Joy-Ann Reid Delivers Powerful Message at Divine 9 Presidents’ Town Hall
Veteran journalist emphasizes information literacy as Black Greek organization leaders unite for historic summit
Veteran journalist Joy-Ann Reid delivered a compelling address on combating misinformation during the landmark “D9 Situation Room: Council of Presidents Town Hall” held virtually yesterday. The event brought together the presidents of all nine historically Black Greek-letter organizations in a rare display of unified leadership.
Reid, the former host of MSNBC’s The ReidOut and a Divine 9 member herself, served as the keynote speaker for the non-partisan gathering that drew over 24,000 registrants.
“We are living in an age of disinformation,” Reid told attendees. “It is so important that we look for trusted sources of information… One of the reasons we did The ReidOut was to distill all of the noise and understand what is actually factual and true.”
During her address, Reid highlighted the dangers of spreading unverified information, particularly in Black communities where misinformation can have serious consequences. She urged members to rely on established news sources like The New York Times, Reuters, BBC, and The Associated Press rather than social media channels.
To illustrate her point, Reid shared a recent example involving federal workers who received a mass email appearing to require justification of their job performance. “After investigation, we learned this email lacked proper authorization and was not legitimate,” she explained, demonstrating the importance of verification before reaction.
The town hall, described by organizers as “just the beginning,” focused on three key objectives: mobilizing Black communities, identifying reliable information sources, and maintaining engagement at the local level.
“No one sorority or fraternity can do all this work alone,” stated one organization president during the panel discussion. “Partner with another D9 organization in your community so that your voices and your work are amplified.”
The event showcased unprecedented collaboration among the Divine 9 leadership, who collectively represent hundreds of thousands of members nationwide. Leaders discussed practical strategies for pooling resources and supporting Black-owned businesses, with several presidents announcing plans for joint initiatives in the coming months.
More than 10,000 members actively participated in the live chat, reflecting the high level of engagement among Divine 9 organizations. The presidents acknowledged this enthusiasm and assured members that more collaborative efforts would follow.
“There’s a lot of excitement about next steps,” one D9 leader noted. “We are convening together to act together.”
The presidents also reminded attendees about available resources within their organizations, including 501(c)(4) entities and political action committees that can advance community interests.
As the event concluded, the collective leadership emphasized their long-standing commitment to community service: “We’ve been around for a long time. We’re not new to this, but we are absolutely true to this.”
The town hall marks one of the most significant collaborations among Divine 9 organizations in recent years, potentially signaling a new era of coordinated action among these influential Black Greek-letter organizations.