Tiffany Johnson (L), president of UA’s National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Willie Morgan (R), NPHC vice president, recently presented a check to Mona Ochoa, director of West Alabama AIDS Outreach. NPHC raised funds for WAAO through a step show with spoken word.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The National Pan-Hellenic Council at The University of Alabama hosted a benefit for West Alabama AIDS Outreach recently, raising $1,148 for the nonprofit community organization.

The event, titled “Battling a Cure for HIV/AIDS,” combined a step show with spoken word, a modern form of poetry. The spoken word artists were participants in Common Ground, a student organization that provides opportunities for self-expression utilizing various art forms. More than 400 people attended the show.

NPHC is the coordinating council for UA’s six historically black fraternities and sororities. All six Greek organizations participated in the benefit performance. These groups include four sororities – Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho and Zeta Phi Beta – and two fraternities – Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma.

West Alabama AIDS Outreach is a nonprofit organization devoted to educating the community about HIV/AIDS and providing services to those affected by the disease.

Co-sponsors of the event included UA’s counseling center, department of health education and wellness, Ferguson Center, Tide After Ten and Women’s Resource Center. Members of the Black Faculty and Staff Association served as volunteer staff for the show.