During a Cold, Snowed-in Week, Gamma Pi Covers Two Bases for the Community: Meeting with our Lawmakers and Leading Students to STEM

During the week of February 9, when the DMV was still plagued with the aftermath of a heavy snowfall, a slew of Brothers from Gamma Pi Chapter were out and about in the snow navigating the challenging roads to make an impact in the local community. One group was helping to introduce young students to STEM during a group visit to Amazon's Headquarters in Arlington VA.  Another group was at the State Capitol in Annapolis representing the community in a series of meetings with our state legislators. This is how Gamma Pi Chapter does it -- The Super Chapter often pulls "double duty."

On Wednesday, February 11, Gamma Pi's STEM chairman Bro. Aaron Ajani along with Bro. John Wilson and several other chapter members arranged for approximately 95 students from Oxon Hill High School and Bowie State University to visit Amazon's Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. 

The visit was an activity of Gamma Pi Chapter's two-year-old STEM inititive, which is designed to introduce more Black students to the tech fields. Bro.Wilson works at Amazon as a Senior Sales Manager for Startups.

Gamma Pi STEM, started in November 2024, has sponsored previous visits to the DMV Amazon headquarters in the past couple of years. The highlight of the recent visit was an onsite demonstration involving a fully automated robot who greeted the group upon arrival.

In addition, the students learned about GEN AI, Amazon’s Sustainability (data centers) program, career opportunities, scholarship opportunities sponsored by Amazon. The keynote speaker was Delta’s very own Phylicia Fant who is the Director of Global Music Culture with Amazon Music, who spoke on staying ahead of market, and AI disruption in the music industry.

STEM is a major priority of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. across the Fraternity. Gamma Pi's new STEM program has three components:

• Mattaponi Elementary School STEM Initiative: Focused on elementary education by introducing students to Robotics, Science Club, and the Science Bowl. The Science Bowl is a program where students tryout to be part of a 5-student team that competes against other elementary students on a televised show to answer science-related questions.
• AWS STEM Partnership Program: Collaborating with the tech giant, Amazon (AWS). In addition, the students learned from a collective group of amazonian that looks like them, exposes students to the vast possibilities for them within the STEM industry. It includes visits to Amazon HQ. In 2025, it included an internship for one of the participants.
• Prince George’s Area Science Fair (PGASF): The Gamma Pi STEM Committee participates in the PGASF by judging several science categories and sponsoring the awards for some of the categories

For information on Gamma Pi STEM and how students can participate, visit gammapi.org and leave a messsage for Bro. Ajani and the Gamma Pi STEM team. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

The next day, Thursday, February 12, the Super Chapter numbered several Brothers among about 100 or so Omega men who participated in the annual Ques in Annapolis visit to the Maryland State House by Second District Omega Psi Phi members.

Led by Second District Representative Bro. Amir Shareef, the Brothers spent several hours meeting with state legislators and staff about key issues impacting the communities we serve. The event included a chat and photo with Gov. Wes Moore.

The focus for this year's Ques in Annapolis was Senate Bill 0078, the Prostate–Specific Antigen Testing (Protect Our Prostate Act), which calls for certain disclosure requirements before testing to inform men of certain activities or substances that can artificially inflate PSA scores, possibly leading to unnecessary medical procedures. Brothers were able to sit in and watch a sub committee vote on the legislation.

Ironically during the Omega visit, the Buddhist Monks, who are on a 2,300 mile walk-for-peace across the U.S., passed through the venue, allowing the Brothers to be in the right place at the right time to capture and be a part of some history in the making.

Bro. William Battle's Upcoming Prostate Cancer Health Fair Gets Media Mention

Gamma Pi Brother William Battle's (Delta Psi-80) upcoming community Prostate Cancer Health Fair is drawing media attention beforehand. Today, Bro. Battle, a retired Bowie State health professor who founded and runs Emmanual Health, was interviewed in-person by local news outlet CTV  for a preview segment about the health fair that will be held on Saturday, February 21, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Largo/Kettering/Perrywood Community Center.

Bro. Battle is a staunch advocate for actively addressing health disparities and he especially focuses on Black men and prostate health. He was interviewed at the station today by reporter Brandon Williams. The interview aired throughout the afternoon and evening. Watch the interview below.

For more information about this weekend's prostate cancer health fair, visit this recent blog post.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW

The "Super Chapter" Is Preparing for Some Big Events in the Coming Weeks: Adjust Your Social Calendar

Fresh off a just completed "hot" DMV Sneaker Ball held at The Park at 14th in downtown Washington, D.C. the Brothers of Gamma Pi are on to planning and preparation for three more big events in the DMV in the next three months. This is hereby your official notice!

First up is the Annual Mardi Gras Gala on Friday night, March 6 at Martin's Crosswinds in Greenbelt, MD. Next is the Talent Hunt at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, MD on March 14. And finally, coming this year is the largest gathering of Omega men anywhere in the DMV. We are hosting the 78th Second District Conference of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc -- yes, the QUES are coming to town, from all 5 northeast Atlantic coastal states: Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and from all across the state of Maryland.

