Gamma Pi and Friendship Charities Partner to Bring American Literature to Papua New Guinean Youth

Demonstrating the global reach of Omega’s commitment to uplifting mankind, Gamma Pi chapter and Friendship Charities Foundation recently partnered to provide Papua New Guinean youth access to American literature with a generous donation of books.

Brother U.S. Ambassador Teddy B. Taylor made the donation on behalf of both organizations to a Papua New Guinea group named the “Voice”.  The Voice is a local non-profit dedicated to mentoring disadvantaged Papua New Guinean youth and is headed by a dynamic young lawyer named Serena Sasingian who left a successful legal practice to begin a crusade to provide the youth of Papua New Guinea with a voice to make a difference in their society.

The Voice’s major program entitled “The Dream” uses a combination of academic, Christian teachings, social service projects and inspirational lectures to prepare young people to become productive, responsible citizens.  Brother Ambassador Taylor became involved with the Voice early in his tenure, routinely speaking to gatherings about the African American experience and sharing life lessons, which can be used in any culture.  The embassy additionally provided the Voice with a twenty thousand dollar grant to specifically establish a mentoring program to better equip high school girls to compete in this male dominated society. 

Originally a program to help better prepare university students for the rigors of citizenship, the Voice is quickly gaining national prominence and recognition for providing Papua New Guinean youth alternatives by which to live fulfilling lives. 

A black democratic nation, of incredible natural beauty and mineral resource wealth, most citizens’ knowledge of The Untied States, and in particular African -Americans is confined to international media coverage, or to the elder generations experience with African American troops stationed in Papua New Guinea during WWII.

Despite the limited coverage, all genres of black music are enjoyed and the hip-hop style of dress is popular.   The generous donation of books will continue to contribute to the positive image of the United States and provide the youth associated with the “Voice” a deeper understanding of the African American experience, which is similar in some ways to their experience as an Australian settlers colony. 

   

Gamma Pi Members Make News at Home and Halfway Around the World



Brother Ambassador Taylor

Former Gamma Pi Basileus and current U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Teddy B. Taylor has been in the news in recent days and weeks over in the South Pacific along with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Brother Ambassador Taylor and the Secretary of State have been quoted in print and broadcast media about the location of a new U.S. Aid office in the region. Here is a link to one of those brief news reports Radio New Zealand International.

Brother Ambassador Taylor was also recently part of a very important ceremony in the Republic of Vanuatu that was captured on video. In the two videos below, he is an active participant in a "handing over" ceremony concerning a major road on the island nation. Watch Brother Taylor "at work" playing an official role representing the U.S. in the ceremony and then he gives a major speech recognizing the occasion also in behalf of the U.S.  The speech is carried in its entirety.

Brother Ambassador Taylor is very prominent in both videos. The top video is mainly of Brother Ambassador Taylor's official remarks. The second video shows the snake-like line of the official motorcade bringing him and other top officials in for the ceremony. The rest of the video shows various aspects of the ceremony. Brother Ambassador Taylor is very visible consistently throughout both videos. To learn more about Vanuatu and see more video and photos of Brother Ambassador Taylor's visit there, click here to visit the island nation's Facebook Page.



Brother County Executive Baker

 Closer to home, Brother County Executive Rushern Baker is the subject of a four-part video interview series about his first few months in office. The video interviews were posted in recent days on all Prince George's County editions of the Patch, a new local news online newsletter that features news and information tailored to individual communities. Part I of the video interview series is also posted on Gamma Pi's web site in the Multimedia section.


Speaking to County Residents

In the video interviews, Brother County Executive Baker addresses the transition, the county's image, employee pay and development in Prince George's  County.  Click on the links below to view each part of the series:

Part I (The Transition)
Part II (Development in the County)
Part III (County Employees and Pay)
Part IV (The County's Image)

Bro. Ambasador Taylor and Wife Still Making Headlines in the South Pacific

It is approaching one year since Brother Teddy Taylor, Gamma Pi's Immediate Past Basileus, left the streets of Prince George's County for the sunny shores of the South Pacific as U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Today, he is still making major diplomatic news for the U.S. and so is his wife, Antoinette Corbin-Taylor (Delta Sigma Theta).

