LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) – The Longview chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. supports East Texas businesses as part of the sorority’s program initiative, Build Our Economic Wealth.

The chapter, Epsilon Zeta Omega, serves the East Texas community as they “spend green, buy black, and of course, wear pink,” as the chapter president, Dr. NaTasha Crain said.

Crain explained the goal of the initiative.

“How do we build generational wealth?” Crain said. “The only way we can really secure the bag is if we support each other.”

As part of the program initiative, the Epsilon Zeta Omega Chapter held a business expo that was free to vendors as part of Longview’s Juneteenth celebrations.

Crain says the expo and the initiative overall is about helping entrepreneurs and bringing people together.

“It really is about how we can build community,” Crain said.

During the month of June, the sorority also held Black Dollar Days on Fridays. On those days, sorority members go into Black-owned businesses to provide their support.

“If we’re able to go in as a group, of course, they’re always excited to see us in numbers, so it’s another way to build community and support Black entrepreneurship,” Crain said.

Crain asks everyone in the community to continue to support local businesses because it helps everyone.

“Whether it’s a Black-owned business or not, they depend on our services to support them,” Crain said. “It’s important that the community supports black-owned businesses, so that we can all thrive together.”

The sorority also supports its members with the first Black-owned, woman-led, sorority-based credit union.

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