but it showcased

blacks as successful businesswomen and men in the

Continued on page 12

8

A recent Alpha GENTS program focused

on the importance of interview preparation

as many GENTS are thinking about

summer internships or jobs. A guest

speaker in that field covered the classroom

portion of the workshop. The second part

took place in the computer lab at Pace

University where brothers worked with the

GENTS on improving their current resume

or assisting them with starting one.

Brothers assisted with style, format, and

content. The seniors found this useful as

they were able to use the resume for their

college applications as well. The juniors

were also excited to get a head start with

thinking of school after the college tour and

also an early start on going after

opportunities for employment over the

summer.

Alpha GENTS Resume and Career Workshop

SIP is Back!

You asked.

You waited patiently.

And finally….

Once again it’s on!

SIP!

Makes its triumphant return on Monday, June

6th 2011 at the Greenberg Lounge located in

Vanderbilt Hall at NYU Law School.

Donations are $50.00. Please visit

www.wsacf.org/sip for more details.

9

Spring has Sprung!

We welcome the new additions to the KXL family this fraternal year!

1) Kelso, Dimple, and baby Kingston

Anderson.

2) Shannon and Chandra Lanier with

baby Madison Emma-Lee Lanier.

3) Aiden Bakari Lee Broadhead

representing Spr 2029 for Bro Marcus

Broadhead.

3

2

1

10

11

2010-2011 Chapter Officers and Board Members

Kappa Xi Lambda Executive Board President: Brother Lael Chappell

Vice President: Brother Nicolas Rosello, Jr.

Recording Secretary: Brother Thomas Mabry, Jr.

Corresponding Secretary: Brother Jesse Owens

Treasurer: Brother Sean Henry

Financial Secretary: Brother Lino Solis

Chaplain: Brother Dr. Eric Turner

Historian: Brother Sean Gayle

Coordinator of Intake: Brother Keith Harvey

Sergeant-at-Arms: Brother Mel Myrie

Parliamentarian: Brother Christopher Hunt

Dir. of Educational Activity: Brother Dr. Ted Ingram

Assoc. Editor to the Sphinx: Brother Tony Thompson

Wall Street Alphas Charitable Foundation Board of Directors

President & Chairman: Brother Shawn A. Curwen

Secretary: Brother Tony Johnson

Treasurer: Brother Roy A. Williams

Board Member: Brother Jioha Amatokwu

Board Member: Brother Damon Culcleasure

Newsletter Committee

Editor in Chief: Brother Brian Pruitt

Assistant Editor: Brother Tony Thompson

Contributors: Brother Chris Hunt

Brother NaQuinton Gainous

Brother Lino Solis

Brother Geshawn Williams

12

Why we “March for Babies” by Bro. Giovanni Gallaread

For decades, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

has maintained a productive relationship with its

national partner, March of Dimes, through

volunteering, creating awareness and

contributing over $1 million to fund research and

programs to prevent premature birth, birth

defects and infant mortality.

This year, the Brothers of Kappa Xi Lambda

aspire to continue providing service and

advocacy for communities by raising $3,000 and

having 20 Brothers participate in March for

Babies 2011 scheduled for Sunday, May 1st. The

Brothers will be meeting at 9:30am at Lincoln

Center on the stairs of the Josie Robertson

Plaza.

As a chapter with a strong historical emphasis

on reclamation, an endeavor of this nature

provides an opportunity for Brothers, family and

friends to come together to uplift the community

with a short walk from Lincoln Center to Union

Square. In faithfulness to the creed of

companionship, there will be a post-walk

fellowship at Brother Jimmy’s BBQ in Union

Square.

Bro. Michael Abraham and Bro. Giovanni

Gallaread are spearheading the Wall Street

Alphas’ March for Babies Committee.

Questions can be directed to

WallStreetAlphasMarch@gmail.com and

donations to assist the chapter in reaching its

goal can be directed to

www.MarchforBabies.org/WallStreetAlphas

….Brother on the Move Continued from page 7

process. Within my films I hope to inspire others

by showing viewers that we have no boundaries

when it comes to telling stories.

For more information on Eric’s films please see

read the descriptions below and visit the

websites. Remember the name Eric Dickens

because I’m sure you will hear it again!