Visiting with Australian defence officials

Recently, both the Taylors were featured in the regional press; Bro. Taylor principally for his work with the Pacific Partnership 2010 humanitarian assistance mission during their recent visit to and exercises in PNG and Mrs. Taylor for partnering with internationally known activist and photographer Ann Jones to exhibit the work of local female artists in the country.

Here are more South Pacific news items recently reported on Brother Ambassador Taylor:

This press release from the Australian Defence Ministry includes several photos of Bro.Ambassador Taylor touring an Australian ship as part of the U.S.-led Pacific Partnership 2010...

This news article from U.S. military public affairs talks about a jazz performance given for Brother Ambassador Taylor and other high-ranking officials in the region by the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band as part of Pacific Partnership 2010...

Brother Ambassador Taylor is pictured here with three Papua New Guineans in July who are headed to the U.S. as Fulbright Scholars...

Click here to send Bro. Taylor a shout out all the way to the South Pacific.

Diplomatic Update on Ambassador Taylor: Gives Key Interview with National TV Network in Preparation for Secretary of State Visit

Gamma Pi Immediate Past Basileus and U.S. Ambassador Brother Teddy Taylor gave a major interview to Papua New Guinea's national commercial television network, EM TV, over the weekend in preparation for the upcoming visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to his country post this week.

Brother Ambassador Taylor and his staff at the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby will be receiving the Secretary on January 14 (they are a day ahead of the U.S. East Coast) as she makes an official visit to the island nation to meet with its leaders before heading to New Zealand and Australia for additional meetings. This will be her fourth trip to that region since her appointment. According to various media reports, the trip is part of a mission to strengthen cooperation among the U.S. and South Pacific nations. Brother Ambassador Taylor is the chief U.S. representative in three South Pacific nations -- Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

In the TV news interview, Brother Taylor discusses the Secretary's interest in expanding the role of women in government there. Gamma Pi has obtained digital video of Brother Taylor's network interview from EM TV's broadcast site. The interview, in its entirety, is posted below.

Gamma Pi's communications team will continue to monitor updates of Secretary Clinton's visit to Papua New Guinea and Brother Ambassador Taylor's role and pass along information to Gamma Pi and the Fraternity. You can share this individual blog post by selecting the envelope icon and entering a recipient e-mail address. Feel free to distribute this throughout the Fraternity.

Read This Bloomberg News article about the Secretary of State's Trip to the South Pacific

His Excellency Brother Teddy Taylor "Presents Credentials" In Papua New Guinea: Now on the Job as U.S. Ambassador

A month ago, Brother Teddy Taylor was saying his goodbyes to the Brothers of Gamma Pi chapter. The South Pacific and the pinnacle of a career as a Foreign Service officer beckoned as he looked forward to serving as one of the few African American U.S. Ambassadors. Today, Brother Taylor has "made port" in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and is officially on the job as U.S. Ambassador to PNG (as Papua New Guinea is called), the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

In this October 26 photo (it was actually Sunday October 25 in the U.S.), Brother Taylor (and wife Antoinette) is seen with the Governor-General Paulias Matane at the presentation of credentials at Government House. Other members of his U.S. Embassy team are in the photo. Click on the photo to enlarge it. As part of the ceremony, His Excellency Brother Taylor reviewed an Honor Guard and delivered official remarks. An excerpt from those remarks is contained below. Here is a national news story complete with photo about the ceremony from The National Post, one of New Guinea's largest newspapers. Also, Brother Ambassador Taylor was interviewed by Australia Network News. Below, take a video tour of downtown Port Moresby and watch a video news report (EM TV of Papua New Guinea) on Brother Ambassador Taylor's credentials presentation ceremony.

