Gamma Xi Phi, The Fraternity for Artists and Creators, hosted a successful event in observance of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, 2023. The event was held virtually and featured a presentation by Sister La Toya Hankins, National President, and Venise Keys, Program Director, Kappa Chapter, Chicago, Ill, who spoke about mental health and the importance of seeking help.
The event provided an open space for attendees to share their own experiences and resources for supporting those in need. Members of the fraternity showcased their own artwork, highlighting the power of art in starting conversations about mental health and suicide prevention.
“We are thrilled with the response to our World Suicide Prevention Day event,” said Hankins. “It was important for us to create a space for open conversation about mental health and provide resources to those who may be struggling. We are grateful to our members for sharing their artwork and their stories.”
The event saw attendance from 23 members of the fraternity, who joined from various locations across the country.
“Gamma Xi Phi remains committed to supporting mental health initiatives and promoting open dialogue about these important issues,” said Brother Patrick D. Butler, National Vice President.
For more information about Gamma Xi Phi and its initiatives, visit https://gammaxiphi.com
* * * Gamma Xi Phi is an anti-racist, non-hazing, all-gender professional fraternity for artists and creators established in 2010 by undergraduate students attending Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey. Organized on the principles of Philanthropy, Sodality, and Elevation, Gamma Xi Phi seeks to create a world in which artists are valued as thoughtful and justice-oriented leaders in their communities and in their careers.
CHICAGO- Kappa Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi, the professional fraternity for artists, presented a virtual artist talk featuring Venise Keys and Dionne Victoria, two dynamic artists on the South Side. The event was hosted by Ms. Natalie B, another accomplished creator, social justice advocate, and long-time business partner of Dionne Victoria. These high-energy artists performed live poetry before showing a recorded artist statement showing a progression of artwork to its current studio evolution.
“The artist talk went really well. It was engaging and was well received with the audience. It was great to have an opportunity to get to know two extraordinary artists of Chicago,” said Natalie Battles, President of The Healing Academy and host of the Artist Talk.
Venise Keys is a visual artist, writer, and educator raised on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. Venise’s art has exhibited at Front Room Gallery in Brooklyn, NY as well as the Museum Science and Industry, Plus Gallery, Woman Made Gallery, and Intersect Chicago (formally known as SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, and Functional Art & Design Fair) in Chicago. She has a Bachelors and Master’s degree in Painting with a Certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies for her research on Black Feminist politics. She served as adjunct faculty of art for Illinois Central College, Bradley University, and has lectured at Dillard University on the role of the Black artist. This work is published in the scholarly journal, Kalfou: Comparative and Relational Ethnic Studies. This year, Venise’s writing on art education has circulated to Norway, and she is recently published in a New York arts and culture magazine, Hyperallergic. Venise is currently a visual art teacher at Art In Motion Creative Arts School and is the program director for the Kappa Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi.
Dionne Victoria is an educator and award winning Chicago artist whose artwork is a meditative tool to heal and express the soul. Dionne Victoria has exhibited in the United States Congress Library as well as in the Museum of Science and Industry. She has taught all over the Chicagoland area, in other states and in South Korea where she taught English, using art as a modality. She has developed a science-arts integration curriculum and She began her curating career under Tye Johnson Artistry and has curated all over Chicago including at the historic South Side Community Art Center. She has a Masters in Teaching from the University of Chicago and is a Field/WORK and HPAC resident alum. She is currently a science teacher at Art In Motion and holds the chair as treasurer and cofounder of the Healing Academy and is deputy and membership director for Gamma Xi Phi Kappa Chapter.
Gamma Xi Phi was established in 2010 at Ramapo College to provide a fraternal outlet for students engaged in the arts. Today it maintains a presence of working artists from Vancouver, British Columbia, to the northeastern and southern regions of the United States.
DURHAM- The history, method, and inspiration behind crafting jokes served as the topic of an August 14, 2021, panel discussion featuring the work of North Carolina-based comedians Jon Champion and Darian “DWissh” Tedder. SLIPPAGE, located on the campus of Duke University, served as the location for the event, sponsored by the Theta chapter of Gamma Xi Phi. The Art of Comedy panel discussion served as the chapter’s Renaissance Conversations, one of the national organization’s signature programs. Gamma Xi Phi chapters throughout the organization present panel discussions with artists who are impacting society and culture.
