Page 66 - LEAH 27 SHINE 2020: First Edition Issue One.pdf

your mottos, all your themes remain a great contributing factor to the legacy to Deborah Grand Chapter. Thank you

all for paving the way for me to strive for the advancement of Deborah.

To Deborah Grand Chapters’ Past Grand Worthy Matrons and Past Grand Worthy Patrons, in this administration you

will be known as our “Golden Links”. It was your leadership that helped inspire my journey. Thank you for always

whispering wise counsel and please know that we will continue to work with you to assist in the organization moving

forward.

To Geraldine Robinson-Ervin, PGWM, thank you with all my heart, for being a friend, a sister, and a GREAT mentor,

but most of all thank you for just being you. Your unwavering tough love and “Go-Get-It” spirit is what has

continuously inspired me to always press forward no matter what the obstacle. Your willingness to assist at the drop

of a hat no matter how long it takes continues to keep me encouraged. Thank you for staying up countless nights

and hours to assist me in whatever I needed to make sure that the outcome was success. You are a true champion.

God has blessed me with you, please do not ever stop answering my phone calls, texts, or email messages. You are

a blessing to me, and I remain grateful for your tutelage.

To my A-Team, Sisters, Joyce Bethune, Dominique Bonds, Lyndelle Butler, Sharion Fletcher, Natalie Lott-Price, Tanya

Tolbert-Brown, and Sue Samuda, thank you for being by my side and always ready to work with me from day one.

Sue, your unwavering support, and assistance on this journey has blessed me. Thank you all for being true sisters

that always had my back. It is hard to find good friends, but it is even better to find true, good sisters. There is so

much I can say about each one of you, but this speech would be way too long. Please know that I love every one of

you. To my Grand Administrative Assistant, Natalie Lott-Price, you have truly been a confidant and a diligent worker. I

appreciate you more than words can say.

To Alberta Watkins-Williams, thank you for your encouragement, assisting me with various projects, and wise

counsel. You shine so bright along with your love of the order and all it stands for. Bianca Stepps, thank you for

being so helpful and always ready to work and get the job done. Your planning and style in all you do has assisted me

in being a dedicated star with a flare. Denisa Gloster-Young, known as “baby sis”, thank you for always supporting

whenever I call, you are a blessing. To everyone I have mentioned, you all hold a special place in my heart.

COVID-19/BLACK LIVES MATTERS

The COVID -19 has taken center stage in our lives. COVID -19. “CO-stands for Corona, “VI” for virus,” and “D” for

disease. This disease has gone above and beyond to shake our world. It has been the source of heartache, pain,

sickness, and distress. First let me give my deepest sympathy to anyone who has been touched or encountered by

this deadly force. Our prayers are with you, your family, and friends.

Trust and believe, we will start this administration by being proactive with our membership and communities. Your

safety is first and foremost. If there is no you, there is no Deborah Grand Chapter. As I wrote this speech, the world

is in turmoil. I could have never imagined the magnitude of devastation, heartache, and pain we are

facing every day. First the COVID-19 Virus, then jobs on furloughed, businesses closed that may never recoup to be

open again, many deaths, and now to add insult to injury we watched on tv how BLACK LIVES DIDN’T Matter with

the senseless killing of George Floyd. The eruption of this sparked protests that went from peaceful to sinful with the

riots, burning of buildings, looting and police cars being burned. I sat at home on a Saturday afternoon watching

Facebook Live like it was HBO, as rioters destroy my place of work and every business in the building that spans

approximately a block or two, was destroyed for no reason. We were advised for our safety to work remotely from

home, as the protests, and riots continued. The entire world was infuriated from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, to New

York, to Washington DC and the list goes on and on.

We went from fraternal meetings in person, to Teleconference Calls, ZOOM Conference Calls and now virtual

elections and installations. We all have been hurled into a new normal and we know it is our responsibility as leaders

to develop the normalcy for this organization’s success. If we are not on the front lines of humanity, we need to at