Delta Sigma Theta Holds Social Action Luncheon

BY C.S. HOWARD

Seated are Keisha Bell, keynote speaker, and Dwana Washington, president. Left to right are Gretta Sancho, Barbara A. Harvey, Sherry Suggs, Susie Copeland, Rachel Speight-Hudson, Yakeitha Fitch and Felecia Jett.

The Bradenton Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. held their Social Action luncheon on Saturday, October 26th at The Carlisle Inn and Conference Room in Sarasota, honoring women of action in the community. The theme was “Vision 2020: Act. React. Impact”. The 2019 honorees were Barbara A. Harvey, for Educational Development; Rachel Speight-Hudson, Economic Development; Sherry Suggs, International Awareness and Development; Yakeitha Fitch, Physical and Mental Health and Susie Copeland, Political Awareness and Development. Harvey retired in 1995 as Director of Elementary Education for the Manatee County School District. She founded Educational Consultants Consortium, Inc. where she has volunteered as Executive Director since its inception. ECC currently serves 140 students during the school year. In 2018, the Barbara A. Harvey Elementary School in Parrish, Florida was named in her honor. Speight-Hudson is the CEO of the award-winning company, Pursue, Overtake and Recover Services, LLC, which offers credit repair services. It has helped over 336,000 or more families build financial security and improve their quality of life through financial education and freedom. Earlier this year, she earned her real estate brokers license and opened her own real Continued on Page 10 estate company. Suggs worked for the U.S. Department of State, Agency for International Development, and worked in eight different underdeveloped or developing countries for more than 30 years. Those countries included Egypt, Morocco, Mali, Indonesia, Angola, Benin, Nigeria and Pakistan. After retirement, she relocated to the Sara sota/Bradenton area and continued her volunteer activities as a mentor for Take Stock in Children and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Suncoast. Fitch, or “Key” as she is known, is the CEO and owner of Key 2 Life Training called the Pink Powerhouse, Manatee County’s premiere all female fully equipped training and cycling fa cility. Her studio has been named the Best in Bradenton in Education for the last four years and was the 2018 Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year. Fitch also holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and works as a trainer, instructor and sports nutritionist. Copeland helped organize the Manatee/ Sarasota Democratic Black Caucus and has served as secretary, vice president and president. She joined the Manatee County Democratic Party in 1999 and has served as a precinct captain, secretary and state committee woman. She is also a past president of the Manatee County Branch NAACP, serving for 5-1/2 years. The keynote speaker was Keisha Bell, Esquire. Ms. Bell writes a weekly column for the Weekly Challenger newspaper in St. Petersburg. The Bradenton Alumnae Chapter has been a viable part of the Manatee-Sarasota communities since 1978. Today, local members from a variety of professions continue the vision of their founders through program offerings in the local community which include Jabberwock, annual scholarship awards, World Vision AdoptA-Child and partnership programs with HOPE Family Services and similar organizations. Dwana Washington is sorority president and Felecia Jett and Gretta Sancho were Social Action Committee chairpersons.