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The men of Omicron Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc of California State University Sacramento made history with their first event collaboration with the Zeta Chapter of Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Inc. on May 4^th with the Black & Brown Comedy Get Down.

This event mirrored the organizations’ principles and objectives of promoting scholarship, cultural awareness, community service and strong bonds. The idea to collaborate on a joint event came from the Sigmas and Lambdas attending and supporting each other’s events on campus. The Omicron Eta Chapter presented a proposal for a comedy show designed to be in conjunction with the Cinco De Mayo celebrations.

The performers were popular Hispanic local comics Carlos Rodriguez & Dennis Martinez, headlined by Def Comedy Jam Legend and Former Soul Train Host Mystro Clark.

Bro. Mark A. Armstrong was initiated into the Gamma Nu Chapter (Wichita State University) of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. in the Spring 1987.  He has been a member of the following Alumni Chapters: Kappa Nu Sigma (Wichita, KS), Phi Beta Sigma (Los Angeles, CA) and Epsilon Psi Sigma (Las Vegas, NV).  In addition, he has held the following leadership positions with the fraternity:

• Gamma Nu: Chapter Vice President (1 year)

• Kappa Nu Sigma: Chapter President (2 years)

• State Director of Kansas (3 years)

• Epsilon Psi Sigma: Vice President (3 years), Interim Treasurer (1 year)

 Since being a member in the Epsilon Psi Sigma Chapter, Bro. Mark Armstrong has been awarded numerous accolades including the Most Supportive Sigma Award (presented by the Nevada State Director of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.) for 2011, the Alumni Brother of the Year for 2010, the Sigma Man of the Year for 2010 and 2011 and was the Sigma Legacy Award Winner for 2011.  Bro. Mark Armstrong has been a financial member every year since initiation and is a Sapphire Life Member #6SLM.  Bro. Mark Armstrong is celebrating 25 years as a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. in April 2012.

 Bro. Mark Armstrong received a Bachelor of Business Administration (Business Management) degree from Wichita State University in May 1990.  His professional management experience consists of previous employment for 19 years with Ford Motor Credit Company, Liberty National Life Insurance for 6 months and TCI Tire Centers for 2 years.  Bro. Mark Armstrong is currently starting his own business as the owner of MARMCO Enterprises, L.L.C., an online internet marketing and Real Estate Investment company based in Las Vegas, NV.

 Bro. Mark Armstrong has been married for 17 years to Monica Armstrong (member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.) and has two teenage daughters (Mariah – 16 and Madison – 14).  One brother, Michael Armstrong, is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.  In addition to being a businessman and entrepreneur, he is also a servant leader.  He is a very active member of Victory Missionary Baptist Church in Las Vegas, NV where he is a Youth Sunday School Teacher, sings in multiple choirs and is on the Church Finance Count Team.  Bro. Mark Armstrong enjoys golfing, bowling, leisure travel, attending recitals and concerts, Karaoke and eating Bar-B-Que & Southern cuisine. He also finds pleasure in volunteering in community service activities, reading books on self-improvement & leadership and playing dominoes, board games, chess and basketball.  Bro. Mark Armstrong’s dedication, outgoing personality and love of life has drawn the attention of many people from coast to coast as well as his dedication of offering his talents, time and resources to serve and benefit humanity.

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Jeffrey F. Sneed, the newly elected 32nd Western Regional Director of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., is a 30 year member of the organization and has served in several local, regional and national leadership roles.

Initiated in January of 1981, Bro. Sneed is a charter member of Nu Upsilon chapter at the University of Southern California.  During his collegiate years, he helped the chapter become the first predominantly-black Greek letter organization recognized by the university as a fraternity or sorority. Prior to Nu Upsilon, all black Greek chapters were recognized only as clubs.  He graduated from USC in 1983 with a Political Sciences degree.

Bro. Sneed was elected National Second Vice-President at Phi Beta Sigma’s convention in Charleston, South Carolina in August 1981. The experience as a member of the fraternity’s national governing board prepared Bro. Sneed for the many leadership roles he has managed within and outside of Sigma.

In 1990, Bro. Sneed was elected president of Phi Beta Sigma chapter. The chapter is the oldest and historically the largest in the Western Region. Prior to becoming president, he served on the national Nominations committee, one of the highest regarded national committees as well as other appointments.  Following two terms as president of PBS chapter, Bro. Sneed served as Southern California State Director. He has also served as regional parliamentarian and chair of the regional Law and Revisions committee four times.