Short Film: Justine

Website: www.Justine2010.com

Film Festivals Accepted: Arizona Black Film

Festival, Urban Suburban Black Film Festival

Synopsis:

Trapped in a world where her courage is tested,

Justine is confronted with traumatic news. As

she aspires to become a working actress, she

begins to experience numerous hardships while

trying to survive in the Big Apple. With regret

and reluctance, Justine is forced to make life

changing decisions that will ultimately detour her

relationship and dreams. As she battles cancer –

will hope be enough or will her world come

crashing down?

Short Film: When it Rains

Website: www.whenitrains2010.com

Film Festivals Accepted: Twin Cities Black Film

Festival, San Diego Black Film Festival, Urban

Suburban Black Film Festival

Synopsis:

Fueled by money, Christopher has become a

powerful executive at a major Fortune 500

company. Although he has successfully

navigated up the corporate ladder, his personal

life suddenly takes a downward spiral. Torn

between two women, Christopher finds himself

tangled in a web of guilt and frustration. When

tragedy strikes, he is forced to make an ill-fated

decision that will impact everyone in his circle.

As the sky turns gray and the night grows cold,

will Christopher find a place to call home, “When

it Rains”?

13

Project Alpha by Bro. Malik Simmonds

Brothers and GENTS gathered on Saturday,

May 16th for our annual Project Alpha Seminar

and Basketball Tournament. As usual, this was

the most anxiously anticipated program of the

year and was well attended by both GENTS and

brothers. The young men had a GREAT time

and were engaged in great dialogue. The

conversations went to a place that I don't believe

anyone of us would have anticipated. The

personal stories from both the GENTS and our

guest speaker Claire Simon and the ladies from

the Young Women of Color HIV / AIDS Coalition

were heart felt and genuine. They challenged

both groups to rethink and assess ideas about

our roles in relationships and the long term

impact our behaviors have on one another.

Thank you to Brother Rick Thurmond for

coordinating such effective speakers for the

classroom session and making this an effective

workshop. The basketball tournament sparked

great competition and camaraderie. The games

were intense and a great bonding opportunity for

the GENTS. The day would not have been able

to run as smoothly as it did without the great

participation of the brothers. Thanks to Bros

Ingram, Williams, Chappell, Culcleasure, Allen,

McClinton, Horton, Robinson, Owens, Mabry,

Montgomery, Thompson, Bates, Dawson,

Gainous, Figueroa, Harvey, Okhiria, and Burton

for coming out. 06!

Check out the “Alpha G.E.N.T.S NYC: Project

Alpha Basketball Tournament” Facebook page for

more on this event and the G.E.N.T.S.!

On Monday, March 28, 2011, City Limits Magazine celebrated the launch of its March/April Issue: "Defining Brooklyn" at Skylight Gallery in Bed-Stuy. Borough President Marty Markowitz proclaimed the day "City Limits" Day in Brooklyn. More than 300 people attended the event. Congratulations to City Limits Director, KXL Bro. Mark Anthony Thomas, making it happen in NYC!

14

Notable Events!

"Sketches of a Man" is a collection of Monologues

featuring 7 different men who have experienced a

major event in their lives and how they were

forever changed. These are their stories…stories

of Love, Passion, and Vengeance! KXL Brothers

Tony Thompson, John Schuck, and Joseph

Shayne are featured in the play along with

Deshawn Devante, Christopher Raglin, Damien

McAuley, and Melvin Shadd. Catch them on

Friday, May 20th and Saturday, May 21st at

7 pm, and Sunday, May 22nd at 4 pm at the

South Oxford Space in Brooklyn or as part of the

DC Black Theatre Festival performing on June

18th and 19th in Washington DC on the

Josephine Baker Stage.

"Sketches of a Man", written by Melvin Shadd, is

directed by Leslie “ButtaFlySoul” Taylor.

Check out their Facebook page and also the

website www.dcblacktheatrefestival.com for more

detailed information!

Bro. Morton’s Pastoral Installation

On Sunday, May 22, Bro. Rev. Darren M.

Morton will be installed as the 7th Pastor at

Macedonia Baptist Church, where he received

his conversion, ministerial license, and

ordination. Besides being the 24th Eastern

Region Vice President (2001-2005), many KXL

brothers have a particular affection for Bro.

Morton as he played a key part in the re-

chartering of the chapter in 2002.

Various services are planned May 17th – 22nd

in celebration of this event including guest

preacher General President, Rev. Herman

"Skip" Mason on May 17.

