By TASHA BAILEY

lba011@latech.edu

 

The Exodus chapter of United African American Men, Inc., at Tech is trying to portray a new role for black males in society.

The organization, which was founded in 1993 at Grambling State University, wants to promote more prominent and disciplined males so they may thrive in the community, Cory Malcolm, president of UAAM and a junior education major, said.

“The brothers of the organization knew that the programs and work they were doing was good, but they wanted to expand to different colleges and communities,” Jeffery K’Nuckles, a member of UAAM and a sophomore business administration major, said. 

Malcolm said in 2004 UAAM from Grambling brought in eight men from Tech to be a part of UAAM and from there the Exodus chapter was formed.

UAAM has grown from those first eight men to having 21 active members this year.

K’Nuckles said the organization is trying to unify the black community.

“This organization was not just brought to this campus to unify minorities, but to bring all students together,” Frank Williams, vice president of UAAM and a sophomore communication design major, said.

Williams said the purpose of UAAM is to promote unity in the community among all people.

“We plan to uplift the man’s role in society by trying to teach the right way of doing things,” Keith Williams, correspondent for UAAM and a sophomore computer information systems major, said.

Washington said a few of the activities that UAAM have coming up are two mentoring and tutoring programs and a fair for the Boys & Girls Club.

One program is called B.A.M., “Becoming a Man: High School Mentoring and Tutoring Program.”

Another program is called M.T.P, which stands for “Mentoring and Tutoring Peers.”

“They are scheduled to have an event called ‘Icebreaker,’ to bridge the gap between Grambling and Tech,” Dr. Larry Proctor, adviser for UAAM and an assistant professor of health and exercise sciences, said.

K’Nuckles said the colors of UAAM are red, black and green.

“The colors that we wear are the colors of Africa,” K’Nuckles said.

 “We have made bracelets, necklaces, canes and shirts in these colors.”

Keith Williams said UAAM will hold an informational meeting, which will inform the students at Tech about UAAM and its purpose, on Nov. 2.

“The informational is for any male who thinks that he may be interested in becoming a member,” Frank Williams said.

Tashaunda Dixon, a member of the Society of Distinguished Black Women said DBW is the sister organization to UAAM.

“It feels good to have a male organization on campus that we can relate to and hang out with,” Dixon, a junior accounting major, said.

Malcolm, president of UAAM, said UAAM hopingly will continue to thrive.

“UAAM will continue to grow as an organization, but most of all we will grow as men,” Malcolm said.

“The organization is built on a strong foundation — God.”