Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC
Director of Communications
/Editor of The Sphinx
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
ewebb@apa1906.net
Cell: 443-635-5911
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and American Kidney Fund Announce National Partnership to Advance Kidney Health in Black Communities
Historic collaboration expands kidney disease education, prevention, early detection and health equity initiatives through Alpha’s network
BALTIMORE, MD — Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established by African American men, and the American Kidney Fund (AKF), one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to fighting kidney disease, today announced a new national partnership designed to increase kidney health awareness, education, and outreach throughout African American communities.
The partnership, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), establishes a framework for Alpha and AKF to collaborate on educational initiatives, community outreach, thought leadership and the dissemination of vital kidney health resources. The organizations will work together to help individuals understand the risk factors, causes, complications, and treatment options associated with kidney disease and encourage those who are at risk or experiencing symptoms to seek appropriate diagnosis and treatment as early as possible.
“Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has been committed to addressing the health, well-being, and quality of life of African American communities, including with the establishment of the Fraternity’s first-ever Office of the Surgeon General,” said Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. General President Lucien J. Metellus, Jr. “This partnership creates a unique opportunity for the American Kidney Fund to leverage our Brotherhood, chapters, and community relationships to increase awareness about kidney disease and empower our communities with information that can save lives, particularly men, families, and young people who may not recognize their risk until kidney disease has progressed.”
Kidney disease represents a significant public health challenge in the United States. AKF works with people affected by kidney disease and those at risk through programs focused on prevention, early detection, health education, financial assistance, research, innovation and advocacy.
The new partnership’s key component is Alpha’s involvement with AKF’s Kidney Health Coach® (KHC) training program, which the Fraternity will encourage its members to enroll to properly educate their chapters, campuses, and communities about kidney disease prevention and kidney health. The program is available in English and Spanish and offers continuing education credits for a range of health and public health professionals.
“Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by kidney failure, making trusted, community-rooted partnerships essential to addressing these disparities,” said LaVarne A. Burton, president and CEO of the American Kidney Fund. “By joining forces with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., we can meet people where they are, connect our resources with Alpha’s thousands of multi-generational members nationwide and provide vital education that can help improve kidney health outcomes and help people understand how to protect their kidney health.”
The collaboration also emphasizes APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD), a genetic form of kidney disease that disproportionately affects individuals with West and Central African ancestry. According to the MOU, approximately 13% of Black Americans carry two APOL1 gene variants, placing those individuals at increased risk of developing rapidly progressive kidney disease.
As an official partner in AMKD Awareness Day, observed on the last Tuesday of April, the Fraternity will help amplify educational and awareness messages through its communications channels, support community education utilizing Kidney Health Coach resources, and participate in additional outreach activities.
Aside from promoting AKF’s programs and initiatives through various opportunities at its national and regional conventions, website, digital newsletters, social media, and other communications channels, the Fraternity will also engage other Divine Nine organizations through a President’s Roundtable planned for April 2027 in Washington, D.C., and designate a representative to participate in AKF’s AMKD Alliance, a collaborative initiative focused on developing and implementing strategic priorities, fostering cross-sector engagement, advancing education and awareness, and coordinating community outreach efforts.
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About Alpha Phi Alpha
The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men, was founded on December 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and is headquartered in Baltimore, MD. The Fraternity has long stood at the forefront of the African American community’s fight for civil rights through Alpha men such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; late former Congressman Adam Clayton Powell; late former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; legendary activist, actor and performer, Paul Robeson, former Ambassador Andrew Young; late former Senator Edward Brooke; scholar, Cornel West; Senator Raphael Warnock; Congressman Steven Horsford, former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus; General CQ Brown, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; seven other members of the U.S. Congress, numerous state, and local lawmakers across the United States, as well as President of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Boakai, Sr. The fraternity, through its more than 720 college and alumni chapters and general-organization members, serves communities in the United States, and other parts of North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
About the American Kidney Fund
The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts, supporting people with kidney disease and those at risk through prevention, early detection, health education, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy. AKF provides programs and resources designed to help people manage kidney disease, access treatment and improve their quality of life while advancing policies and research that benefit patients and organ donors.