Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated celebrates Black History Month recognizing historic “Trailblazers,” of AKA women who have achieved historic “Firsts” in their respective industries.

Kamala Harris is the 49th and current Vice President of the United States. Vice President Harris is the FIRST Black female (and First Asian American) vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history. Before becoming Vice President, Harris was the 27th San Francisco, District Attorney. She was also elected as the FIRST Black woman to serve as California’s 32nd Attorney General.

She was then elected a United States Senator becoming only the second Black woman in the chamber’s history.

Vice President Harris is an Oakland, California native. She graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she was initiated into the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® creates the FIRST, Black-owned, woman-led, sorority-based, digital banking financial institution in the history of the United States.

IMAGINE an intergenerational opportunity to re-envision financial wealth.  Imagine creating a legacy experience that spans generations.  Imagine changing the landscape for providing financial services and products that equip, empower, and elevate its members.  From inception, the cutting edge all-digital financial institution is ahead of traditional brick and mortar entities.  The investments we are making today are creating future growth and financial wealth for generations to come.

Today Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® celebrates 115 years of Service & Sisterhood! Take a moment today and remember our legacy to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards and to be of “Service to All Mankind”.

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 15, 2023 – During the 115th International Founders’ Day Celebration, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® welcomed four new Honorary Members. The inductees include multi-platinum Gospel music artist Erica Campbell, record-holding Track & Field Olympian Allyson Felix, Legendary entertainer Patti LaBelle, and highly accomplished United States Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester. Honorary members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® are women inducted into the sorority because of their high ethical standing as well as their national and international recognition of noteworthy achievements. This highest honor bestowed by the sorority allows the members the privilege of participating in all activities connected to the sorority including speaking privileges.

International President & CEO Danette Anthony Reed led the induction ceremony at the Sorority’s 115th Founders’ Day Service in Washington, D.C. These distinguished members join more than 350,000 women from across the world in the Sorority. Reed states, “the honorary members exemplify the core values of AKA through their extraordinary achievements and God-given talents. I am honored to welcome Campbell, Felix, LaBelle and Blunt Rochester during this historic occasion marking 115 years of service to all mankind.”

Mrs. Erica Campbell is a five-time Grammy award winner, Nationally Syndicated Radio Host, TV personality and one of the most respected inspirational recording artists in music. She has released two solo albums as well as seven albums with her sister as part of the gospel duo “Mary Mary.” In 2022, Campbell returned with the release of her newest single, “Positive.” The powerful record earned her first solo Billboard #1 placement and a 2023 Grammy Nomination for Best Gospel Song Performance. In addition, Campbell is an author, pastor’s wife, and mom of three including a Spelman College freshman.

Mrs. Allyson Felix is among the most decorated women in American Track and Field Olympics. She is a World Record Holder, Master World Record Holder and holds 31 global medals for her accomplishments. Felix broke records after winning the bronze and gold medals during her fifth and final performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, her historic moments did not stop there because Felix would become the first Track & Field athlete to create and run in her racing spikes created by her company, a lifestyle and footwear brand, Saysh, during her last Olympic competition.

Ms. LaBelle is loved all over the globe for her soul-stirring voice, signature style and unforgettable performances. The Philadelphia-born entertainer has become synonymous with grace, style, and class. Her effortless ability to belt out classic rhythm and blues renditions, pop standards, and spiritual sonnets have created the unique platform of versatility for which the well-respected artist is known and revered. LaBelle’s first hit in 1962 as the lead singer of “The BlueBelles” would help shape her career and lead to her receiving worldwide acclaim with the trailblazing and genre-bending trio, Labelle. A solo artist since the 1970s, she has created timeless songs that have helped cement her place as a music icon and garnered numerous honors, including Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards, New York Times bestselling books, and more.

Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives as the first woman and first African American to represent Delaware in Congress. She also serves as an Assistant Whip for House Leadership. In addition, she serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Representative Blunt Rochester is a leading voice in Congress on economics and the future of work-related issues. Additionally, she is a co-chair of the New Democrat Coalitions’ Future of Work Task Force. She serves as the sole member of Congress on the Aspen Institute’s National Advisory Council for the Future of Work Initiative.

Previous honorary membership inductees include, but are not limited to: Eleanor Roosevelt, Coretta Scott King, Cardiss Collins, Maya Angelou, Gladys Knight, Rosa Parks, Mae Jemison, Alice Coachman, Yolanda Adams, Alicia Keys and Lisa Leslie.

About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®:
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American, college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha comprises over 350,000 members in 1,061 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Dubai, Germany, Japan, Liberia, South Africa and South Korea. Led by International President and CEO Danette Anthony Reed, Alpha Kappa Alpha is often hailed as “America’s premier Greek-letter organization for African American women.” For more information on Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and its programs, visit www.aka1908.com.

CHICAGO, IL, November 3, 2022 – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^® mourns the loss of  our 18^TH International President Mattelia Bennett Grays, who died on Thursday, November 3, 2022.

Mattelia Bennett Grays, an initiate of Dillard University’s Beta Upsilon Chapter located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and a graduate member of Houston, Texas’ Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter, served as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^®’s 18th International President from 1970 to 1974. Grays was the youngest to be elected and serve in this position. Among her many accomplishments in the sisterhood, she is most known for heading the Sorority’s effort to purchase the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as implementing leadership training and educational grants.