“In times like this, laughter is crucial to survive and thrive. Theta chapter members wanted to allow members of the community to enjoy an evening as well as understand the process that goes into the art of comedy,” La Toya Hankins, program director of Theta chapter, explained the purpose of the event.
The show opened with brief performances from Champion and DWissh. Champion is a professional stand-up comedian who blends performing nationally, coordinating shows featuring local comedians, and establishing a non-profit WILLJOKE4FOOD that presents comedy shows to raise money for charity organizations. DWissh, a native of Durham, known as the Carolina King of Comedy, has performed throughout the Triangle, including serving as the host for several years of Durham’s Juneteenth event.
Champion and DWissh shared with the audience their thoughts about the impact comedy legends and North Carolina natives Moms Mabley and Dewey “Pigmeat” Markham had on the art of comedy. The two also discussed the necessity of navigating telling jokes that toe the line of being appropriate and how important it is to recover when a joke doesn’t go well. The duo’s comments came during a panel discussion facilitated by Jordyne Blaise, GXP Nominating Committee Chair and Theta chapter member.
Gamma Xi Phi was founded on October 7, 2010, on the campus of Ramapo College. The purpose of the organization is to honor the achievements of artists through fellowship, philanthropy, social justice, and service. Theta Chapter was charted on October 11, 2020, to serve the Research Triangle area.
Content Warning: This event discusses suicide and depression.
On Saturday, August 28th, 2021, the Iota Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi, the fraternity for artists, hosted their second program, How Art Can Heal. The keynote speaker was Hunter Irby, program director and charter member of the Iota chapter, serving Montgomery and Southeast Alabama.
Part of the fraternity’s Check On Me mental health initiative, How Art Can Heal highlighted one member’s journey toward healing. This event was one of raw emotion and vulnerability, focusing on how any art can help one through the difficulties that life may bring. It also stressed the importance of knowing that one is not alone in their sadness and discussed ways to help increase mental wellness and stability through artistic means.
Hunter discussed how art impacted his growth and led him to the current period of stability in his life. Detailing his struggle with intrusive thoughts, work-life balances, and loss of close family, he expressed how working with his craft and diving into other forms of art helped see him through.
As event participants were invited to speak about how they cope with their own bouts of sadness, Hunter broke down how all people are connected through struggle and have used the arts for assistance. He further stressed the importance of getting professional help if possible.
Hunter Irby is a recent alumnus of Troy University, earning his bachelor’s degree in graphic design with a minor in global business marketing. Throughout his time at Troy, he won the Silver Addy and Mosaic Award from the AAF, wrote and published Positive Shift, and created design work for different organizations and departments.
Gamma Xi Phi is a multi-disciplinary fraternity for artists of all genres and crafts. It was established in 2010 at Ramapo College in New Jersey and expanded to Alabama in 2020.
On Wednesday, June 30th, 2021, the Iota Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi, the fraternity for artists, hosted their inaugural program, Finding Your Muse. The virtual program highlighted Mr. Milton Williams, a music educator at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School in Montgomery, Alabama.
Finding Your Muse is a quarterly activity under the fraternity’s national Renaissance Conversation initiative. Designed to uplift all who desire artistic careers, Finding Your Muse invites an artist from any discipline to discuss how they found their passion and developed it into a career. The event also details how artists managed to persevere during the global COVID-19 pandemic, and how they were able to continue to hone their crafts in times of crisis.
The keynote speaker was Mr. Milton Williams, a charter member and treasurer of the Iota Chapter, which serves Montgomery and Southeast Alabama. Williams holds degrees in Music Education from Huntingdon College and Auburn University, and an Educational Specialist degree from Liberty University. He has been the choral director at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School for 15 years where he teaches choral music, music theory, and music history. He has also adjudicated various choral, vocal, theatrical, and artistic competitions throughout Alabama and the South.
