2020 VIRTUAL REGIONAL ELECTIONS SCHEDULE

Virtual Regional Conference Elections

Regional Elections continued for the third week in the South Atlantic Region on May 27 under the direction of the South Atlantic Regional Director, Soror Carolyn G. Randolph. The International Nominating Committee and the sorors of the South Atlantic Region continued the momentum and executed the election with purpose, professionalism and sisterliness. Congratulations, Sorors, on a job well done! The South Central Region and the Far Western Region will round out Regional Elections this upcoming week. The Corporate Office Team continues to provide essential operational and technical support under the leadership of Soror Cynthia Howell, Executive Director, and the technology expertise of Darold Fletcher, Manager of Databases, Web and Special IT Projects, to ensure that these historic regional elections are executed with excellence.

Boule Refunds and Housing Cancellations

Sorors who paid their Boue registration by credit card should have received their full refund, barring any changes in personal banking information. Sorors who paid by their Boule registration by personal check or certified funds should receive your full refund by the end of the month, if you have not already. If you booked your hotel reservation through the AKA Official Housing Bureau, your hotel reservation will automatically be cancelled without penalty. If you booked your hotel reservation by any other means, please note that independent bookings are the soror's responsibility.

Membership Intake Process

Due to the social distancing guidance and gathering restrictions that remain in effect all across the country, the postponement of Member Intake will continue until further notice. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we prayerfully consider when and how to safely resume in-person programs and operations, including Membership Intake.

Weekly Pandemic Update

Effective June 1, the Weekly Pandemic Update will transition from weekly publication to every other week. We will continue to monitor important developments and updates relating to COVID-19 and continue to provide program and operational updates. Thank you for your feedback. We are listening!

Thank you for joining our weekly Day of Prayer calls on Thursdays since March. Let us continue to pray for families impacted by COVID-19, healthcare workers, first responders and other essential workers, our sisterhood, this nation and our world. Please also pray for wisdom and compassion for national, state, and local leaders as they make important decisions regarding safely re-opening. We also must continue to pray for our communities and for justice and equal protection under the law for African Americans in this country.

We thank you for your commitment to the three (3) designated prayer times for the past three (3) months. We will transition to a single prayer time at 6:00 p.m. on our designated day starting on Thursday. Let's continue to remain prayerful.

Meet this week's AKA frontline sheroes who are rendering selfless service as healthcare providers and essential workers during this global pandemic in this last healthcare providers' profile installment.

Soror Gernise Dixon, CCC-SLP Chi Omega Omega Speech-Language Pathologist Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Melrose Park, IL	Soror Sherri Crusor Theta Mu Omega Registered Nurse-Step Down ICU Veterans Affairs Medical Center Inglewood, CA	Soror Sheila Jones Xi Tau Omega Head of Patient Safety Research Medical Center Kansas City, MO	Soror Justa Encarnacion Mu Gamma Omega Commissioner of VI Dept of Health St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Soror Yvonne Brewington, SPHR Mu Omega Vice President of Human Resources Menorah Medical Center Overland Park, KS	Soror Karin Shealey-Hill, RD Delta Nu Omega Chief Nutrition & Food Service Department of Veterans Affairs Rochester, NY	Soror Audra Martin, PhD, LISW-S The Pearl League of Stark County CEO, House of G.R.A.C.E. Residential Services, LLC Canton, OH	Soror Yvonne Cooper, MPH Eta Beta Omega Public Health Specialist Monrovia, Liberia
Soror Desiree Spriggs Sigma Xi Omega Forensic Scientist Helix Laboratory (Owner) Bermuda	Soror Joyce Hudson Omega Epsilon Omega Chief of Nutrition & Food Service John Dingell VA Hospital Novi, MI	Soror Kim Wilson Sigma Xi Omega Bermuda Minister of Heath Bermuda Health System Bermuda	Soror Alicia Thomas, D.D.S. Alpha Sigma Omega General Dentistry Emergencies Columbus Health Department Columbus, OH

What steps can I take to stay safe if I must go out?