Sketches of a Man

15

16

Bro. Christian Robinson Brother Christian Robinson (Fall '02, Zeta Pi, The

University of Georgia) has been spending the past

two years in Chapel Hill where he is about to

complete his Masters of Business Administration at

the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School this

upcoming May. Brother Robinson was awarded the

Consortium Fellowship and subsequently became

one of the selected Dean's Fellows for his MBA

class. During his time at UNC Kenan-Flagler,

Brother Robinson has been actively involved as

President of the MBA Investment Club as well as

other leadership activities throughout campus. He

has enjoyed his time in the wonderful Research

Triangle community....and great basketball, of

course. Upon graduation, Brother Robinson will

return to New York where he will begin working at

the JP Morgan Private Bank.

Bro. Dr. Wesley Delaine Thomas Bro. Dr. Wesley Delaine Thomas was a Fall of

2006 Initiate of Kappa Xi Lambda. Bro. Thomas

left New York and Kappa Xi Lambda upon

completion of his residency program and moved

to Washington, DC in 2007. He is currently

employed as a dentist by the US Department of

Defense, where he treats the Marine Corps and

Navy Bands, White House staff and members of

United State Congress. He has affiliated with the

Mu Lambda Chapter in DC. Bro. Thomas serves

on the Board of Directors of the Whitman Walker

Clinic, and is active in a number of organizations

in the DC Metro area including Kennedy Center

Circles, DC Area Phi Beta Kappa Society, and

Morehouse College Alumni Association. While he

enjoys living in DC and continues to travel around

the world, his fondness for Kappa Xi Lambda

remains, “Kappa Xi Lambda will always be

home.” .

What’s Up Bruh?! Reconnecting with past KXL Brothers

by Bro. Geshawn “Lou” Williams

Bro. Robinson (right) looking good in Alpha Attire. Bro. Thomas is

pictured (below) with US Congresswoman Terri Sewell D-Alabama, District 7 at a DC

fundraiser.

17

Bro. Lyndell Pittman Bro. Lyndell Pittman crossed at Zeta Xi Chapter

in the Spring of 1992 on the campus of The

University of Southwestern Louisiana. As an

active member of KXL he served as chair of the

youth programs and was a vital part of the Alpha

G.E.N.T.S. program. Bro. Pittman prefers to call

what some have labeled as “At-Risk Youth”

“Youth with untapped potential” and have worked

in this area for the past 20 years. He currently

serves as Principal of Academics and Vocational

Training at the South Bronx Job Corps Academy.

In 2006 returned to his love of running and began

training for the 2007 Masters World Games in

Riccoani, Italy. “The pride felt serving as a

member of the United States delegation, and the

rush of success capturing a Silver Medal trumped

my intent to officially retire from the world of Track

and Field” stated Bro. Pittman. In 2010 he again

joined the US team to compete at the World

Regional Games held in Puerto Rico and

captured two gold and two silver medals. He is

currently preparing for the 2011 World Master's

Games to be held this July, in Sacramento, CA.

….What‟s up Bruh?! Continued from page 16

Bro. Frantz Jean-Baptiste Jr. Bro. Frantz Jean-Baptiste Jr. crossed at Xi Psi

Chapter, seated at Hofstra University, in the Fall

of 1997. He is a Life Member, and also a re-

chartering member of Kappa Xi Lambda. Bro.

Jean-Baptiste served as Chapter President from

2004 to 2006, and also served as President of the

Wall Street Alpha Charitable Foundation, Inc.

from 2006 to 2007. Bro. Jean-Baptiste currently

resides in Queens Village, NY and works in

Greenwich, CT at a small Private Equity

company. Since leaving Kappa Xi Lambda, Bro.

Jean-Baptiste continues to work with minority

young adult males in the community through

S.H.I.F.T, a charitable foundation he founded,

focusing on advancements of minority males from

High School sophomores to College freshmen.

He is also involved with many ventures from

consulting to an early-seed venture; notably, a

social networking company based in Miami, FL.

Bro. Pittman (above far right) doing what he loves and

representing his country. Bro. Jean-Baptiste (right) showing

Alpha style at an event.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Kappa Xi Lambda Chapter

P.O. Box 5382

New York, NY 10185-5382

Contact us at WSANews@gmail.com Visit us at www.wallstreetalphas.com and www.wsacf.org

ΑΦΑ - A Century of Leadership - ΑΦΑ

KXL Brothers came out strong at a recent Black Leadership forum.