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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 SR 22 3
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By: Senator J. Scott 5
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SENATE RESOLUTION 8
TO COMMEND ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED®, 9
FOR ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO 10
DESIGNATE FEBRUARY 25, 2025, AS ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA DAY 11
AT THE STATE CAPITOL. 12
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Subtitle 15
TO COMMEND ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, 16
INCORPORATED®, FOR ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO 17
THE COMMUNITY AND TO DESIGNATE FEBRUARY 18
25, 2025, AS ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA DAY AT 19
THE STATE CAPITOL. 20
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WHEREAS, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, founded on January 22
15, 1908, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., was 23
America's first Greek -letter organization for college Black women; and 24
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WHEREAS, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, was conceived by 26
Ethel Hedgemon Lyle and eight (8) other visionaries who resolved that their 27
college experience should be meaningful and productive; and 28
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WHEREAS, that small group grew to a membership of more than three 30
hundred sixty thousand (360,000) college -educated women from around the 31
world, with an active membership of one thousand seventy -four (1,074) 32
chapters of over one hundred twenty thousand (120,000) women who represent a 33
diverse group; and 34
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WHEREAS, the membership of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® 36 SR22
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includes educators, heads of state, politicians, lawyers, medical 1
professionals, media personalities, decision makers in major corporations, 2
former Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, Little Rock Nine 3
member the late Thelma Mothershed Wair, and late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson 4
Lee; and 5
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WHEREAS, well-known honorary members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, 7
Incorporated®, include Marian Anderson, Maya Angelou, Ella Fitzgerald, Mae 8
Jemison, Coretta Scott King, Judge Constance Baker Motley, former First Lady 9
Hillary Rodham Clinton, and former First Lady Michelle Obama; and 10
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WHEREAS, local and statewide members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, 12
Incorporated®, include Judge Andree Layton Roaf, former Senator Irma Lee 13
Hunter Brown, former Representative Nancy Blount, former Representative 14
Wilhelmina Lewellen, Senator Jamie Scott, Representative Joy Springer, former 15
Senator Linda Pondexter Chesterfield, and Deputy Director and Assistant 16
Secretary of the Senate Sabrina NeKay E. Lewellen; and 17
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WHEREAS, there are twenty -one (21) chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha 19
Sorority, Incorporated®, throughout the state, and each chapter is proud of 20
its community efforts in the areas of education, the arts, economic 21
development, and health care; and 22
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WHEREAS, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, responds to the 24
contemporary needs of the Black community with comprehensive nontraditional 25
programs; and 26
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WHEREAS, the mission of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, 28
"Service to All Mankind", began at its inception, and as a result the 29
sorority has remained at the forefront of positive change in American life; 30
and 31
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WHEREAS, during each biennial regular session of the General Assembly, 33
a day is designated as Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol, drawing 34
together Arkansas's constitutional officers, elected officials, and sorority 35
members from across the state, the south central region, and the 36 SR22
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International Office of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, to 1
encourage participation in the legislative process, 2
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NOW THEREFORE, 4
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 5
STATE OF ARKANSAS: 6
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THAT the Senate commend Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, for 8
its service work and contributions to the State of Arkansas, the south 9
central region of the United States, and internationally, and celebrate 10
February 25, 2025, as Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol. 11
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be 13
provided by the Secretary of the Senate to Dr. Shawn G. Simmons, the South 14
Central Regional Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Mrs. 15
DeMetris Sampson, International Connection Committee chairman of Alpha Kappa 16
Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, and Mrs. Alexandria Taylor, New Mexico 17
Connection Committee chairman of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. 18
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