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Chapter

 

The Abu Dhabi Alumni Chapter’s first Polemarch was Brother Jay Dee Dillard. His Executive Leadership Team consisted of Brothers Travis Cooper (Vice Polemarch), Roy Williams (Keeper of Records), and Timothy McCall, Jr. (Keeper of Exchequer).

In the earlier days before the formation of the chapter, Brothers living and working in the United Arab Emirates used to get together informally and fellowship with one another from time to time. However, without any formal place to gather and an organized way to connect with expatriate Brothers; it became difficult to share in the Bonds of Brotherhood that we Kappa Men have grown to know and love back in the United States. Brothers Jahmeer Reynolds, Donald Purnell and Terry Williams started to throw around the idea of forming a chapter in the United Arab Emirates. It was for this reason that Brothers began to reach out and inform other Brothers located in the Emirates about getting together formally to celebrate our Founders’ Day in the capital emirate of Abu Dhabi.

On January 2019, Brothers made their way to the Aloft Hotel in Abu Dhabi for our Founders’ Day celebration which was organized by Brothers Jason Borens and Demetrius Davis. It was at this gathering that Brother Anthony Sublett suggested that we seek to formally initiate the process of chartering a chapter here in the United Arab Emirates. Shortly after the Founders’ Day celebration, Brother Jay Dee Dillard organized an initial meeting at his home which consisted of 15 Brothers from around the UAE. These Brothers held monthly meetings to plan the chartering process with Marcus Chisolm, Roy Williams, Jay Dee Dillard and Anthony Sublett as chartering committee members. During these meetings, Brothers voted to make Marcus Chisolm the President of The Middle East Alumni Group. The Middle East Alumni Group continued to meet at Brother Dillard’s home to organize, plan, grow and fellowship. After much thought and planning, it was determined that the location of the soon-to-be established chapter would be Abu Dhabi, UAE.

In June 12, 2019, the Southeastern Province Polemarch informed the Brothers that they had been granted “Association” status. Brother Jay Dee Dillard was subsequently installed as the Abu Dhabi Alumni Association’s first Polemarch. As the association grew and more Brothers began to settle throughout the emirates, it became more apparent that our illustrious and revered Founder Elder Watson Diggs’ dream would likely continue with expansion and establishment of Kappa in the Middle East. Members of the association would continue to toil and strive to make this dream a reality.

Due to the emergence of the coronavirus, the Grand Polemarch and his executive leadership team decided to conduct business with the Brothers in Abu Dhabi virtually.  The will of Kappa persevered and continued to achieve what Brothers had tirelessly worked to establish in the Middle East. It was on August 1, 2020 that under the blessing of our 34th Grand Polemarch Reuben A. Shelton, III Esq, his executive board and the Southeastern Province Polemarch Delane Rosemond Esq that the Abu Dhabi Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc was virtually charted and established in the United Arab Emirates. Brother Jay Dee Dillard was installed as the chapter’s first Polemarch with Brothers Travis Cooper, Roy Williams, and Timothy McCall, Jr serving as his Vice Polemarch, Keeper of Records and Keeper of Exchequer (in that respective order).

Since being established, the Abu Dhabi Alumni Chapter has continued to be a shining light in the Middle East. Two of the chapters anticipated annual events are “The Black Party” held in the fall and “The Get Lucky Party” held in the spring as well as our yearly Founders’ Day Celebration held in January.

The chapter continues to serve the communities of the United Arab Emirates while also seeking service and partnerships with our neighboring countries. These service projects have included the sponsoring of an orphanage in Ethiopia as well as outreach to men from the local African community especially those who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to provide aid for their basic needs.   

Summer 2022 will also serve as the launch of our International Internship Program (IPP) which aims to give undergraduate members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. an opportunity to train, learn and build their experience while expanding their international network abroad.

The charter members are as follows:

  • Jay Dee Dillard, Polemarch
  • Travis Cooper, Vice Polemarch
  • Roy Williams, Keeper of Records
  • Timothy McCall, Keeper of Exchequer
  • Donald Johnson, Strategus
  • Anthony Sublett, Lieutenant Strategus
  • Carlos Thomas, Historian
  • Marcus Chisolm, Board Member
  • Donald Purnell Board Member
  • Michael Prout, Board Member
  • Jason Borens
  • Terrance Cobb
  • Demetrius Davis
  • Ryan Delafield
  • Julian Ivey
  • Clarence Maxey, Jr.
  • Wade Morris
  • Justin Smith
  • Steven Smith
  • William J.T. Solomon
  • Daniel Sparks