Putting a spin on the renaissance conversation, Williams did not just speak, but proved his passion for the art of music through a live piano concert. Williams showcased his professional history by breaking down each piece and why they were chosen. He further explained how it was music and his love of teaching that helped him through the pandemic.
Iota Chapter Program Director Hunter Irby of Troy, Alabama hosted and moderated the event, with audience members from Alabama, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and the District of Columbia.
On Friday, May 21, at four o’clock in the afternoon, the Beta Lambda Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi hosted a workshop called LinkedIn for Artists and Creators, presented by Ms. Zoila J. Primo.
The presentation, which had nearly 20 registrants, provided helpful advice on how to utilize LinkedIn to establish and reinforce a reputation as an artist, regardless of discipline.
Ms. Primo, who is baker as well as a people and culture professional of over ten years, also discussed the culture of LinkedIn and how to provide an authentic and polished identity to potential job leads and clients.
“Wonderful program,” one guest said. “Very helpful as a mid-career changer.”
The interactive presentation allowed participants to edit their profiles in real time. Organic networking also occurred, as those present shared their LinkedIn profiles in chat.
The Beta Lambda Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi was established to provide a pathway to membership for those artists living in rural and remote areas of the fraternity’s South Atlantic Region.
Gamma Xi Phi is a predominantly Black, national fraternity for men and women in the arts and entertainment.
DURHAM-Theta Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi, the fraternity for artists, presented a virtual panel discussion featuring three North Carolina-based filmmakers this week. The event highlighted panelists Leslie Cunningham, Rukiya Shanteel, and Kimberly Knight, who discussed both the art and the craft of their work. The artists’ projects involved a traveling revue during the Jim Crow era, Afro-Indigenous residents of North Carolina, and the fight for justice through video and song.
“The opportunity to bring these filmmakers together to discuss their work is what Gamma Xi Phi is about: raising awareness of the depth of artistry that exists in our community,” said La Toya Hankins, program director for Theta Chapter. “The artists are turning the lenses of their lives around and elevating those who interact with them in a way that promotes Gamma Xi Phi’s mission of honoring the achievements of artists.”
Cunningham is a self-described “raconteur with a journalistic background.” She is the owner of TRIBES Entertainment, LLC, a boutique digital media company known for creating daring and entertaining narratives that represent a diversity of subjects and communities. The Los Angeles, California native and current Durham, North Carolina resident is currently working on a documentary film series titled Jig Show: Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana, which honors her grandfather’s popular traveling revue. She is a member of Film Fatales and Brown Girls Doc Mafia. Cunningham is a graduate of the documentary arts program at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University in Durham.
Shanteel is a Greensboro, NC based filmmaker and artist that describes her work as being geared toward creating complex narratives that drive introspection and soulful entertainment. Her impromptu short film How Much Longer was showcased at the Gender Reel Film Festival in 2015. Shanteel won best in genre in 2018 and 2019 C47 Film Festival in Carrboro. She had her first solo art exhibition entitled Soul Sessions and is currently filming her next feature film.
Knight, a Wilson, NC native and Raleigh, NC resident, maintains a lifestyle blog called The Lux Blog and is a contributing writer for Sheen and Essence magazines. She is the committee chair of the Advisory Council for the first Black Indians NC Powwow for the State of North Carolina scheduled for September 2021. She is also serving as the co-director and co-producer of a film entitled Duality: A Collection of Afro-Indigenous Perspectives. Knight is also a member of Gamma Xi Phi.
The event was moderated by GXP member Thomas De Frantz. Remarks were provided by National President Rashid Darden.
Gamma Xi Phi was founded on October 7, 2010, by Ramapo College men and women who were interested in creating strong bonds between students pursuing artistic careers. The purpose of the fraternity is to honor the achievements of artists through fellowship, philanthropy, social justice, and service. Theta Chapter was chartered on October 11, 2020, to serve the Research Triangle.
On Monday, March 22, 2021, the Gamma Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi kicked off a brand new series called Behind The Art. Falling under the national program Renaissance Conversations, this series is designed to be a space to highlight artists of color who are carving out space for themselves in the Newark, New Jersey area.
