As we near the end of April, it is important to share with all of our followers the significance of this month. all across the nation women who are member of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. Chapters celebrate "Business Month." This is a time of the year when we highlight businesswomen and businessmen. We also focus on youth entrepreneurs and providing training or tips to our audiences. 

This year, our chapter wanted to utilize our national theme in our planning for the month which is "Business and Professional Women Building the Foundation for Generational Financial Empowerment." We are focusing on sharing the "Green Print to Entrepreneurship." You must know the processes for starting a successful business so that you can create generational financial empowerment for your family. We encourage you to join in on the last week of activities and to go back to the EPhi Podcasts tab on this website to hear from great businesswomen across the nation who happen to be our EPhi Sorors. Let's continue to build each other up as women and support our communities in the process. 

The Epsilon Phi Chapter has had a remarkable evolution over the years. We are the 2022 SWR Chapter of the Year and working hard to continue to showcase our community support even more, this year. After our award-winning Regional Conference in March 2022, we held numerous Business Month activities focused on Generational Wealth. We started by hosting our own podcast show where we invited guests from different backgrounds to discuss how they create generational wealth in their careers. Our signature program, Wheel of Careers, was virtual once again. Still, our youth enjoyed hearing from the four panelists that represented areas of the government that were not political such as the Environmental Protection Agency.
Our membership grew again in 2022, with 10 more Sorors as of May 2022. The ladies presented themselves well in true EPhi EXTRA fashion. We, then, were tasked with hosting the Houston area Founder's Day ceremony and reception. It was so great to see our Sorors and host them in style. As we prepared to end our EPhi sorority year with a fun-filled event, we held it at a local minority-owned banquet facility. Our members enjoyed a live band, 360 Photo Booth, brunch buffet, mimosas, and a visit from our SWR Director, Soror Rosetta Davis, and our National Financial Secretary, Soror Lana Samuels.
A special opportunity in the community was presented to us as we participated in July 2022 in the Barrett Station Community Parade in Crosby, Texas. We were determined to ensure that EPhi #LEADS by showcasing our sorority and chapter to more communities. Our networking partnerships continued to grow as we moved into August 2022. Who would have thought Lakeshore Learning Store would partner with and allow us to help so many educators at the beginning of the school year? We are excited to continue this partnership in the new year. As the 2022-2023 Sorority year started, we opened with another fun-filled President's Workshop focusing on who "SHE IS" as a "Leader in Iota." Part of the workshop concluded with a painting activity where we painted turtle banks to start our savings plan for 2023. Our FIL will also save this sorority year and learn more about finances. September began with our first chapter meeting, and committee chairs were in gear. However, if you know EPhi, we had to start our year with some fun by hosting our annual Social Hour for our chapter Sorors. We played EPhi Jeopardy and bonded in a virtual setting. As we moved on to October, our Pelati partnered up at a local daycare to have an adopted youth for Halloween to provide candy and matching shirts for fun. The children were so excited to see them and take photos. Our IMAP committee focused on collecting diapers and wipes for "National Make a Difference Day." We donated over 1,000 diapers and wipes to the Star of Hope Women's Shelter. 
November was just as grand as we supported our educators and additional campus/district staff for their support in the education system during American Education Week. Our AEW committee hosted their 1st podcast series and learned so much about career options in education that are not the role of the teacher. From October to November, our Scholarship Committee focused on sharing our essay competition and scholarship opportunities at local Open House events and College Fairs in the city. Next, we joined in with the Coalition of Business and Professional Sororities Small Business Saturday Tech Team to help our fellow Soror, Dorita Hatchett, who was the chair this year. EPhi was indeed on the move. 
We have now made it to December to close out the midpoint of our year. The chapter celebrated by having our Annual Christmas Brunch at Harold's in the Heights. Photos and fun are all that this day included for our members. Not only did we enjoy each other this month, but all of our auxiliary and chapter members participated in various community service activities. 
We were extremely busy and active this year, and some activities were not able to be covered in this post as I wanted to provide a glimpse of our year. However, we hope that all who read this blog can see what we are doing in the community and want to support us. We will need all the support you are willing to give, whether physical or financial. 
~ Madam President, Dr. Valencia D. Hall

Whew! These past two years have flown by so fast. Epsilon Phi has grown and expanded our service to the community. We are definitely working and not shirking in this chapter. I encourage all who read this message to learn more about us and what our sorority was established to do. We are on year 93 and headed to centennial with great pride and hard work to celebrate.

To all business owners, share your information via our contact page and establish partnerships with us so we can promote your business to our network. We are here to help and to provide encouragement especially after this pandemic has hurt so many these past few years. Let's rebuild together this year while also creating opportunities for others. We look forward to hearing from you!

As for those who are interested in joining our chapter to start working from an insiders lens, we are always having informational sessions and chapter programs. Start participating so you will know what we do and know if this is the best organization for you. We welcome ladies who want to share their talents with the communities we serve. You do not have to own a business to be a member. Check out our National website at www.iota1929.org for more information on membership. 

~ Dr. Valencia D. Hall, Chapter President

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    Well, it has been four months since the Epsilon Phi Chapter has had a new President presiding. What a legacy Soror Dr. Valencia D. Hall, our current Chapter President has had to follow. When our prior Chapter President, Soror Audrey Dutton Davis, took on the charge of organizing our chapter, she stood by the words of COMMITMENT and DEDICATION by ensuring that she exuded just that in her four and a half years over the chapter. She guided us to "SWR Chapter of the Year" in only two years of existence, she became Iota National (Business) Woman of the Year 2017 and Southwestern Region Soror of the Year 2019-2021. To top it off, we continued to have top auxiliaries, one National Officer (Soror Amanda Dutton - Treasurer), and one Regional Officer (Soror Dr. Valencia D. Hall - SWR Journalist).
    Now it is time to see what the future may hold for Epsilon Phi Chapter as we have been working and definitely not shirking under our NEW REGIME with our newly elected Chapter President. Soror Dr. Hall is very structured in her delivery of information to our Sorors. She has ALL Sorors committed to working in committees and ensures that we are servicing our communities even though a pandemic has evolved our year to a virtual-only lifestyle. Well, the best part of it all is that she is technology savvy with an amazing technology committee by her side to help each chapter committee execute their creative virtual ideas. We have not skipped a beat in our officers' transition, and if you think we have been doing something now, wait and see what is coming up next. 
    If you enjoyed reading this post and learning a little about our Chapter Presidents' transition, post a comment. We are also accepting donations to support our local programs and projects this year, including scholarships for youth. Contributions can be submitted on our contact page. Thank you for taking the time out to read this blog!