Sorority utilizes social media

About 50 IU students stretched, squatted and lunged across the Barnes Lounge at the Ashton Residence Center on Wednesday.

The workout, led by graduate student Bakari Taylor, was the first of four events in the coming weeks organized by Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the oldest African-American sorority on campus.

Taylor discussed nutrition, healthy eating and exercise techniques before the workout, and he encouraged students to take advantage of the “Eat Wright” stations in campus dining halls.

“Just try to make your plate as colorful as possible,” Taylor said, “Eat real, natural foods.”

Students were also encouraged to take pictures at the event and post them on Instagram with the hash tag #PRETTYfit.

The mini-week of events is coined “InsTAUgram” in order to encourage social media publicity of the Tau Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, said IU senior and hostess of the Tau Chapter Cheyenne Starner.

“We know a lot of people get information for our chapter through our Instagram account, so we wanted to use that,” Starner said.

These initiatives are formulated into mini-week events demonstrating the sorority’s initiatives. These “Skee-Week” events, named after the Alpha Kappa Alpha call “skee-wee,” focus on community education, said IU senior and AKA Vice President Diamond Malone.

Alpha Kappa Alpha will repost the pictures taken at their events with their respective hash tags and put them on their own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Three other events will coincide with “InsTAUgram.” Students can learn about fiscal responsibility during a discussion and simulation today in the Neal-Marshall Grand Hall.

An interactive debate about poverty in black communities will take place Oct. 23 in Ballantine Hall. Students may also attend a self-defense class Oct. 24 in the Neal Marshall Center.  

Each event starts promptly at 7:08 p.m. In military time, this is 19:08, the year Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded. The Tau Chapter was established at IU in 1992.

“We want these people, especially emerging leaders, to leave each event with something,” Sterner said. “Whether that’s advice on financial management, good character initiatives or good academic initiatives, we want them to take away something from this.”

Follow reporter Tori Lawhorn on Twitter @ToriLawhorn.