Nobel Peace Prize Winner Inducted as Honorary Member
Environmentalist
Environmentalist, political activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai of Kenya was inducted into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as an Honorary Member during a special members-only induction recently held at the Sorority's Corporate Headquarters in Chicago. In place of International President Barbara A. McKinzie, who was unable to attend, former International President, Mattelia B. Grays, of Houston, TX, and the International Chairman of the Honorary Members/Awards Committee, Mae R. Carr, presided over the induction.
An Honorary membership is the highest honor the Sorority presents, and those who are inducted represent the highest standards of character, courage and womanhood.
AKA's Honorary Members/Awards Committee Chair, Mae R. Carr (left) and former International President, Mattelia B. Grays (right) with Dr. Maathai, following her Honorary Member induction.
Dr. Maathai's journey to greatness began in 1977 when she founded The Green Belt Movement, a grassroots environmental non-governmental organization, which has now planted over 30 million trees across Kenya to prevent soil erosion. She has come to be affectionately called "Tree Woman" or "The Tree Mother of Africa." Since its founding, she has been increasingly active on both environmental and women's issues.
Her pursuit has been dotted with struggles and triumphs. During the regime of President Daniel Arap Moi, she was imprisoned several times and violently attacked for demanding multi-party elections and an end to political corruption and tribal politics. In 1989, Maathai almost single-handedly saved Nairobi's Uhuru Park by stopping the construction by Moi's business associates of the 60-story Kenya Times Media Trust business complex.
In 2002, Dr. Maathai was elected to Parliament when the National Rainbow Coalition, which she represented, defeated the ruling party Kenya African National Union. She has been Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife since 2003. She founded the Mazingira Green Party of Kenya in 2003. In 2006, she was one of the eight flag bearers at the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. Also on May 21, 2006, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by,and gave the commencement address at, Connecticut College. In January 2007, Dr. Maathai hosted the Global Young Greens conference in Nairobi, where more than 120 young delegates of environmental, civil rights, peace and social justice, attended by youth movements, as well as youth organizations of green parties from all over the world.
Being presented the Nobel Peace Prize, which she received in 2004, represents the climactic high point of a life spent bettering the lives of others that is matched by her induction into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Following the formal induction, she said she was "humbled, honored and privileged to be a member." She expressed humility and said that the only time she felt so uplifted and transformed was when she was baptized. She said she would cherish membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha "for the rest of my life."
"We are honored and proud to have Dr. Maathai join our great sisterhood," said McKinzie. "Her lifelong pursuit of justice, including environmental equity, underscores her will to fight for fairness and commitment to service. The determination she's exhibited, along with her courage, are qualities that embody the Alpha Kappa Alpha woman.She will make a great addition to our Sorority and we look forward to supporting and embracing her."