Let's break it all down ...

MARDI GRAS '2026 (March 6 @ 8-12p)

Mardi Gras is always sold out and this year will be no exception. Gamma Pi and Friendship Charities Foundation, Inc. always kick off Spring in the DMV with this five-star event that helps us raise funds for Social Action projects we conduct throughout the year in Prince George's County.

If you enjoy dressing up, tasting exquisite food and drink, dancing to grown folks soul-rocking music and being "in the mix" with the social scene for a good cause ("party with a purpose"), join us for an unforgettable evening!

This year we have a theme: Bourbon Street Bash! Dress accordingly for the theme.

GRAB YOUR EARLY-BIRD TICKETS HERE

                VIDEO PREVIEW

TALENT HUNT (March 14@ 3 P.M.)

Talent Hunt is ALWAYS FREE! You can simply come on out to the Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, MD with your family, your friends, or just bring yourself. Enjoy an afternoon of instrumental, vocal and visual arts performances and presentations. Think variety show!

Come watch tomorrow's superstars today. Who is the next Luther? Who is the next Leontyne Price? Who will grow up to be a great jazz saxophonist? Who will be the next artist from Prince George's County that will create paintings like Romare Bearden?

While you don't have to rush to get tickets since it is a FREE event, plan now to arrive early so that you can get some of the best seats available. It's a big facility, but seats can go fast when you factor in the performers' families, teachers and local residents who come every year to see what new young talent is emerging "on the block" in Prince George's County.  Your seat is waiting!

OMEGA PSI PHI 78th SECOND DISTRICT CONFERENCE (April 30-May 3)

For the first time in more than 12 years, National Harbor, MD will be the temporary home of several thousand Omega men who will converge on this East Coast entertainment hotspot to host the annual business meeting of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.'s members from five states. Yes, it's true. The QUES are coming to National Harbor! For the first time since 2012.

The Brothers of Gamma Pi, along with Iota Mu Mu Chapter, are working hard behind the scenes to plan the 78th Second District Conference that will be headquartered at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. 

On one hand, Brothers are planning important business meetings that will anchor the conference. But there will be plenty of time for R&R after the business is done. We're talking about a Greek Step Show, after parties, other social gatherings and a public forum that will address important social issues. There will be something for everyone at the upcoming 78th Second District Conference. Not to mention all the amenities available at National Harbor.

Broadly the conference is about Omega Psi Phi, but it's also about the community served by the Fraternity locally and throughout the District. On that note, the conference will offer tremendous sponsorship opportunities to advertise and promote local and regional businesses. The opportunity is waiting for you if you own a business and want to expand your reach during the conference. Approximately 3,000 Omega men are expected to attend some or all of the conference. 

Interested in exploring sponsorship opportunities? Visit this site for more information about high-visibility advertising and promotion options. A ready-made audience exists.This is being billed as the biggest Second District Conference ever. 

In the meantime, watch this space to keep abreast of what's coming up at the conference and also follow us at the Gamma Pi website for District Conference updates and alerts about social and public events. See you in April!

BROTHERS REGISTER HERE (login required)

WHAT TO EXPECT

FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER: WUSA-TV Channel 9 Highlights the Church and Work of Gamma Pi Bro. Rev. Dr. Gerald Folsom in King Holiday Feature

EDITOR'S NOTE: For the Good of the Order is an occasional series highlighting the accomplishments of the men of Gamma Pi Chapter.

Back in the day, the Black church was the center of comunity activism, civil rights struggles, economic relief, lifesaving health information, and it served as a place where congregants and others in the community could go for help and direction when there was a family crisis or an educational need. These days, serving all those roles may not be so prevalent when it comes to the Black church, but some churches still see addressing these needs as their mission. One of those churches is Greater Mount Nebo AME Church, located in Bowie and pastored by Bro. Rev. Dr. Gerald Folsom of Gamma Pi Chapter.

Bro. Rev. Dr. Folsom and Greater Mount Nebo were the focus of a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday feature report on WUSA channel 9, broadcast on Monday, January 19. The church held a program honoring Dr. King's legacy. Bro. Folsom was among those interviewed.

The broadcast profiles the church and Bro. Rev. Dr. Folsom's work as pastor. In the spirit of Dr. King's work, Bro. Rev. Dr. Folsom and Greater Mount Nebo opened the door to Gamma Pi's Project ENRICH college preparatory program late last year when the government shutdown closed the federal facility that the prorgam was using for its monthly Saturday sessions. Project ENRICH has continued to meet at Greater Mount Nebo into the new year.

Bro. Rev. Dr. Folsom is a dynamic example of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.'s leadership in providing UPLIFT through aggressive Social Action in the church and the greater community.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE COMPLETE WUSA 9 REPORT