AKA to be honored as “Inspiring Women of the Game” and sponsor Hygiene Kit Drive

ATLANTA (July 6, 2016) – The Atlanta Dream will partner with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., (AKA) to host a number of special events leading up to and during the Friday, July 8 meeting with the Dallas Wings, which is slated for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip at Philips Arena.

More than 20,000 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) – from all over the world – will converge on Atlanta from July 9-16 for its biennial conference. Led by International President Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson, L.H.D., attendees will engage in service projects as well as leadership training and development.

AKA will also sponsor a Hygiene Kit Donor Drive at the game where the goal is to donate 1,908 hygiene packets to area homeless teenagers, and encourages all fans attending the game to bring items for donation including toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, etc.

In addition, AKA will be honored as the “Inspiring Women of the Game”, which will be presented by new WNBA president Lisa Borders.  The “Inspiring Women” platform celebrates leaders who help ignite the dreams and aspirations of women in all endeavors as well as honoring women who embody the same qualities as Atlanta Dream players.

Rashan Ali, an AKA member and multimedia personality that has worked across the Atlanta and national media landscape, will serve as the in-game host for the July 8^th showdown.  Ali is currently a college football sideline reporter for CBS Sports Network and has worked on CNN’s Headline News.

A portion of the proceeds of the game tickets for that evening will benefit “Think HBCU” – a national campaign launched by AKA to highlight Historic Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and their contribution to the sorority and society. Through education, engagement and advocacy, HBCUs will be showcased as critical venue for moving students to and through college.

To purchase tickets for this special night of basketball and awareness please click HERE.

“The Atlanta Dream are role models on and off the court,” said Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson, AKA international president. “We are grateful for the team’s support of ‘Think HBCU’ and our efforts to help those in need, and humbled by the honor of being ‘Inspiring Women of the Game.’”

The Dream and AKA will begin the partnership by linking up to host a pair of Dream Fit Clinics/Childhood Hunger Initiatives on Wednesday, July 6 at Adams Park Recreation Center (10 a.m.) (1620 Delowe Drive S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30311) and Grove Park Recreation Center (1 p.m.) (750 Frances Place N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30318).  AKA and Chick-fil-A will provide lunch to all participants.

The Dream FIT platform is the Atlanta Dream’s comprehensive health and wellness program that encourages physical activity and healthy living for children and families.

Through programs such as clinics, the WNBA informs, engages and educates its fans in healthy living practices.  Each event features a 60-minute clinic that teaches children about the importance of health and wellness.  Utilizing five to seven activity stations, the Dream staff, players, mascot and cheerleaders give children the chance to experience various exercises and interactive nutritional lessons.

The Atlanta Dream is committed to providing a championship organization both on and off the court to inspire, educate and empower in an effort to affect change by building a positive legacy on the foundational pillars of Education, Inspiring Women, Diversity/Inclusion and Health & Wellness.

Atlanta Dream season tickets and single game tickets are available now by logging on for more information at Atlanta Dream Membership Central or clicking HERE. For single-game tickets fans can buy directly via Ticketmaster. 

 The three-time Eastern Conference Champion Atlanta Dream is entering its ninth season in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

 The Dream plays their home games at Philips Arena.  Atlanta has qualified for the playoffs six times, winning conference titles in 2013, 2011 and 2010.