Sigma Alpha Iota

Summer 2021 6 P A N P I P E S T hree sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota were involved in the recent release of a new book,e HBCU Experience: e HBCU Band Alumni Edition: Dr. Christy Walker (a Patroness Member, initiated by the Richmond Alumnae Chapter and the current Sergeant-at-Arms of the Raleigh- Durham Alumnae Chapter); LaToya Brooks (charter member of the Kappa Delta Chapter at Clark Atlanta University and past member of the Atlanta Alumnae Chapter); and Keena Day (an initiate of Kappa Iota Chapter at Tennessee State University, former Psi B Province and Region 4 Regional Officer, and current Denver Alumnae Chapter member). e HBCU Experience: e HBCU Band Alumni Edition is the first ever HBCU band anthology, written by 36 prominent HBCU Band Alumni who are doing great things in their careers, businesses, and communities. e authors share their stories and experiences of how being an HBCU Band Member has molded them into the people they are today. e book is published by e HBCU Experience Movement LLC. e company, led by CEO, Founder, and Visionary Author Dr. Ashley Little, is the first Black-owned company to feature books written and published by prominent alumni throughout the world who attended Historically Black Colleges & Universities. e company's goal is to change the narrative by sharing Black stories and investing financially back into HBCUs to increase young alumni giving and enrollment. e HBCU Experience Movement LLC won the Black Authors Matter TV Award in May 2021 and is the winner of the 2021 International Book Awards by e American Book Fest. e Lead Author, Dr. Christy A. Walker, is a higher education professional, self-proclaimed "bandhead," and staunch HBCU advocate. A native of Hampton, VA, Dr. Walker earned a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). While Christy was a student at A&T, she played clarinet in the Blue and Gold Marching Machine and played in the symphonic band for 4 years. is was a family tradition, as her parents met in A&T's band, and subsequently marched in A&T's alumni band for 40 consecutive years. Christy received a master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Old Dominion University and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University. In 1999, Christy, along with Michael Lee, created e 5th Quarter, a website dedicated to showcasing HBCU marching bands. e 5th Quarter was considered a top resource for HBCU marching bands and received tens of thousands of unique visitors annually until its closing in 2019, aer 20 years of service. Christy is the creator of the podcast, e HBCU Band Experience with Christy Walker, in which she interviews marching band alumni from HBCUs. She is also an Honorary member of the National Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority. Dr. Walker shared: "When I was approached by Dr. Ashley Little to be the Lead Author in a book about HBCU bands, I couldn't turn it down. is book is the first of its kind – an anthology of stories from alumni from HBCU band programs. I am all about preserving the legacy of our bands, as a lot of our information has not been written down. Being a part of this book ensures that the greatness of HBCU bands will live on for generations aer mine. Also, I want to encourage kids to attend HBCUs and march in the band, and if this book can aid in that, I have done my job. I am proud of the authors in this book – there are 36 of us from different schools, band programs, instruments, and different eras. However, we have the New HBCU Alumni Band Book Released MUSIC NOTES

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