WATCH: Cynthia Erivo Explains How It Feels To Be A Part Of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Cynthia Erivo shares her experience being a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc.

Transcript

00:00SORs, aka, means so much to me and that's why I'm here today. I was initiated in

00:072015 in Xi Gamma Omega in Oakland, California. I want to give a special

00:13shout out to all of my far western region SORs out there, if you can hear

00:18me. Thank you for making me the woman who I am today. Speaking of authentic

00:25sisterhood, I'm sure everyone in the room would love to know how you feel

00:30about being part of our illustrious sisterhood. I'd love to hear your

00:33perspective on what it means to be an honorary AKA. So when I was asked, I want

00:39to say it was 2020 maybe, I was really overwhelmed by it because I had, I'm a bit

00:48of a geek, so I had been watching and seeing this culture of sisterhood happen

00:55around me as I was sort of like in this new country that hadn't been mine for a

01:00while. And so when I was asked to join, it felt like someone had given me a bit

01:05of a home to come to, you know what I mean? I felt like I had been welcomed. And

01:12it's something really, and then specifically welcomed by black women, you

01:17know, who I see as my sisters everywhere. But coming here, it can be lonely and

01:24you're on your own. And I was, you know, in my career and without my family, and I

01:29was just solo. But then when I became an AKA, I wasn't solo anymore. And it's

01:35wherever I go, what started happening, I'd go to Chicago and do a concert, and

01:40then Soros would show up. And I'd get like green and pink gifts. Or I'd go to,

01:46I remember I went to Cleveland, and they were just gifts at the door. And just a

01:50note with Soros, hey, we just wanted to support you. And that means such a lot.

01:56It means that wherever you go, you're never alone. You always have someone

02:00who's looking out for you, who's celebrating you, who's lifting you up. So

02:04it was just such a special thing to have. Yeah.

02:07That is so beautiful and so real.