By Brother Frank Gaines
The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is an international organization of men of like attainment and ideals dedicated to service and uplift in the Black community. Founded in 1911 on the campus of Howard University with the Cardinal Principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift , the organization today has over 750 chapters worldwide. The local chapter, Zeta Chi, was founded April 26, 1954, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and celebrates its 65th anniversary on Friday. Located at 1108 Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL, in the heart of the Sistrunk Corridor, the brothers of Omega Psi Phi are dedicated to serving the Fort Lauderdale community.
The organization’s service to the community includes programs to assist everyone from the youth to the elderly. It includes initiatives to uplift the community, voter empowerment and education to name a few. Recent projects include partnerships with the NAACP to restore voter rights, the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center to host a community block party for Black History Month, and Broward County to revitalize and landscape homes for the elderly.
One of the Zeta Chi Chapter’s current foci is the restoration of voter rights for citizens who have had engagement with the criminal justice system. In the upcoming months the chapter is collaborating with the NAACP, the Broward County Clerk of the Courts, the Public Defenders Office and others to empower citizens to take advantage of their fundamental right to vote. Happy 65th Anniversary to the Zeta Chi Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
