ABOUT US

Bakersfield (CA) Chapter

The Bakersfield Chapter was established on June II, 1977 at The Rio Bravo Tennis Club in Bakersfield, California.

The Chapter was sponsored by Mrs. Alice Harvey, Los Angeles Chapter and Mrs. Evangeline Myles, Greater Kansas City Chapter. The Chapter was installed by Mrs. Ann Julian, National Establishment Officer and Mrs. Julia Smith, Western Area Director. Three visionary and esteemed ladies were the organizers of the Bakersfield Chapter. The Chapter Organizers were Willye Pearl Collier, Evangeline Myles and Alma Lee Nealy.

In Kern County, The Bakersfield Chapter of The Links, Incorporated represents thirty-six outstanding women, including our six stellar Platinum and three alumnae members, all who have a committed track record of community service. The Bakersfield Chapter has provided exemplary community service in its forty year history. Our current Signature Program is "The Links' Leadership STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Academy". The Academy was developed to help to introduce student to STEM careers, improve their academic achievement, graduate from high school and succeed in post-secondary careers. This year, the Academy transitioned from STEM to STEAM adding art into the current quality curriculum, designed for students in grades 4-12. In addition to providing STEAM educational opportunities, we continue to offer mentoring, tutoring and enrichment activities.

The Bakersfield Chapter's Signature and National Award-winning Programs include:

• The Links Leadership STEAM Academy Left Brain Right Brain Program
• National Poster Arts Contest Winners from McKinley Elementary School & South High School
• Adopted the Pinkney House at Kern County Museum
• Human Trafficking
• Can You Imagine Me-Childhood Obesity Program at McKinley Elementary School
• Health and Wellness Conferences
• Project LEAD: High Expectations
• Introduced DARE to Kern County
• Mental Health and Hepatitis C Programs
• Cyberbullying Programs
• Hope for Haiti
• HIV/AIDS
• Collaborated with other Link Chapters to Build Schools in South Africa
• Housing Conference sponsored by HUD which resulted the building of St John Manor
• Energy Conference
• Youth Enrichment Assemblies
• Boxes to Bagdad
• The Links, Incorporated is an international, not- for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of 15,000 professional women of color in 285 Chapters located in 42 states. It is one of the nation's oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
• The outstanding programming of The Links, Incorporated has five facets which indude Services to Youth, The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services and Health and Human Services. The programs are implemented through strategies such as public information and education, economic development, and public policy campaigns.
• The Bakersfield Chapter The Links, Incorporated is committed to providing exemplary service to the community.