Deltas

Yolanda Rodgers Howsie and Keshia Knight Pulliam Co-Found Nonprofit, Stepping Into Service

Delta Sigma Theta Sorors, Yolanda Rodgers Howsie and Keshia Knight Pulliam have teamed up to help support HBCUs.

The pair have co-founded the nonprofit, Stepping Into Service(SIS) with the goal of raising money for Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the United States.

Rodgers Howsie is a marketer and Tougaloo grad who’s worked on notable projects like The Black Panther and The Hate U Give and Knight Pulliam, a Spelman grad, is an actor famous for her role as “Rudy” on The Cosby Show.

“Stepping Into Service, also known as SIS, originated as an idea for the first All Celebrity Step Show, which would serve as a means for rallying the Black community and generating scholarships for the benefit of HBCUs and their students,” explained Rodgers Howsie.

“I felt that presenting more seasoned Greeks with the opportunity to step on a national stage would be a fun way to bring together the Greek community and extended Black community to champion a positive cause.”

Following a conversation with her co-founder about the state of HBCUs, the two decided that SIS could serve a much broader purpose.

“I was very excited to join forces with my Soror,” says Knight Pulliam. “As a graduate of Spelman College, I understand the importance of us ensuring that we financially support our HBCUs. It is imperative that we make sure they stay around to educate generations to come. It is so important that we invest in us, in every facet, in every way, and that’s what we’re doing with Stepping Into Service.”

Because of COVID-19, the All Celebrity Step Show has been pushed to 2021. For now, SIS is focused on its “Stroll to the Polls” virtual Greek stroll competition designed to encourage recurrent and new voters to play an active role in our democracy and, more immediately, the 2020 presidential election.

For the competition, SIS has teamed up with Black Voters Matter which is sponsoring $25,000 in cash prizes for contest-winning chapters. They have also teamed up with the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities.

We at Watch The Yard applaud and welcome their mission to get out the vote especially in times like these.