"I am delighted to be here at a time when Papua New Guinea’s economic future looks so promising. Proceeds from liquid natural gas projects as well as other mineral and mining enterprises should enable you to address urgent needs in education, health, infrastructure and many other areas. We will be glad to share our experiences with you in accordance with your national plan. We are proud that American corporations such as Exxon Mobil and Interoil will be providing jobs, training and revenue to the people of Papua New Guinea."

In One Weekend, Gamma Pi "Turbocharges" the Meaning of Omega Achievement

Many people who come in contact with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. socially may not get to experience the real meaning and depth of the Fraternity in terms of its purpose and mission. Founded on the Four Cardinal Principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift, Omega Psi Phi is a unique Brotherhood of like-minded men whose lives are grounded in achievement and contribution to community. Gamma Pi chapter put all of these traits on full display in just 72 hours over the weekend of September 18 as it first honored and later witnessed the swearing-in of a U.S. Ambassador from among its ranks, and also welcomed a surprise visitor to the chapter in the person of the first-ever African American chief of NASA who is also an astronaut and a member of the Fraternity.

The Super Chapter's Super Weekend began on Saturday, September 19, at the monthly meeting, the first since the summer break. During the meeting, Brother Teddy B. Taylor, the Immediate Past Basileus of Gamma Pi, was honored with citations and resolutions from local, state and federal legislators in tribute to his recent confirmation as the next U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Republic of Vanuatu in the South Pacific. Among those honoring him were State Senator Brother Ulysses Currie.

Brother Taylor is a career Foreign Service officer. And today, over 20 Brothers of Omega Psi Phi (most from Gamma Pi) showed up at the U.S. State Department for his swearing-in ceremony. Some photos from that event are posted here from Chapter Keeper of Records and Seal Brother Joe Felder. A previous recent post on Gamma Pi LIVE contains additional details about Brother Taylor's prestigious new assignment. He and his wife depart in October.

Also on Saturday, Retired Major General Brother Charles F. Bolden, Jr., the new Administrator of NASA, attended the Gamma Pi chapter meeting to meet and greet members. He was the guest of chapter Brother Clint Green, who is employed by NASA. Brother Major General Bolden gave brief remarks and expressed sentiments that this would not be his only visit to Gamma Pi. Many Brothers were startled when he stood up along with a handful of other visiting Brothers and simply gave his name and home chapter information. He later received a special introduction. Brother Major General Bolden is not only the first African American to lead NASA, but only the second astronaut to head NASA in its more than 50-year history.

Photos of Brother Major General Bolden's visit are provided in this post from Brother Rodney Beverly and others. Enjoy the photos as well as a video excerpt of Brother Taylor's farewell remarks to the chapter on Saturday during the series of presentations.

Gamma Pi Immediate Past Basileus Now Confirmed by U.S. Senate for South Pacific Ambassadorial Posts

Gamma Pi continues to celebrate the nomination and now the official confirmation of its Immediate Past Basileus, Brother Teddy B. Taylor, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and a career diplomat, as the U.S. Ambassador to the three Melanesian nations of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Republic of Vanuatu. In case word has not fully traveled the corridors, Brother Taylor was officially confirmed just a few days ago. Brother Taylor and his wife, Antoinette, also serving with the U.S. State Department, are preparing to leave for their new home located a half world away from Washington, D.C. in a few weeks. Brother Taylor served three terms as Basileus and ended his service as the Super Chapter's leader last year. He was the chapter's "Omega Man of the Year" last year.

You can read the White House announcement about the nomination. New, updated information about the U.S. Senate confirmation is available here. Also, you can watch the archived Senate proceedings where Brother Taylor appears at about the 1:40 mark.

Numerous publications have carried news stories about Brother Taylor's ambassadorial posts including Rattler Nation, a blog of Florida A and M University, Brother Taylor's alma mater. Below, you can skip the 26-hour plane ride and visit Papua New Guinea virtually: