Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Snorton (Alphas Of Atlanta/Alpha Derby)
Hi Andrew , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The Alphas of Atlanta, a 501c3, truly gets up and running during the summer of 2014.
It all starts with a meeting of the creative minds of members of graduate chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. from across the city and greater Atlanta metro area. While all are doing sound community outreach and service in their respective areas, there’s a focus on doing something bigger in creating a signature event which not only can provide a sound patronage, but provide the means to give back across the city and metro area and leave a bigger positive footprint.
As a result, the concept of a Kentucky Derby themed event comes to fruition in the form of the #AlphaDerbyWeekend – in 2015, the event is launched with a goal of simply doing a one-day event and selling out our original venue (which would accommodate 500 people); in the first month of releasing the information (January 2015), we sold out our venue in 4 weeks and ended up relocating to the City Club of Buckhead. Originally, it is a 2-day event consisting of a rooftop bar meetup at our host hotel at the time (The W) and then our main event.
We expected about 100 attendees for our meetup; we ended up with over 300 people.
We expected about 700 for our main event and ended up with 900 people.
And we ended up donating approximately $18-$21K to multiple nonprofits across the city and metro area to lend support to programs ranging from male-mentoring, college tours, education and cultural enrichment programs, along with scholarships.
By 2017, our event evolves into a 3-day event (kickoff party, main watch event, and Sunday brunch) and grows in attendance to approximately 2700 people, with 1/3 coming from outside the state of Georgia. In 2018, augmented by the presence of classic hip-hop icon Doug E Fresh as our headliner for our kickoff party, we approached nearly 3800 attendees. And even during the pandemic (2020-2021), we added our golf tournament component (2021) where we attracted nearly 100 players within 9 days of releasing our information!
As we approach May 1-4, 2025 (our 10th year of our event), we have a full weekend slate of programs, including our sponsor/branding partner mixer (May 1st), golf tournament (May 2nd), kickoff party (May 2nd), watch event/party (May 3rd), and Sunday brunch (May 4th). With patrons from across the county, special guests (for 2024, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens provides a special greeting to all attendees), and more, not only are we looking forward to building on our event, but raising more proceeds to support fellow nonprofits and community organizations in our larger endeavors of making sure our event or party is done so with a greater purpose in mind.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. In fact, the 2018 edition almost didn’t happen.
One struggle came in 2018 as our original venue, the City Club of Buckhead, notified us in January their renovations would not be completed in time for our event in May. It left us scrambling for a venue or otherwise, we would have to cancel our event! We ended up finding one location which is suitable for our audience, the Georgia World Congress Center. This would end up being our venue in 2018-19 and yielded a combined 7000-plus attendees.
With our nonprofit (committee) working nearly year-round, it can be some tiring moments. However, we are reminded on our WHY behind the event.
Knowing how our event supports community-centered programs for youth (mainly middle and high school students) and how it can provide a positive impact, this is what keeps us going.
The bottom line is despite challenges like these and others which can impact our bottom line, the true bottom line comes down doing what we can through this event to lend support to the greater community, and that’s what keeps us going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Again, the Alphas of Atlanta is a 501c3 (nonprofit) comprised of members from our graduate chapters. Under the leadership of co-chairs Robert Cunningham and Michael Jones, we do provide support for our chapters (based in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale Counties along with the city of Atlanta). Along with the proceeds raised from the #AlphaDerbyWeekend and related programming, we are building on support opportunities for fellow nonprofits in the metro area (essentially a mini-grant program) to help leave a larger community footprint, especially when it comes to the lives of our young people and related audiences.
Thanks to the support we receive from people across the board within the city of Atlanta, the metro area, and outside the state of Georgia (as for our #AlphaDerbyWeekend, we have 1/3 of our guests travel to our event), including (but not limited to) Chicago, Nashville, Birmingham, Charlotte, Orlando, Washington DC (or the “DMV”), the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area, and other cities (in previous years, we’ve had patrons from the West Coast, the Caribbean, and even Italy!), we’re able to do the work we are doing.
And this includes the business community too!
And that’s what’s makes our event and programming special; there’s nothing like being in the Winner’s Circle, especially when it’s about the community.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters the most is maintaining our focus.
We’ve been fortunate to have not only solid leadership, but solid people within our nonprofit. Our members have and are serving leadership positions in their respective professions, let alone organizations such as their alumni clubs, affiliate groups with their college/university leadership, professional associations, and fellow community organizations and beyond. Combined with their professional and creative gifts and talents, their resolve on our events, providing a sound space for our patrons, and ultimately, the spirit of giving back to organizations which parallel ones they are a part of when they are of middle and high school age help galvanize our focus.
Again, it’s about maintaining our core principles and being committed to community building through what we do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alphaderbyweekend.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/alphasofatlanta
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/alphasofatlanta
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/alphasofatlanta
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alphasofatlanta6751
- Other: https://vimeo.com/1055293086
Image Credits
Photos are credited to Phrozen Memories and Creative Community Solutions
