The Alphas of Atlanta gathered in their Sunday best, blending style and service as the organization hosted the 11th annual Alpha Derby Weekend from April 30 through May 3. The four-day Kentucky Derby-themed fundraising series drew attendees from across the country and earned official recognition from Atlanta, Conyers, and Newnan city officials.
The weekend, anchored by the Saturday Derby Watch Party at Guardian Works Atlanta, featured five events spanning a golf tournament, a Friday night kickoff concert, the flagship Derby Day celebration, and a Sunday brunch at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead. Organizers said nearly a third of attendees travel from outside Georgia for the destination event, which has raised approximately $300,000 to date in support of nine education foundations across Metro Atlanta.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., attended Sunday’s brunch and praised the brotherhood’s commitment to community investment.
“You have raised $300,000 so far, and that means a lot for the community,” Dickens said. “When you guys do it together, you really make a powerful commitment to the community. Atlanta is grateful and thankful.”
Dickens noted his attendance at the event over the past three to four years and applauded the Divine Nine’s collective presence in the city. “We might have pledged different fraternities or sororities, but we are all here together, united for the purposes of community,” he said.
The weekend drew proclamations from Atlanta, Conyers, and Newnan. Atlanta City Council District 3 member Byron Amos presented the organization with a city proclamation recognizing April 30 through May 3, 2026, as Alpha Derby Weekend in Atlanta, calling it one of the highest honors the council can bestow.
“A proclamation is one of the highest honors we can give to a person or an organization,” Amos said. “But I think this is the first time we actually given it to an event.”
Amos, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, noted the event was held in his district for the first time this year and highlighted the organization’s philanthropic footprint. “Proceeds from Alpha Derby Day, which is about $300,000 so far, directly support the Alphas of Atlanta grant program,” he said, “embodying the spirits of a party with a purpose.”
Conyers City Councilmember Sherri Washington issued a parallel proclamation on behalf of the mayor and the full Conyers City Council, formally recognizing the same dates as Alpha Derby Weekend in Conyers and citing the organization’s founding principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity.
Even though the party was thrown by the fellas, there was still plenty for the women to do. Among the weekend’s highlights was the best hat competition, sponsored by Talley & Twine, which drew contestants vying for prizes that included gift cards and, for the top finisher, a suite cabin aboard the Ubersoca Cruise, billed as the world’s largest Caribbean-themed cruise. Jodi Lewis, a co-founder of the cruise and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., presented the grand prize in person.
“You are going to be joining us in not just any cabin, but a suite cabin on board our cruise in October, and you’re going to experience five nights of pure Caribbean fun,” Lewis told the crowd.
Talley & Twine founder Eric Heyward, who pledged Alpha Phi Alpha in fall 2002 at Albany State University, said his company’s sponsorship reflects a full-circle moment with the fraternity that shaped his professional identity.
“It feels good to be able to give back,” Heyward said. “It feels good to be able to engage in more meaningful ways with the fraternity that’s given me all the professionalism, given me the network, has given me the confidence to walk into rooms that I would normally not be able to walk into.”
The Alphas of Atlanta is a Metro Atlanta nonprofit comprised of members from area graduate chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. The organization’s annual programming supports education foundations across the region through what it describes as a “party with a purpose” model.
Heyward added that the Derby format aligns naturally with his brand’s aesthetic. “We take back our own narrative,” he said. “We love to dress up, love style. This is where people want to look their best.”
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