The series is available on Instagram and YouTube. Topics included, but were not limited to, the business of the industry, the craft, mental health, healing, and more. The series is spearheaded and hosted by Sister Treasure Borde.
The artists interviewed in the first four episodes were Radicule, Nicki D the Poet, Don Krypton, and WATA.
“It was a smooth interview,” poet Don Krypton said. “I felt it was very insightful for myself as well as those who wish to know me.”
Gamma Chapter is already preparing for future episodes of the series, premiering at their Instagram page: www.instagram.com/gxpnewark
Sigma Delta Tau Legal Fraternity, Inc., and Gamma Xi Phi, the fraternity for artists, presented a program called “Protecting My Brand: A Discussion for Emerging Artists and Creators.”
Gamma Xi Phi member Shaina Jones Magrone of Artisan Law, P.C., moderated a helpful discussion that benefited artists and all those working in artistic professions.
Panelists included Sigma Delta Tau members Joseph Drayton, Esq., of Cooley LLP; Bradley Thomas, Esq., of the Law Offices of Bradley Ashton Thomas; and William Jolley, Esq., an Entertainment Attorney and Strategic Connector.
The event, a celebration of World Intellectual Property Day, was a lively introduction to the field of intellectual property, and discussed trademark, copyright, and even patents. Panelists shared best practices as well as stories from the field. It was agreed that an early investment in an intellectual property attorney is always a wise one.
“Gamma Xi Phi and Sigma Delta Tau Legal Fraternity assembled the Black Legal Avengers!” shared event attendee Seun Ogunlegan, CEO of Bold Ventures Media. “Incredible information and all of it well explained. I’d sign up a second time, if offered.”
This event was the first collaboration between Sigma Delta Tau, the oldest continuously existing African-American legal fraternity in the United States, and Gamma Xi Phi, the nation’s leading fraternal organization for artists of color and their anti-racist allies.
Beta Lambda Chapter, the South Atlantic Region Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi, presents Hip-Hop: A Pedagogy of Reinvention. In conversation with Beta Lambda member Rashid Darden, Mr. Byron L. Williams discusses how educators of all age groups might infuse hip-hop into their lesson plans. (more…)
In Fall of 2020, Gamma Xi Phi introduced two emerging artists to the community: FatherSokka and Tyler Brooks.
The virtual events, which occured live, were called Odeon After Dark due to the late hour. Members and friends of the fraternity logged in via Zoom and listened as FatherSokka and Tyler Brooks discussed their crafts, their creative processes, and their hopes for the future.
Scroll past the fliers to see the videos for each event. (more…)
The Delta Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi, the nation’s leading fraternity for artists, recently sponsored a viewing party for Black history-themed episodes the web series Extra Credits, written by chapter member Steven Van Patten.
Shortly after the slaying of George Floyd in May of 2020, producers for Extra Credits approached Brother Van Patten to participate. Their goal was to add episodes focused on Black history to their already vast catalogue of animated vignettes that feature everything from the life and times of Genghis Khan to the mythology of the Easter egg.
Brother Van Patten, an awarded author of horror and dark fiction, had already written episodes for the mythology wing of the channel. Jumping at the chance to tackle Black history, he gave the folks at EC a list of subjects he wanted to address. Still other topics would be added by to the list by sponsors.
While a handful of the episodes have yet to be released, Delta Chapter was happy to host a viewing party with those that were available. The subjects varied, from the burning of “Black Wall Street” to the troubles black heavyweight faced outside the ring. Most of the episodes left the audience visibly disturbed. However, the general consensus among the attendees was that while uncomfortable to watch, these videos could help change the paradigm and the conversations currently being had all over the country.
When asked which episode was the hardest for him to work on, Brother Van Patten explained that most of them were difficult. The yet-to-be released episode on the assassination of Medgar Evers was the one that had reduced him to tears and forced to him have to step away for a few hours.
Delta Chapter encourages the public to gird themselves and go down this Black history rabbit hole with Brother Van Patten.
