Kamala Harris made history as the first female vice president, and first African and Asian American woman to be sworn in. In the Quad Cities, her local sorority sisters are celebrating.
Members of the Xi Eta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. are honoring her by celebrating what they call Soror Kamala D. Harris Day.
“Right now, our vice president of the United States of America is a woman, she’s a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. A woman of so many firsts,” president Ashley Allen said.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated is the oldest black sorority and was founded in 1908 on Howard University’s campus. There are over 300,000 members across the globe.
Allen said Harris’ win nods to the importance of representation.
“We can turn on the TV and actually see this come to life. That is definitely our fuel and our inspiration to achieve all the things that we set out to do,” Allen said.
Harris became a member of the sorority 1986 while attending Howard University. While campaigning, she met members from the local chapter.
Former chapter president Brenda Hanes said the achievement is something she hopes inspires the next generation of women.
“To me, it gives them encouragement to know that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to,” Hanes said.
Former chapter president Bettina McWilliams said she hopes Harris’ achievement sets the tone for others.
“This diversity is not just for us to see, but for all to see,” McWilliams said. “As a teacher, I see students of all different backgrounds and they are all proud to see a woman in this position. And we hope that this can be commonplace for them.”
To celebrate, the women wore salmon pink and apple green, the sorority’s colors. They wore pearls to honor their founders, and many sported Chuck Taylor shoes in solidarity with Harris, who wore the shoes frequently on the campaign trail.
To learn more about the local chapter, visit the link here. To learn more about Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, click the link here.