16 Coronavirus Tips: How to help keep yourself healthy when going out in public

If you're not already using these tips for grocery shopping, opening doors and signing your name, now's a good time to start.
Jessica Dolcourt (CNET Health & Wellness)

Should you wear a face mask at all times? What if someone breaks the social distancing bubble and comes within six feet of you? How can you touch things less with your hands? As coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease and cities reopen around the world, the way you'll go to restaurants, malls and hair salons will change, so it's a good idea to think about how you'll keep yourself and your loved ones healthy during a prolonged period. Here are some suggestions:

1. Keep track of the coronavirus pandemic.
2. Don't get too comfortable.
3. Wear a face mask in public places.
4. Don't make shopping trips a source of entertainment.
5. Enough with the fingertips: Use your knees, feet, elbows and knuckles instead.
6. Distance, distance, distance.
7. Look for the automatic option.
8. Watch where you put your phone.
9. Set aside your reusable tote bags.
10. Don't sort through produce with your bare hands.
11. Whatever you do, touching is off limits.
12. For food and package delivery, embrace the awkward.
13. Don't neglect your car and home.
14. Carry extra napkins, disinfecting wipes and facial tissue.
15. Stop handling cash.
16. Banish questionable items to a long time out.

If you're not part of a vulnerable group, becoming a hermit isn't necessarily the solution, either. It's beneficial to periodically leave the house to maintain your health and sanity and run critical errands, but there are measures you can take when coming within spitting distance of people outside the household. For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit www.who.org. Click here to read the full article.

How has COVID-19 affected Alpha Kappa Alpha?

Notification Protocols

The integrity of sorority impact data is directly tied to the information collected. Who should I notify?

• Notify your chapter Basileus that you tested positive for COVID-19.
• Inform your Basileus if you have been in close contact with other chapter members or sorors and where the contact occurred.
• Chapter Basileus will notify only sorors who are at risk for possible exposure without divulging the infected soror's name.
• Chapter Basileus will remind at-risk sorors to regularly monitor their symptoms and immediately notify their doctor if they become symptomatic.
• Chapter Basileus will remind at-risk sorors to quarantine themselves and STAY AT HOME for 14 days to stop the spread of the virus in the event they become symptomatic and test positive.

Visit https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ for up-to-date worldwide COVID-19 statistics.

Fighting The 'COVID-15': 7 Ways To Maintain A Healthy Weight During Social Isolation

Lipi Roy, MD, MPH

The novel coronavirus pandemic is unleashing havoc on every aspect of society - medical, cultural, financial. Zooming in from macro to micro, we see that the viral outbreak is clearly impacting our day-to-day living including our eating patterns. Environmental stressors often do. Who hasn't participated in emotional eating? I certainly have! At this unprecedented time, stress levels are exceedingly high, and being sustained at this level for an indefinite length of time, as COVID-19 does not appear to dissipate anytime soon.

Eating While Stressed

According to a study by Yale researchers, stress may contribute to an increased risk for obesity and other metabolic diseases. Uncontrollable stress, in fact, changes eating patterns and the consumption of hyperpalatable foods, like those late-night Oreo cookies or Cool Ranch Doritos.

"Our good habits are being challenged by our natural tendencies to snack more while at home which can include comfort foods," explained W. Scott Butsch, MD, MSc, Director of Obesity Medicine, Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. "That, together with a baking pandemic, could add more calories to the day."

Not all eating patterns have been unhealthy. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we're eating out less frequently. No more work lunches or social dinners to fill up on endless appetizers and booze. But the stressors of this sudden 'new normal' are also changing our dietary habits for the worse.

"There's a well-documented relationship between stress and weight gain," according to Julius Wilder, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Duke Division of Gastroenterology. Increased stress levels lead to a rise in the stress hormone, cortisol, which can result in an increased appetite. Dr. Wilder continued: "The weight gain in the current pandemic is further accentuated by a decrease in daily exercise and an increase in alcohol consumption."

Does 'Stay at Home' Translate to 'Binge at Home'?

Since the start of the pandemic, public health professionals have been advising us to avoid social gatherings by staying home. During daily White House press briefings - and on nearly every major news outlet - the nation's top infectious disease physician, Dr. Anthony Fauci, in his delightfully-prominent Brooklyn accent, has explained the rationale of physical distancing in reducing transmission of this highly infectious coronavirus. But have public health pundits inadvertently triggered a different health problem - overeating?

