History Of Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter
West Valley Of Phoenix, AZ
December 15th, 2021
The creation of Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter began with 14 Brothers in the West Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, meeting on Thursday July 15th, 2021. The meeting was to discuss how to best serve the West Valley communities in the Phoenix, Arizona metroplex area. The 14 Brothers who decided to meet were Brother Terry Williams, Brother Bryant Jones, Brother Mark Washington, Brother Barry Kimmons, Brother Allison Reed, Brother Demond Bradford II, Brother Jermaine Sampson, Brother Courtney Boss, Brother Gustavus Lawler, Brother Fulwood Blackburn (Omega Chapter), Brother Charles Williams, Brother Reginald Harrell, Brother Arnold McCrary, and Brother Derrick Golden. Next, 5 additional Brothers joined the group of 14 Brothers to help establish Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter. The Brothers were Brother Keith Simpson, Brother Ronald Davis, Brother Kevin Scott, Brother Gabriel Johnson, and Brother Armani Davis. These 19 Brothers later became the Charter members of Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
During the first meeting, Brothers recognized that Maricopa County, AZ is 9,224 square miles and the 4th largest County in the United States. The population in Maricopa County, AZ is 4.6 million residents with a black population of 558,000 residents. Thus, the West Valley of Phoenix, AZ was being underserved because of the lack of resources, and the brand of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. needed to be established in this area. In addition, Brothers who lived in the West Valley of Phoenix, AZ had to commute 52 miles one way and 104 miles roundtrip to the central Phoenix/East Valley for Phi Iota Graduate Chapter meetings, as well as community service events.
Therefore, the Brothers decided it was time the brand of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. be established in the West Valley. Thereafter, Brothers conducted a second meeting the following week. During the second meeting a vote was taken to submit a Charter application. The Brothers completed the Charter application and written justification forwarding it to the 34th 12th District Representative Brother Kwame Dow for approval.
Brother Dow after reviewing the justification conducted an evaluation process. The process entailed reviewing the proposed strategic and sustainability plan, how the 8 West Valley cities would be served, and conversations with past International and District Officers at that time.
After Brother Dow’s evaluation, he approved the Charter application and justification. Brother Dow, in his written approval detailed the process he conducted before making his decision. He then submitted the Charter application and justification to the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Supreme Council for approval on October 5th, 2021. The Supreme Council then met on Wednesday December 15th, 2021 to vote on the Charter application.
After reviewing the Charter justification, the Supreme Council voted to approve the application for a West Valley Phoenix, AZ Chapter and given the Greek Letters, Xi Nu Nu. Another significant milestone was, Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter was established on the same day and month as Alpha Chapter the “Mother Pearl” of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. which was Chartered on December 15th, 1911.
Since it’s Chartering, Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter has doubled its membership of Brothers. This included over 24 Brothers being reclaimed to become active members. In addition, on April 13th, 2024; Nine men were initiated into Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter as the Charter line. These 9 men know as the 9 Son’s of Woody, in honor of the Chapters beloved Brother Fulwood “Woody” Blackburn who entered Omega Chapter on November 15th, 2023. The 9 Charter line members are Brothers Jerome Havens, Joshua Jackson, John Bacon, Alejandrino Diaz, Byron Green, Michael Grisby, Shawn Coleman, Ricky Magee, and Eric Henson
Furthermore, Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter since it’s Chartering has conducted over 75 community services projects as of December 14th 2024. Some examples are participating in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Social Action March, participation in Stop Human Trafficking, partnering with the leadership at Estrella Community College to support student success, packing boxes at the Saint Mary’s Food Bank, clothing drives, loading bags of groceries into cars and directing traffic at the Skyway Church, voter registration, blood drives, partnering with local high schools to build student relationships for community service, shoe drives for low income individuals, Aids Awareness, monthly park and highway clean-up projects, presenting Thanksgiving turkeys with sides at local churches, educating community college students on the importance of technology in the future, STEM, mental health seminars, and educating men about prostate cancer screening. The Xi Nu Nu Graduate Chapter, of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. adopted the motto “Lifting As We Climb” and tag the “Iconic Xi Nu Nu” Chapter. Our Chapter proudly performs in alignment with the brand of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and the vision of its Founders.