A fitting first week of December for the First and Foremost: the Metro Atlanta Chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. celebrate their Founders' Day and Week

It's the first week of December, and that means one thing.

It's a celebration of the first and foremost fraternity established by African-American men which provides a sense of balance of community-related programming (open to the public), networking and social events (open to those 21 and older), and a time to reflect on the impact made over the past 118 years with an eye to the present and immediate future.

Established on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY on December 4, 1906 by seven college students who come together to provide a means of support on campus and the immediate community, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. operates with a seamless synthesis of Manly Deeds, Scholarship, and Love for All Mankind with the mantra of being First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All. With a legacy and lineage of agents of social change including (but not limited to) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Supreme Court Justice (and lead attorney in the Brown vs Board of Education case for school desegregation) Thurgood Marshall, along with contemporary figures including (but not limited to) Stan Verrett and the late Stuart Scott to arts and entertainment presences including Omari Hardwick and Will Packer, members of the fraternity have an expansive reach in the public (i.e. education, nonprofits, and related fields) and private (i.e. businesses of multiple sizes and levels, corporate, and beyond) sector.

In Atlanta, the metro-area chapters are teaming up for a week to celebrate their Founders' Day, but doing so with an unparalleled level of balance and beyond:

• December 2nd (7:06pm at the Morehouse School of Medicine). Under the title of Redefining Wellness: Empowering the Black Family's Health and Wellness, this builds off of last year's (and previous) programming centered on physical and mental health and wellness. The event features professionals in the respective fields to discuss critical issues and related access (the event is open to the public).

• December 3rd (7:06pm at the Morehouse School of Medicine). Under the title of Closing the Wealth Gap: Strategies for Creating Generational Wealth, the focus is on concepts related to financial literacy and emerging practices and principles from professionals in the financial and related fields. The event is open to the public.

• December 4th (7:06pm at the Atlanta University Center). The traditional time of reflection takes place during the campus march, as members of the fraternity's undergraduate and graduate chapters come together to reflect on the "spirit of the fraternity" along with setting the tone for the continued service and outreach required in the community and beyond. Upon conclusion of the march, a networking event is taking place at Highland Cigar Company (it is open to the public/21 and older).

• December 5th. Continued networking (internal) with college and their respective alumni chapters takes place (select locations) for building constructive relationships.

• December 6th. The Friday Freeze Social (21 and older) is a way to kick off the weekend for enhanced social networking at the ever-popular Blue Martini (opens at 8pm), building off previous events during the week (this is a ticketed event, so click HERE for details).

• December 7th. The Founders' Day Luncheon (on the campus of Clark Atlanta University at 11:06am) is a way to get the day starting on an uplifting and enriching note, as it features former General President Dr. Herman "Skip" Mason as the keynote speaker (this event has limited seating and is a ticketed event; you may click HERE for details).

• December 8th. The week concludes with service at Ebenezer Baptist Church (10am service) as it provides a sound intersection of faith, community, reverence, and heeding the call to stewardship and service (the event is open to the public).

Striking a balance between the social and service is a hallmark of members of the fraternity, especially those in the Metro-Atlanta area. While 118 years of advocacy and leadership is commendable, even more is the continued resolve of its members to commit to heeding the call in our communities and beyond in light of an ever changing landscape.

It is a fitting way to partake of the first week of December.

And a celebration with substance and style is synonymous with what makes the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. among those who are first and foremost.