Western Region Dir., of Sigma/Zeta Relations, Bro. Mikel Spencer shares his inspirational visit with Bro. John Lewis.

“I reached out via email to Bro. Lewis' office back in October, when I would be in Washington D.C. for business. Not only did his office respond quickly to my request for an appointment, they were flexible and accommodating as we were forced to reschedule appointment 3 times that week, due to scheduling conflicts with myself and the Congressman. When I arrived at his office, he was gracious and inviting; conversation was fluid, with no ulterior motives or secret agendas. He welcomed me as a man of Sigma and our discussion ranged from the history of civil rights, and his role in it, to the current tenor of our nation.

Eventually, the Congressman asked about my reasons for joining Phi Beta Sigma. I explained to him that I had joined our wondrous band because of my biracial son and wanting to surround him with a group of strong role models. Bro. Lewis asked me to bring a message back home to my son: ‘It is not enough to just excel in the classroom and on the field. It is your obligation to all those that came before you to make a difference. You owe a debt to the generation before you to leave a lasting mark in the community you live in’. Bro. Lewis also charged my chapter, Lambda Kappa Sigma | Tucson, AZ to do something every month to honor our founders’ vision, and to not do something for the sake of "checking a box," but to do something that truly benefits the community.

I came away from my meeting feeling more energized than I did going into the meeting, with a renewed sense of purpose in Sigma. On my way out, I was told by his office that I never would have gotten in to see him so close to the inauguration had I not been a Sigma man. Membership has its privileges!”