Phi Beta Sigma Announces Centennial Week Activities July 16-20, 2014

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Jonathan A. Mason, International President of Phi Beta Sigma, one of the country's largest African American men's organizations, kicked off the organization's Centennial Week activities with the unveiling of the organization's "I Am My Brother's Keeper," a 2014-2015 program to address issues impacting men of color, inspired by President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Initiative, a White House initiative announced earlier this year.  

The organization will be joining the President's Call to Action for foundations, business leaders, as well as elected officials and public figures to come together around this important initiative, helping to build ladders of opportunity and unlocking the full potential of boys and young men of color. 

Broderick Johnson, Chair, of the My Brother's Keeper Task Force and Cabinet Secretary and Assistant to President Barack Obama, delivered remarks on the President's My Brother's Keeper Initiative.  Other attendees included: Rev. Al Sharpton, President and Founder, National Action Network, and, George Selvie, NFL football player, Dallas Cowboys.

"This is a great day in the history of Phi Beta Sigma," said Jonathan Mason.  "As one of the leading organizations to represent African American men, we wanted to be one of the organizations on the forefront of this initiative and develop a program with measurable results in response to President Obama's Call to Action."

 Through "I Am My Brother's Keeper," Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. will:

• Unveil the Sigma Beta Club's experiential learning curriculum, Rise and Thunder, during the Congressional Black Caucus. This program is designed to help African-American youth realize their full potential in life.
• Increase the membership of participants in the youth auxiliary program, Sigma Beta, by 20% by 2015.
• Educate 10,000 African American males on the essentials of being engaging and effective mentors to African-American youth, while successfully establishing relationships that will increase community awareness of the potential of our youth and the power of diversity.
• Work with Congress to pass common sense legislation to reduce gun violence
• Train and educate 5000 men in the March of Dimes curriculum Building Strong Fathers
• Adopt at least 100 schools throughout the United States, with the purpose of building student literacy and encouraging the student population to work towards closing the academic & achievement gaps that currently exist.
• Provide $1,000,000 in scholarships to men of color
• Sponsor two job fairs throughout the country, providing employment opportunities and training to men of color.
• Sponsor a Business Expo at Phi Beta Sigma's 2015 Conclave in Little Rock, Arkansas, exposing small businesses and employers to at least 10,000 consumers and job seekers throughout the nation.
• Secure state, federal, corporate and private funding and partnerships to support I Am My Brother's Keeper, particularly in the following manners:
  • Entrepreneurial Development of African-American males
  • Alternative Sanction Programs for Juvenile Offenders
  • Sigma Beta Club Programming
  • Disparaging Drop-out rates of our young men of color
  • Technology for security in and around our schools to curb gun violence

"I am proud to be a part of the centennial as an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma," said Rev. Al Sharpton. "I am equally proud to stand with my fellow Sigmas as they put forth an agenda to uplift our community."

About Phi Beta Sigma

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., an international organization of college and professional men, was founded on January 9th, 1914 at Howard University on the principles, Brotherhood, Scholarship and Service. These principles are exhibited by the fraternity motto, "Culture for Service and Service for Humanity." As one of the now nine predominantly Black Greek-Lettered organizations, Phi Beta Sigma has a membership of over 150,000 with over 750 chapters throughout the continental United States, Switzerland, Europe, the Caribbean and Africa.

Today, Phi Beta Sigma has blossomed into an international organization of leaders. No longer a single entity, members of the Fraternity have been instrumental in the establishment of the Phi Beta Sigma National Foundation, the Phi Beta Sigma Federal Credit Union and The Sigma Beta Club Foundation. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, founded in 1920 with the assistance of Phi Beta Sigma, is the sister organization of the Fraternity.

The story of Sigma is the union of spirit and commitment to serve, with a firm foundation of learning and genuine interest in the wellbeing of others. This is crystallized in Sigma's motto: Culture for Service and Service for Humanity.

For more information about Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and its Centennial Celebration activities, visit www.PBS100.org or www.PhiBetaSigma1914.org.

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SOURCE Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.