"I think several emotions are at play here," Dr. Butsch reflected. "More stress, more fear, more boredom lead to comfort foods, more snacking, more carbs."

Some folks are combating their boredom and loneliness by watching TV and movies, but that can be associated with mindless snacking of chips and popcorn as well as consumption of alcohol, all of which can contribute to weight gain.

Seven Ways to Maintain a Healthy Food Regimen

1. Take an Emotional Break. In the midst of SO much uncertainty, give yourself permission to indulge on your favorite cheesecake, parmesan truffle fries or Pinot Grigio! But in moderation - perhaps a glass of wine each night or a few cookies per week.
2. Make a Schedule. Here's a sample: prepare breakfast (maybe a fruit smoothie or scrambled eggs); do a zoom meeting or other work; exercise at noon (see #5); grab a healthy snack (see #3); squeeze in some more work; make dinner; watch TV/movie, read, wind down.
3. Prepare healthy snacks. I'm always snacking between meals, and there are plenty of healthy options. My favorites include carrot sticks; apple slices or celery sticks with peanut butter; and roasted almonds. It's also okay to indulge in your favorite sweet/salty treat (e.g. Kit Kat and Pringles are often in my kitchen)...see #1.
4. Portion control. While at home, it's easy to consume an entire large bag of potato chips or 6-pack of beer which can contribute to unintentional weight gain. Try to measure out portions of food and transfer into smaller bowls or plates.
5. Regular physical activity. Moderate exercise releases endorphins which reduce stress and improve mood. "Simply walking for 20-30 minutes, getting out of the house, breathing fresh air can help de-stress," says Dr. Butsch. But home exercises can be just as effective - check out the many fun and free YouTube workout videos! (Mike Chang is one of my favorites)
6. Get plenty of sleep. Studies supported by the National Institutes of Health suggest an association between sleep deprivation, weight gain and obesity. Poor sleep alters the levels of endocannabinoid which affect appetite and the brain's reward system.
7. Mindful practice. Daily meditation can reduce stress, improve attention and help us be more mindful of our food choices. According to Harvard Health, mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food as you buy, prepare, serve and consume it. Next time you're cooking, bring all your senses to the meal - smell the onions and garlic, feel the ripe tomato, hear the pepper shaker and taste the spices in your turkey chili.

For many, unfortunately, food "choices" aren't choices at all. People living in "food deserts" have limited options for fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. We need to invest in public health programs that enable marginalized communities access to healthy foods and other support services (preparation, storage, etc.)

Common sayings in clinical nutrition circles are food is medicine and you are what you eat. Both phrases resonate when one considers that the leading causes death - heart disease, diabetes, cancer - are largely preventable by following a healthier diet. Good nutrition is essential to a strong immune system which in turn will help shield us from, say, an infectious pathogen like the COVID-19 virus. But it's also okay to treat yourself to a snack or drink that puts a smile on your face.

RECENT EVENTS

Daughters of the Divine Nine


On Friday, May 22, GirlTrek hosted an intimate conversation featuring the presidents of each of the Divine Nine sororities, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Supreme Basileus Glenda Glover, to discuss their leadership journeys, organization platforms and community service initiatives. It was a remarkably candid conversation with four extraordinary leaders.

UPCOMING EVENTS: MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Soror Glenda Glover
Supreme Basileus

Soror Joy Elaine Daley, International Regional Director (Chairman)
Soror Kimberly Esmond Adams, Special Assistant & Risk Management Task Force Chairman (Co-Chairman)
Soror Danette Anthony Reed, First Supreme Anti-Basileus
Soror Kasey Coleman, Second Supreme Anti-Basileus
Soror Kaylen Long, Undergraduate Member-at-Large
Soror Hollye Weekes, Undergraduate Member-at-Large
Soror Carol Dixon, Far Western Regional Director
Soror Cynthia Howell, Executive Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Soror Martha Perine Beard, Chief of Staff to the Supreme Basileus
Soror Ora Douglass, Program Committee Chairman
Soror Cynthia Finch, MIP Committee Chairman & Healthcare Professional
Soror Jasmine Adkins Moore, Disaster Relief Committee Chairman
Soror Robyn Jones, Physician & Medical Director for Women's Health