Bro. Sneed has been “the voice” of Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta Joint Founders’ Day tributes dating back to 1988 and was instrumental in the successful establishment of the Sigma-Zeta Council of Southern California. He is recently served as the council’s treasurer.

He is the immediate past-president of Kappa Delta Sigma chapter.

Bro. Sneed’s dedication to Social Action does not end with Sigma. He has been a member of the Board of Directors for Normandie Christian School for more than 20 years. The private K-6 grade school is affiliated with the Normandie church of Christ in south Los Angeles. He was the board president from 1995-2006 overseeing faculty and staff and school policies all in a volunteer capacity. He now serves as treasurer and immediate past-president of NCS.

Graphic design and marketing are Bro. Sneed’s passion. He expresses his talents as Creative and Marketing Director of Psallo: a Praise & Worship Team, an a capella, Christ-centered singing ensemble which travels throughout southern California and the country ministering to congregation through spiritual songs.

In response to the Trayvon Martin shooting, around 80 men and 20 women gathered at Self Enhancement Inc. (SEI) this past week to discuss police brutality and strategic action in the Black community.

“We wanted to meet and figure out what people can do individually to change their communities,” says Blake Dye, organizer of the event. “I don’t think the Black community in Oregon communicates well. There are a lot of people of common interest but we just don’t know it.”

The event, billed as “The Conversation,” was put on by the Phi Beta Sigma, a fraternity that runs on a social justice platform.

Males of different ages, backgrounds, occupations and faiths attended the event. Dye dismissed members of the major news media so participants would feel more comfortable expressing their views and emotions.

The meeting began with an outpouring of anger at not just the Trayvon Martin shooting, but the killings of Black men, specifically in Portland.

“There was a lot of pain in the room,” says Dye. “People needed to be heard. They needed other Black men to hear who they were.”

Some men shared experiences of having family members killed while others expressed thoughts on the age gap. One man even proposed entering the bicycle industry to spur economic empowerment, after telling his story of working for years at Freightliner.  For more on this article go to Brother Dye’s Article

-Source The Skanner http://www.theskanner.com/article/Trayvon-Martin-Portland-Men-Women-Gather-for-The-Conversation-2012-04-05

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity members from across the nation will converge upon Washington, D.C. to lay the foundation for a better future for today’s youth. Sigma Day on Capitol Hill, September 18 – 20, 2012, will serve as a catalyst for positive change, as Phi Beta Sigma mobilizes support for legislation geared towards helping youth in a constantly changing world to identify and take advantage of positive opportunities. 

Representatives of Phi Beta Sigma will advocate for the support of two bills, sponsored by Representative Brother John Lewis . The three-day gathering will begin with a reception on Tuesday, September 18^th, where Sigma members will meet and network with their respective members of Congress. On September 19, 2012, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., will host its First Speaker Series on Capitol Hill, catering to young adults at risk of dropping out of school.

Our goal is to inspire, invigorate and emphasize the importance in the securing of their education. All of our guest speakers are agents of change, hailing from unique backgrounds, cultures and professional careers; each with an unquenchable thirst to make a difference in their respective communities.

Thursday, September 20^th is Sigma Service Day, during which brothers of Sigma representing a diversity of careers will participate in a Career Day at the Sasha Bruce Youthwork, one of the largest youth organizations in Washington, D.C. The organization strives to meet the urgent needs of at-risk youth and families. For complete article go to Sigma Day on Capitol Hill

Most would likely say a man who lived 130 years, considered to be not only the last American slave to die, but also the last Civil War veteran should have earned a pretty significant grave marker. For more than 40 years that man, Sylvester Magee, didn’t have a head stone.

That changed this week.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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For more information, contact Woodrow Bailey at (323) 459-1282 or woodrow_bailey@sbcglobal.net; or Lee McGill at (310) 339-0794 or leeflap@aol.com. Also visit us on facebook at Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Kappa Delta Sigma Chapter.

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VITA/TCE Program participation is a programmatic goal for all chapters nationally. I salute Kappa Delta Sigma chapter and brothers from all Los Angeles area chapters who lend assistance to insure this signature program is successful.