The Burning of Black Wall Street – Tulsa, OK – Extra History
The Harlem Hellfighters – The 369th Infantry – Extra History
The Harlem Renaissance – An Explosion of Art – Extra History
Redlining – Income and Housing Inequality – Extra History
Black Boxing Heavyweights – Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, & Muhammad Ali – Extra History
Interstate Displacement – The Legacy of Robert Moses – Extra History
The Beta Lambda Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi distributed self-care kits, including adult coloring books, crayons, and colored pencils, to 62 households in rural Northeastern North Carolina from Saturday, December 19, 2020, through Tuesday, December 22, 2020.
Brother Shawn P. Spencer, National Vice-President of Gamma Xi Phi, hosted a Renaissance Conversation called The Prerequisites of Publishing on August 26, 2020, via Zoom. This virtual activity brought together five members of the fraternity who are published authors and poets, from traditionally published to self-published. Participating members were Brother Marc L. Abbott, Brother BuddahDesmond, Brother Rashid Darden, Sister Melanie Hatter, and Brother E. Ethelbert Miller. (more…)
District of Columbia artists Sean Defreitas and Jeneesah Tate (also known as Ja’ness) have been selected as the 2016 Young Artisans for Gamma Xi Phi’s Beta Chapter in Washington, DC. The award is the highest honor that the fraternity bestows upon youth.
“We are so happy and so proud to support these students, who represent the best of Washington’s emerging talent,” said Beta Chapter Program Director Shawn Spencer.
The Young Artisans Awards initiative was created by Gamma Xi Phi in 2015 to honor emerging artists living within the service areas of the chapters. The selected artists must display both artistic merit and artistic citizenship, including a willingness to learn, grow, serve, and be mentored. The Beta Chapter, serving the District of Columbia, selected two students after months of research and observation of young artists living within the chapter’s domain.
Sean Defreitas is a student attending the Latin American Youth Center Career Academy, located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. His artistic interests are varied and include graphic design, photography, music, and fashion. His mother and other family members are also engaged in the arts, namely music, visual art, and crafts. Mr. Defreitas came highly recommended by the faculty and staff of LAYC Career Academy.
Ja’ness (Jeneesah Tate) is a Junior attending the historic Duke Ellington School of the Arts. She is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter who has already created a name for herself in the Washington area and beyond through many public performances at festivals and music venues. Coming from a long line of artists, Ja’ness strives to create a career that complements, but is independent from, her already successful family members.
Over the next few months, the awardees will benefit from the full support of Brothers and Sisters of Beta Chapter and beyond. Members will provide the students with support and connections to working artists. In March 2016, the awardees will participate in the Young Artisans Combine, a private day of training, coaching, and mentoring with some of the Washington area’s most notable artists and professionals. In May 2016, the awardees will officially be presented to the community in a ceremony at Beta Chapter’s Odeon, a community talent show.
(L-R) Mr. Atif Tate, Beta Chapter Young Artisan 2016 Ja’ness, Chapter Program Director Shawn Spencer (L-R) Ms. Crystal Defreitas, Beta Chapter Young Artisan 2016 Sean Defreitas, National President Rashid Darden
National President Rashid Darden, who is a Washington-based novelist and member of Beta Chapter, expressed his pride at the selection of Ja’ness and Sean, saying “We needed humble students who would be their authentic, artistic selves when they didn’t expect that anyone was evaluating them. That’s the beauty of the first year of this initiative–without the fanfare of previous years, we were able to find the most deserving students who weren’t just seeking accolades for their resumes.”
Mr. Atif Tate, father of Ja’ness, said that due to this honor, his daughter’s “…positive actions towards her dreams are being noticed by others outside her family–which gives her more confidence to keep pushing through.” He added “I have help from a village. My advice to other parents is to invest your time and energy into their dreams now and help them develop so this experience will help them grow into something great.”
Gamma Xi Phi was founded on October 7, 2010, by Ramapo College men and women who were interested in creating strong bonds between students pursuing artistic careers. The purpose of the fraternity is to unite collegiate and professional artists in the spirit of fellowship and perpetual artistic growth. Gamma Xi Phi promotes philanthropy and service to the arts, brotherhood among all artists, and leadership development in artistic professions through collegiate and community outreach to people of color across the world.
![[Kappa Chapter] Walking With Black Women Artists](https://gammaxiphi.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Kappa-cover.png)
