Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 1-15-21

Sorority News
Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris To Celebrate Founders’ Day With Her Sorority
January 15, 1908 is founder’s day for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Staff Writer
Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris is paying homage to her roots before In- auguration Day on January 20, 2021. On Friday, January 15, 2021, Vice President-Elect Harris will join her sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, for its Founders’ Day celebration.
International President of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Glenda Glover, who is President of Tennessee State University, stated that ‘Ms. Harris
wanted to celebrate Founders’ Day with her sorors, and the
national observance is planned for Friday, January 15, 2021’.
Members of the sorority will pause to honor the found- ing of its beloved sisterhood and pay homage to the vision, courage, tenacity, and oneness
ATTY. CAROLYN HOUSE STEWART
of purpose of the extraordi- nary women who created the first organization for college- trained women and whose mission is to support and pro- mote sisterhood, scholarship, and service. They will honor
the original nine founders who established Alpha Kappa Alpha on the campus of Howard University on January 15, 1908.
Harris pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha as an undergrad- uate at Howard University in the 1980s. Karen Hayes, former Tampa resident, and daughter of Sentinel Executive Editor, Gwendolyn Hayes and Mr. James Hayes, was one of Harris’ line sisters. She says that Harris’ desire to participate in Founders’ Day is a testament to the person she is and the person that the sorority made her to be. The founders were trailblazers and visionaries that created this or- ganization that still exists today to encourage and pro- mote greatness in all women. Hayes states, “The fact that AKA produced a woman that has become one of the most important women in the world is to be celebrated.”
Hayes continues, “Ka- mala still comes to anniver- saries and celebrations and remains down to earth by stay- ing in touch with her line sis- ters.”
Carolyn House Stew- art, prominent attorney and the 28th International Presi- dent of Alpha Kappa Alpha, says that she is elated to see any soror seek to celebrate and acknowledge the 113th an- niversary of the organization. Stewart thinks the tribute is particularly meaningful con- sidering it gives birth to all the other African American soror- ities.
“Vice President-Elect Harris inherited a legacy of global leadership and it is grat- ifying for acknowledgement of the rich history that she inher- ited”, Stewart states.
During the 2020 Presi- dential race, the Democratic National Committee received thousands of donations of $19.08, reflecting the founding date. More than 11,000 dona- tions in the amount of $19.08 were received. According to Roll Call, DNC’s financial di- rector Clayton Cox says that the donations began pouring in after the Senator announced that she would be Biden’s running mate.
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2021