THE OMICRON KAPPA CHAPTER CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
Louis C. Brown
Student Union and National Society of Black Engineers. Brothers Mack and Hall, who had known each other since high school, we now teammates on the football team, alongside Brother Brown. Today, Brown lives in the Atlan- ta-metro area with his wife and two daughters. He retains his work ethic and passes those values on to the next generation. He shared that one of his daughters is afflicted by sickle-cell disease, yet that does not deter her from being an active person. During our interview, he showed us the sign above his daughters’ beds that reads, “Be Strong and Courageous,” which he learned from Kappa Alpha Psi. Brother Brown’s advice to younger brothers: “This is just the beginning.” He explained how one’s time on cam- pus as an undergraduate is like seeing an iceberg: it is only the tip. He went on to say, “The brothers and bonds you make are for life. We inspire and are inspired by one another. Being with each other through celebration and tribulation, victory and defeat, chaos and calm, this is what the broth- erhood is about.”
America. Yet, it is his work as a coach, role model, and mentor that is his true dedication. Even adjusting his work schedule to be more flexible during the athletic season. A father and husband, Mack coaches AAU girls’ basketball. For Brother Mack, it is more than just teaching these young women a sport but instilling values of self-respect and self-worth as he recalled, “Black kids, Black girls specifi- cally need role models and I would be lying if I said I saved all these young women, but you still have to put in the work and do the best you can to give them the tools to survive.” Ultimately, Mack’s advice was “don’t chase the money, chase your passion.” The significance and importance of being the best Kappa Man you can be is something Avon stresses to younger brothers and this is not just done through rhetorical speech but actions in being an inspiration in his commu- nity.
Known as the glue of the line, Louis C. Brown also started out from hum- ble beginnings. He explained, “Grow- ing up I was homeless living between shelters and hotels from sixth grade to sophomore year of high school.” For Brother Brown, these experiences as a child have never left him and keep him focused on the four Fs: Faith, Family, Fitness, and Finance. Today, he works in medical device sales, managing the southeast region of the United States for his company. Inspired by Phillip A. Pleasant (Kappa Gamma 2000) cross- ing into the fraternity in Spring 2000, Brother Brown was determined to also join. Brown remembers seeing Brother Pleasant’s probate and being amazed at how many alumni came back for this event, especially seeing so many Black men show emotion. As a student-athlete, Brother Brown became the bridge in his line, as Brothers Daye and Harrison had al- ready established a friendship through their mutual involvement in the Black
Brant A. Hall
A four-year starting quarterback, Brant A. Hall led Lehigh University to four straight Patriot League champion- ships. In other words, Brother Hall was part of a Die-Nasty (Dynasty) on and off the field. For Hall, he was inspired to join similarly to Brother Pleasant. Yet, he was honest that at the time he wanted the letters and to party. Yet, he recalled really understanding the meaning of being in this brotherhood after one of his last football games saying, “I played terribly and the coach benched me. I was just defeated, but after the game I got a phone call from an older brother and he told me to keep my head up. It’s that type of sup- port that really separates this fraternity from other organizations. Because even at your lowest brothers are there to support you.” Upon graduation, Brother Hall returned home to Baltimore, MD, and did what he knew best: football
Avon B. Mack
Mentor and role model are the first two words that come to mind to de- scribe Avon Mack. Growing up, Broth- er Mack was always looking for broth- erhood, as an avid athlete excelling in baseball and football, Mack decided on Lehigh University to pursue higher education. While on the football team, he was motivated to join Kappa Alpha Psi after seeing teammate and friend, Brother Pleasant, join. He remembers, “After we saw Phil go through this process, we were inspired to join.” The “we” Avon is referring to is his best friend and teammate Brant Hall. Attending rival high schools, Mack and Brant forged a friendship that brought them both to Lehigh.
Louis Brown with daughters at University of Georgia (Courtesy Louis Brown).
Since graduating, Brother Mack has gone on to work in corporate
156 | SUMMER 2021 ♦ THE JOURNAL
VIRTUAL 85 TH GRAND CHAPTER MEETING
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