How we started... A reflection from our
founder, Lakesha Afolabi
May 15, 2003 Lady Rose was founded in Hollywood, Florida. May is my birth month and for me the new year of life brings about a burst of motivation. I wanted to start something new. As a single parent with school aged children at the time, I felt an urgency to stay focused on my goals more than ever. My children deserved a positive example and my goal was to be the best mom that I could be. Several of my close friends were also single parents working diligently to strike a balance between motherhood and their careers or careers and starting a family. Our list of issues seemed to have a common top five! Making time for our spirituality, relationship goals, family goals, educational goals, and career goals. Those were the topics of most of our conversations. We needed support, we offered it to each other and I thought, why not extend this bond to other women. So, I sat down and typed ideas surrounding a support group for women. I can remember feeling excited. I went to Kinko's and printed out the Lady Rose Overview and registration applications on pink paper. I passed them out to my friends, cousins, and a few business colleagues.
The presentation was all about Lady Rose Women's Association. After one year and seven months of planning, promoting, and hosting brunches. I presented Lady Rose to my cousin Leonca Woods (former Vice-President) and friend Natasha N. Calloway (former Chairperson). They both agreed to help me push forward with the plans. On Thursday, December 23, 2004, Lady Rose Women's Association was incorporated as a non profit organization in Hollywood, Florida.
Years later I continue to be inspired by the stories and accomplishments of the sisters I have met over time. It is my hope to be an inspiration to my sisters and women in our communities. Mentorship for young ladies is a service that I personally aspire to achieve. Especially the mentoring of teenage mothers, because I was a teen parent. My college experience was non-traditional. That's how I was registered, as a non-traditional student. Options for sisterhood and mentorship were not available to me. As a teen parent in high school, my counselors did not recommend higher education, but I thank God for having parents who did. My parents encouraged me then and continued to do so now. Unfortunately, every young lady doesn't have parents or a support group. Which is why Lady Rose Sorority strives to foster an environment of support for women and girls. My hope is that Lady Rose will be known for our unmatched bond of sisterhood and service. We have a purpose and that purpose is to evolve into the women we were designed (by God) to be, and use our love and strength in unity to rise above.
The article above on Lady Rose features (left to right) Leonca Woods and Lakesha Afolabi. The article was published inside Enjoy Life Newsletter January 25, 2005. Click the image to view closer or view our Archive to see more clips.
S O R O R I T Y O F F I C I A L S
Lakesha Afolabi, International President & Founder

Court Lady
(National VP)
Lady Laneisha Destin
Katibu
(National Secretary)
Lady Ebonie Wells
Lady Ebonie is a graduate of Florida State University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. While at Florida State Ebonie acquired leader- ship skills while serving as the Vice President for the Black Law Students Association at FSU. Presently she works in the travel industry and is a licensed Real Estate Agent. She is also the creator of "The Gift of Taurus" show.
Isura
(National Treasurer)
Lady Jasmine Inman
African Adinkra Letters & Symbols and Our Coat of Arms


The official coat of arms includes our jewel, letters, and name. It also includes the year Lady Rose was established, our mascot (Lady Rose) and the Adinkra symbols. The banner holds the written form of the Adinkra letters which is the acronym that represents our motto.
Our Foundation & Why we use African Adinkra Letters
Originally Lady Rose was an association for professional businesswomen. We did not call our group a sorority or use the African Adinkra letters and symbols until 2018. Many collegiate and non-collegiate sororities use Greek letters, and most require prospective members to be matriculating at an accredited college or university. If the candidate for membership already has a degree, she may join an alumni chapter. We wanted to do something different. Our foundation base is on support for professional business women and business owners. Our membership does not require matriculation at a college or university for those who meet the requirements established for business owners.
We completely respect our brothers and sisters from both Greek and non-Greek-lettered organizations. If it were not for those who came before us, we would not have many of the platforms or freedom to develop the groups that we have today. We thank you all and pray for your support of our transition to an African Lettered Sorority. We pay homage to (a select few) Greek Lettered Fraternities and Sororities through donations for their community initiatives.
All races and nationalities are welcome to join us. However, our primary purpose of becoming an African Lettered Sorority is for women of the African American Diaspora to come together and learn about our lost African culture and heritage.
"Though there will be many to dispute that we are a sorority. Some may classify us as a cultural group. But, we are indeed a sisterhood, and our bonds will prove that to be a fact." - Lakesha Afolabi
Adinkra Symbols & Alphabet Education
It would be very remiss of us if we did not give credit to our education sources in Adinkra. We obtained our education of the Adinkra Alphabet and symbols from various African teachers, leaders, and courses such as the African Principles for Personal Development, instructed by Kah Walla, CEO of Strategies! Consulting Firm. Kah Walla is a globally recognized Political Leader, Activist, and Entrepreneur from Cameroon. Our president has personally spent several years studying the Adinkra Alphabet and symbols from other sources such as AdinkraAlphabet.com by Charles Korankye. He is the author of Adinkra Alphabet: The Adinkra Symbols As Alphabets and Their Hidden Meanings.
Our Members
*Special Note
Lady
Rose Sorority, is a non religious, non political, organization. Our
members are from various walks of life and religious
backgrounds. We encourage our members to be involved and fellowship with
their respective communities. We do not represent one
particular religion as a whole, we do not endorse any
retail brands as a group, nor do we endorse politicians as a group. Members are not required to
participate in activities that go against their religious, spiritual or
political beliefs.