H.R. No. 576 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Proud members of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority are gathering in Austin on February 28, 2011, to celebrate Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol; and WHEREAS, The nation's first Greek sorority for African American women, Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded as a social and service organization on January 15, 1908, by Howard University undergraduate Ethel Hedgeman Lyle and 19 other students; together, these courageous women are today known as "the Twenty Pearls"; and WHEREAS, The sorority seeks to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, and to improve the social stature of women of all ages; a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Alpha Kappa Alpha serves people around the world through the efforts of more than 260,000 members in over 950 chapters located in the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, Germany, Korea, Japan, and Africa; for 103 years, the group has made a positive difference with its important work on civil rights, education, economic empowerment, and improved health care; and WHEREAS, Alpha Kappa Alpha partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau in 2009 to help support the accuracy of the 2010 census; the sorority's Texas chapters received a Census Partnership Support Grant, and they organized into 33 Complete Count Committees across the Lone Star State to help reach communities deemed "hard to count"; and WHEREAS, In addition, the sorority implemented a nonpartisan National Voter Registration Blitz and "Take Five" Program in 2008, resulting in the registration of 120,000 voters nationwide; in Texas, 1,350 members distributed 11,250 registration cards, registered more than 6,000 voters, and transported approximately 5,000 people to polling places on election day; and WHEREAS, Many members of Alpha Kappa Alpha have gone on to careers in public service, including Texas State Representatives Dawnna Dukes, Dr. Alma Allen, and Senfronia Thompson and retired state representative Wilhelmina Delco, as well as Denise Davis, chief of staff for Speaker Joe Straus, and U.S. Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee and Eddie Bernice Johnson; and WHEREAS, Under the leadership of the sorority's 28th international president, Carolyn House Stewart, Alpha Kappa Alpha continues to address the issues of social justice, human rights, health, poverty, economic security, and environmental sustainability; the sorority's South Central Region is ably led by its 23rd regional director, Gwendolyn J. Brinkley of Houston; and WHEREAS, Wearing their official colors of salmon pink and apple green, the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha are widely recognized for their elegance, charm, intelligence, and quiet strength, and the sorority continues to win renown for its service to Texas and the nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 28, 2011, as Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol and extend to the sorority's visiting delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and meaningful event; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the sorority as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Dukes Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 576 was adopted by the House on February 28, 2011, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas