TITLE: Recognizing February 25, 2013, as Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol.

SUMMARY: Recognizing February 25, 2013, as Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Proud members of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority are gathering in Austin on February 25, 2013, 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 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; and WHEREAS, Alpha Kappa Alpha supports programs that focus on areas such as developing leadership skills, encouraging healthy lifestyles, preventing and managing asthma, and promoting environmental stewardship; in addition, members work with a variety of partner organizations to alleviate global poverty, promote social justice, and empower women economically; 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, retired state representative Wilhelmina Delco, 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 24th regional director, Chelle M. Wilson of Cross Roads; 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 83rd Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 25, 2013, 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. Dukes Deshotel Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr Alonzo Gooden Otto Alvarado Guerra Paddie Anchia Guillen Parker Anderson Gutierrez Patrick Ashby Harless Perez Aycock Harper-Brown Perry Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips Bohac Herrero Pickett Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price Branch Huberty Raney Burkett Hughes Ratliff Burnam Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Callegari Johnson Riddle Canales Kacal Ritter Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis Clardy King of Parker Rose Coleman King of Taylor Sanford Collier King of Zavala Schaefer Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell Creighton Krause Simmons Crownover Kuempel Simpson Dale Larson Smith Darby Laubenberg Smithee Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland Deshotel Longoria Strama Dukes Lozano Taylor Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris Elkins Martinez Toth Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin Farias McClendon Turner of Harris Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles Villalba Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman Giddings Murphy Wu Goldman Naishtat Zedler Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 546 was adopted by the House on February 25, 2013, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House