The state coalition of Georgia, NCNW hosted their second state training, virtually.  The Dorothy Irene Height Leadership Training was a vision by State President and National Young Adult Vice Chair, Sharah Denton in 2018.  The training this year was chaired by State Secretary, Theresia Carrington from the North Fulton Area Section and included the committee of Denton (Valdosta-Lolwndes), Debbie Hillman (Rockdale-Newton NCNW Section President/State 4 For the Future Chair) and Sheree Fanner (Rockdale-Newton Section and State Corresponding Secretary) and Danielle Dill (State Young Adult and Collegiate Liasion, 3rd Vice President of Savannah Section).  The purpose of the training was to provide resources and strategies for incoming Section leaders to successfully operate their sections.

“When Valdosta-Lowndes Metropolitan was being organized and chartered in 2011 and later Valdosta State University, our sections had to really  start from the bottom and figure out things by trial and error.  We had lost our beloved, President Emeritus, Dorothy Height and State Convenor, Verdelle Bellamy and being a new section and a first time leader myself in South Georgia around that time, was filled with a lot of uncertainty,” stated Denton. Denton says that she found many section leaders were not being provided transitional plans or strategies from leaders before them for various reasons.  Denton did not want leaders to have to “figure it out” when being a new leader as she later
became the first elected Interim State President of NCNW Georgia in 2016.  For Denton, it was important to provide support, direction, and encouragement through a state-wide training for collegiate and community-based sections to eliminate those challenges.

Denton credits Carrington and the overall planning committee with the success of the first virtual training due to COVID-19.  “We were all sadden by not being able to meet in person this time as many of our sections are across the state.  However, the team came together and made it happen.  I am so proud to serve along these ladies who worked very hard to make it happen.  Having sisters from other states join in on the virtual training was icing on the cake and to have our National Chair, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole share love and greetings was even more amazing”, states Denton.

The training consisted of several key leaders including current National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. , Mrs. Beverly Smith (Characteristics of a Successful Leader), National NCNW Chair of Programs, Paulette Norvel Lewis; State of Georgia NCNW Secretary, Theresia Carrington (Fundraising in the Midst of COVID); Immediate Past International Secretary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.,, Charletta

Wilson Jacks (The President’s Toolkit… Taking Charge); South Regional Parliamentarian of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tremelle Howard Esq.(Operating in Decency and In Order… The NCNW Way); Debbie Hillman Section President of Rockdale-Newton NCNW (4 For
the Future, Our State Perspective); Dr. Jamie Foster-Hill, Valdosta-Lowndes Section President along with 2nd Vice President of Greater Atlanta NCNW, Ashlon Reeder who collaborated to present (Membership Engagement 101) and Co-Chairs of the DeKalb

NCNW Section Youth Group, Black Pearls, Joyce Vortices and Deedria Faulkner (Sealing Our Future… Our Youth Matter). The state finance committee which includes Finance Chair, Sandra Kenon (Gwinnett), Treasurer, Yurshema Flanders (Valdosta-Lowndes) and Financial
Secretary, Janair Patterson (Henry-Clayton) presented financial procedures and protocols for officers who took on those roles in their sections.

The State of Georgia NCNW hope that this training provides a resource for other leaders to provide support and a foundation as sections transition in leadership.  Denton states that anyone that is a part of NCNW can participate in the state trainings and events.