"Bulldog Bites" March 2021 Membership Newsletter

GAAFU, Inc. Membership Newsletter

March 2021

Ever On The Altar

Judge Teana Viltz Watson '86 Breaking Barriers

Congratulations Judge Watson on becoming the first African American and first female elected as the Fort Bend Juvenile Board Chair in Fort Bend County (Texas).

She is a Life Member of the GAAFU, Inc., and holds membership in the Houston Fisk Alumni Association.

Members Make the Difference

A Message from Will J. Carter '57

Membership Committee Chair

Kudos to the efforts of the Class of 1991. This group of dedicated Fiskites put together a rather unique fundraiser as part of their recent virtual class activity with Class Agent Jennifer N. Gamble '91 at the helm. The class raffled chances for alumni to win memberships in the Association – one Life Membership ($750 Value), one Sustaining Membership ($250 Value) and one Annual Membership ($50 Value). A special thanks goes to Tonya Johnson Smallwood ’91, who spearheaded the effort to increase membership. Join me in publicly welcoming the winners.

· Kellie Brown ’91 - $750 GAAFU Life Membership
· Dathon O’Banion ’90 - $250 GAAFU Subscribing Life Membership
· Gregory Dendy ’18 - $50 Annual Membership for 2021

Useful Links

Need a replacement diploma or a transcript (official or unofficial) or verification of degree? Use these links from the Office of the Registrar.

Request Transcript

Diploma Replacement

Degree Verification

FROM THE CHAIR

of the General Alumni Association of Fisk University, Incorporated

Janine Smith '84 (BA) '87 (MA)

Your Alumni Association is continuing the work of bringing Fisk alumni together. Our committees are working diligently to plan and implement ways to keep alumni connected and support the university. I ask that you continue to follow us on Facebook, as well as the university (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube).

We appreciate alumni efforts associated with the Home Depot Retool Your School campaign and anticipate hearing great news on April 14, 2021. Watch it live!

Let me share a few updates...

Need to make your Class Gift to FISK? To Donate Now (Click Here) OR Text FISK to 56512

LEAVE YOUR PAW PRINT - JOIN HERE

Join the Fisk Forever Network

Our alumni online community.

Benefits include:

Access to our online Alumni Directory
View your online giving history 24/7 through our web tools
Update your personal profile anytime so we can keep connected

PANDEMIC'S IMPACT ON

AFRICAN AMERICANS

KEY FACTS

Cynthia Turner-Graham, M.D. '75

Fellow Fiskites:

I have had the privilege of supporting vaccine development over the past 40+ years, coincidentally married to the chief architect and senior researcher who developed the active component of most SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Together for 42 years, Dr. Barney Graham and I have traveled an interesting road, and in the process, I have become an "armchair vaccinologist". Thus, here are some key facts about the pandemic's impact on African Americans:

CLICK HERE to read a fascinating article in USA Today shared by Dr. Turner-Graham... "Luck, foresight and science: How an unheralded team developed a COVID-19 vaccine in record time"

CIVIC CORNER

Voting & COVID-19

Request Absentee Ballot

Check Your Voter Registration

Nikki Giovanni '67 "Vote"

Click Image to watch our Fisk alumna, poet, educator, author and activist read her poem “Vote,” where she offers thoughts on the importance of voting. It was filmed by The Meteor, a feminist collective of activists, journalists and creators, part of a daily Instagram series focusing on voting rights.