Greetings Scholars,

It! Is! Time! It is time for the Scholarly and Privileged men of The Academia Society across the globe to join together in a Global IMPACT that will transform Our World into the place we know it can be. The Light of TAS shines brightly powered by our sacred equations AA X SE = PR; we shall let our Light empower us for a Global IMPACT. As one of the oldest non-Greek-lettered societies established by African American college-trained men it is time that we speak up and be counted in the fight for equality, justice, and freedom in Our Society.

I am most humbled and excited to the present the 2020 -2022 National Programmatic Thrust under the theme:

Empowering Achievements Strategically for a Global I.M.P.A.C.T. on the T.R.A.I.N. of EXCELLENCE.

The TAS Global I.M.P.A.C.T.
(Innovative, Measurable, Purposeful, Active, Connected, Transparent)

Innovative in our approaches to the most challenging questions and decisions this organizational body faces;

Measurable in our goals and actions to insure our impact matches our intent;

Purposeful with pride because this world is yearning for the voice of Academia in a time where so much misinformation about our culture is easily spread;

Active to continue to empower our rich traditions and legacies for many more years to come;

Connected with each other through our network and expressing compassion for our communities to exemplify true S.T.A.M.I.N.A. and

Transparent in our processes and procedures because a well-informed body is a powerful and engaged body.

Our Global IMPACT is also a call to Action for every Scholar of TAS to continue the legacy of our treasured and precious gemstones – to be the LEADERS that the Our Society and Our World so desperately needs today. As TAS has reached another defining moment in its history our communities are faced with a number of significant challenges. Those challenges include, but are not limited to the following:

• The miseducation of African Americans in K-12 School Systems;
• The under representation of African Americans in graduate and professional schools;
• The disengagement of African American Gay men in the politics of our communities and nation;
• The increase in financial illiteracy rates among African Americans;
• The pervasiveness of systematic injustices and inequalities in laws and policies of our Government against African Americans; particular African American Gay men;
• The chronic health disparities effecting African Americans and other minorities;
• The prevalence of poverty among children and minorities;
• The brokenness of the African American Multicultural Family;
• The uncertain state of young black men in America;
• The diminished presence of grassroots organizations in the African American Community.

The convergence of these challenges has caused seismic shifts in how African American Leaders respond and engage. The aforementioned challenges can no longer be ignored, they must be addressed. We must TRAIN our Scholars for EXCELLENCE instead of mediocrity, Empowering Scholars to ACTION instead of rhetoric, highlighting Achievements through LEADERSHIP instead of spectatorship, and ignite an IMPACT instead of just attending meetings and conferences.

These challenges present an excellent opportunity for the Scholars of The Academia Society, Inc to Empower an IMPACT that will redefine its place in Our Society as one of the preeminent leadership, service, and advocacy organizations of our kind for African American Gay men. The TAS Global IMPACT shall address the aforementioned urgent issues under our traditional five strategic targets coupled with the tracks that will support our T.R.A.I.N. of Excellence.