KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — America's first sorority of African American women has chosen Knoxville for its 93rd South Eastern Regional Conference, according to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
AKA was founded at Howard University in Washington D.C. in 1908. It is also the oldest Greek letter organization established by African-American college-educated women. The sorority is comprised of over 300,000 members in 1,061 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the U.S., Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Germany, South Korea, Bermuda, Japan, Canada, South Africa and even the Middle East.
More than 5,000 members of AKA are set to convene in Knoxville for the annual conference set for March 13 through 16 in 2025. The conference is expected to generate an estimated impact of around $5 million, AKA said.
"With our regional conferences attracting thousands of our members to a local city annually, we have the opportunity to both conduct the business of Alpha Kappa Alpha and bolster the city’s economy. Every year during the conference, we select a local organization with a shared programmatic mission to receive a sizable donation, as well as host a series of impactful service initiatives,” said Tracey Morant Adams, South Eastern Regional Director.
According to the sorority, attendees will participate in business meetings, workshops and various events designed to inform, educate and complement their membership in the 116-year-old sorority. AKA will also perform service projects to benefit the community, a release said.
"In partnership with Visit Knoxville, it pleases us to return to the hospitality of Knoxville, the home of our sixth International President, Arnetta G. Wallace, whose legacy of service and sisterhood lives through us," Adams said. "We look forward to a successful conference where we will reconnect with our members and benefit the local community."
According to the group, the Knoxville Convention Center will be the primary location for the conference meetings with some events occurring throughout the downtown area.
