COVER STORY
she was born, I started to rise in the chapter in terms of leadership positions. In attempting to balance my family life with my commit- ment to the fraternity, I had to find ways to merge the two. It wouldn’t be fair to leave the kids alone at home with my wife every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday–when my atten- dance or presence at the house was necessary. My family began joining me at the Kappa House very early on. I still have memo- ries of my second daughter, Renee literally being on my lap with a bottle in her mouth, while I was on the Board of Directors of Washington Alumni at a Board meeting. Latrice was five years older at the time and she would run around the house while a Brother would try to keep her occupied while I was busy with the meeting. Brothers were very helpful. I also remember changing diapers at board meetings. By the time I was Pole- march, I think Renee might have been three or four and my oldest was either eight or nine and they could move around the house. During board meetings, and some- times, sometimes during chapter meetings they would be in the basement
and Brothers would help keep them occupied.
Williams: Oh, that’s crazy! Jenkins: Even in a Board meeting or attending a com- mittee meeting, I remember Brothers like Dennis May (Pi 1975), they called him Uncle Tank and he would take them to eat at Subway. When my daughters were in the house they would sit at tables in the basement with crayons and coloring books. It was similar with my wife, Tanek. Again, in order for me to be at the house as often as I was required, I had to incorporate her as well. She was there fre- quently. Every social event WAC hosted, Tanek would be right there. When I was Polemarch and we had the black party, I had to go. Every time I had to be at the house and didn’t find a way to incorporate my family, that was a time I was going to be away from them and certainly they’re my number one priority. I had to figure out a way to merge the two worlds. As a consequence, they spent a lot of time there and our own home is filled with pic- tures of Latrice and Renee on Halloween and Easter at the house. We even have pictures of them at Christ- mas parties with a brother
Top: SGVP Jenkins with Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter officers in front of the Historic Kappa House. Bottom: Having a moment with Barrington D. Scott, Sr. and John F. Cotten on Kappa Alpha Psi Way.
SUMMER 2024 ♦ THE JOURNAL 31
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