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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 359
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WHEREAS, Proud members of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority are |
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gathering in Austin on February 28, 2011, to celebrate Alpha |
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Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, The nation's first Greek sorority for African |
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American women, Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded as a social and |
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service organization on January 15, 1908, by Howard University |
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undergraduate Ethel Hedgeman Lyle and 19 other students; |
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together, these courageous women are today known as "the Twenty |
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Pearls"; and |
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WHEREAS, The sorority seeks to cultivate and encourage |
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high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and |
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friendship among college women, and to improve the social stature |
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of women of all ages; a member of the National Pan-Hellenic |
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Council, Alpha Kappa Alpha serves people around the world through |
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the efforts of more than 260,000 members in over 950 chapters |
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located in the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, Germany, |
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Korea, Japan, and Africa; for 103 years, the group has made a |
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positive difference with its important work on civil rights, |
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education, economic empowerment, and improved health care; and |
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WHEREAS, Alpha Kappa Alpha partnered with the United |
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States Census Bureau in 2009 to help support the accuracy of the |
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2010 census; the sorority's Texas chapters received a Census |
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Partnership Support Grant, and they organized into 33 Complete |
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Count Committees across the Lone Star State to help reach |
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communities deemed "hard to count"; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition, the sorority implemented a |
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nonpartisan National Voter Registration Blitz and "Take Five" |
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Program in 2008, resulting in the registration of 120,000 voters |
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nationwide; in Texas, 1,350 members distributed 11,250 |
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registration cards, registered more than 6,000 voters, and |
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transported approximately 5,000 people to polling places on |
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election day; and |
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WHEREAS, Many members of Alpha Kappa Alpha have gone on to |
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careers in public service, including Texas State Representatives |
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Dawnna Dukes, Dr. Alma Allen, and Senfronia Thompson and retired |
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state representative Wilhelmina Delco, as well as Denise Davis, |
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chief of staff for Speaker Joe Straus, and United States |
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Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee and Eddie Bernice Johnson; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the leadership of the sorority's 28th |
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international president, Carolyn House Stewart, Alpha Kappa |
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Alpha continues to address the issues of social justice, human |
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rights, health, poverty, economic security, and environmental |
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sustainability; the sorority's South Central Region is ably |
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led by its 23rd regional director, Gwendolyn J. Brinkley of |
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Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, Wearing their official colors of salmon pink and |
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apple green, the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha are widely |
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recognized for their elegance, charm, intelligence, and quiet |
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strength, and the sorority continues to win renown for its |
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service to Texas and the nation; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd |
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Legislature, hereby recognize February 28, 2011, as Alpha Kappa |
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Alpha Day at the State Capitol and extend to the sorority's |
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visiting delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and |
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meaningful event; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for the sorority as an expression of high regard from |
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the Texas Senate. |
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West |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on February 28, 2011. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |