The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation is proud to announce that Stephen Benjamin, former Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, will be the keynote speaker during the 2023 Celebration of Achievement Luncheon on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
Benjamin served as Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina from 2010 to 2021. He served as the 76th President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors from 2018 to 2019 and as President of the African American Mayors Association from 2015 to 2016. Benjamin has also been Executive Chairman of Municipal Bonds for America, a member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, and a member of the Accelerator for America Advisory Council.
Prior to his service as mayor, Benjamin served in South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges’ cabinet as the Chief Executive of the state’s second largest law enforcement agency, the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. He has been a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Affordable Housing Advisory Council, and Co-Chair of the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy. He was awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2017 Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery by a Public Official for his leadership during an October 2015 flood.
Benjamin earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Carolina and a Juris Doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law. He is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.
“We are extremely honored to have Mr. Benjamin join us at the 2023 Celebration of Achievement Luncheon,” said Donald Bland, Luncheon Chairman. “The Luncheon is the Foundation’s signature event that supports scholarships and programs for youth and young adults in communities throughout the country. Mr. Benjamin’s professional achievement and his commitment to serving youth will be the foundation of an impactful message that will resonate with our attendees.”
Information regarding the Luncheon, including how to purchase tickets, may be found at thekappafoundation.org.
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About the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation
Founded in 1981 as the non-profit arm of one of the most historic organizations comprised mainly of African American men, the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation has established itself as a leading voice of influence to impact the large-scale social and systemic changes needed to improve the outcomes and lives of young people in underserved communities throughout America in the form of advocacy and program support. The mission of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation is to identify and invest in opportunities that engage today’s generation of young people in leading the social, economic, and educational transformation of underserved and underrepresented communities throughout the nation and global community.
