County Funds 95th AKA Great Lakes Regional Conference

Franklin County Board of Commissioners I Franklin County Office of Economic Engagement and Community Development

Three thousand women from across the Great Lakes region are converging on Columbus this week. They are professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and community leaders. And through a $265,000 grant approved unanimously by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners on April 21, their conference is also a direct investment in the county's neighborhoods. 

The 95th Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Great Lakes Regional Conference runs April 23 through April 26. Programming includes leadership development sessions, professional training workshops, workforce engagement opportunities, and a vendor marketplace, now rebranded as the Franklin County Development Hub, where local small businesses will have direct access to conference attendees. 

All proceeds and donations from the conference's service projects will benefit Columbus City Schools. Conference chair Shannon Teague said the organization is also preparing businesses within a 13-mile radius of downtown Columbus for the influx of visitors, coordinating with Experience Columbus. 

Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce took time during the session to speak to the AKA's financial infrastructure, which he said often goes undiscussed. "Many times we talk about economic empowerment development, but the AKA is truly embedded in their DNA," he said. He noted that the sorority operates one of the largest credit unions among the Panhellenic nine fraternities and sororities and holds the largest foundation of that group. "It should be noted, it's not a bragging or a talking point. It's part of your principles. It's part of your foundation." 

The resolution aligns with the county's Rise Together Poverty Blueprint goals, including workforce development, economic opportunity, and community engagement.