Grays was a dynamic woman and a supreme leader in education and public service. She possessed every academic degree, from a bachelor’s degree to a doctoral degree in educational administration. Grays went on to teach students and train teachers in her hometown of Houston, TX. From there, she was promoted to superintendent of the Houston Independent School District.

“The members of Alpha Kappa Alpha are grateful for her more than 70 years of consistent and active service in the Sorority. We also are grateful for the passion and dedication she poured into her family, career, and legacy. She soared to great heights of service and sisterhood, and as we reflect on her life, we are genuinely inspired and aspire to follow her example of service to all mankind” said International President & CEO Danette Anthony Reed.

We offer our love, condolences, prayers, and warmest thoughts to the Grays family and her daughter Karen. Continue to show sisterly gestures and support by giving to her South Central Region’s Mattelia Bennett Grays Scholarship Fund or sending cards to:

Mattelia B. Grays
c/o BKG Enterprises, LLC
P.O. Box 8012
Houston, TX 77288

CHICAGO, August 1, 2022 — Inducted into the sorority in June 2002, Nichelle Nichols is best known for her portrayal of Lt. Commander Nyota Uhura on Star Trek: The Original Series. Nichols’s Uhura was an integral part of the multicultural Star Trek cast, and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. heralded her as “the first non-stereotypical role portrayed by a Black woman in television history.” The legendary actress, activist, singer, and dancer was born on December 28, 1932, in Robbins, Illinois, near Chicago., and died of natural causes on Saturday, July 30, 2022, in Silver City, New Mexico.

After her television career ended, Nichols pivoted to advocating for a more diverse astronaut corps that included women and other races, culminating in a NASA-funded campaign to recruit the first women and Black astronauts in the 1970s. The efforts of her achievements are featured in the documentary Woman in Motion, which chronicles her four-month campaign to recruit the first Black, Latino, and Asian men and women to fly in space. When asked about her work with NASA and her efforts to diversify careers in STEM, she stated, “Science is not a boy’s game, it’s not a girl’s game. It’s everyone’s game. It’s about where we are and where we’re going. Space travel benefits us here on Earth. And we ain’t stopped yet. There’s more exploration to come.”

“Throughout her life, Nichols challenged us ‘to boldly go where no man (or woman) has gone before’ “, said Danette Anthony Reed, International President & CEO of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. . “Today, we recognize not only Nichols’ accomplishments on camera but also the countless public service activities in which she was involved, from governors’ boards on the National Space Society to promoting and advocating for STEM programs while challenging gender inequities in science and research,” Reed said.

“We extend our deepest prayers and thoughts to the Nichols family and friends, and we will always remember her exemplary service to all humankind, “said Reed.

About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®:
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African-American, college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha comprises 320,000 members in over 1,046 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Dubai, Germany, Japan, Liberia, and South Korea. Led by International President and CEO Danette Anthony Reed, Alpha Kappa Alpha is often hailed as “America’s premier Greek-letter organization for African American women.” For more information on Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and its programs, visit www.aka1908.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Carisma Ramsey Fields
International Media Relations & Production Chairman
cramsey@aka1908.com

ORLANDO, Fla, July 14, 2022—Danette Anthony Reed has ascended to Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Incorporated’s highest office becoming the 31st woman to be installed as its
International President & CEO during the organization’s biennial international convention on
Thursday, July 14, in Orlando, FL. Thousands of sorority members and dignitaries were present
for her installation. She becomes the first Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
International President who is an engineer.

She takes the helm of the nation’s first African American sorority 114 years after its founding at
Howard University. Alpha Kappa Alpha is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by
African American college-educated women; it comprises over 320,000 members in over 1,046
undergraduate and graduate chapters throughout the United States and 11 nations worldwide.
The sorority’s international headquarters are in Chicago, IL.

A Dallas, TX resident and retired PepsiCo executive, Danette Reed brings decades of corporate
leadership, community engagement, service, and progressive sorority governance. Her 46 years
of continuous sorority service at local, regional, and international levels has well-prepared her
for this role.

“I am humbled and excited to lead this great organization of outstanding women who represent
all walks of life and who consistently live up to our mission of service to all mankind,” she said.
“It is an honor and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly. Over the next four years, Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority will provide programs of service locally and worldwide to make a
difference in the communities we serve.”

As International President & CEO, Danette Reed will lead the sorority’s 18-member board of
directors, set policy, and develop programs to mobilize Alpha Kappa Alpha members globally to
address pressing issues impacting families and communities. She will uphold the sorority’s
mission to be of “Service to All Mankind.”

Prior to her installation, Danette Reed held over 24 leadership positions in the sorority at all
levels, including International Treasurer. A committed Life Member and Silver Star (25-year)
member, she recently completed her term as First International Vice President of the sorority.
Previously, she served as Vice President of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Housing Foundation
and Vice President of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation.

At the chapter level, Danette Reed has been president or vice president of three chapters, held
numerous other leadership positions, and was a charter member of Omicron Mu Omega
Chapter, in Dallas, TX, where she currently is a member. While president of Omicron Mu
Omega Chapter, she received the South Central Region’s Outstanding President’s Award.

Danette Reed is a proud part of three generations of Alpha Kappa Alpha women. She follows in
the footsteps of her mother, Mary Alice Anthony, who has more than 65 years of service. Her
sister, Cheryl Anthony Worix, and her daughter, Erynn Denise Reed, also are members of the
sorority. She also has a son, Anthony Leelynn Reed.

During her tenure at PepsiCo, Danette Reed rose through the operations ranks in the Frito-Lay
division, becoming the first African American woman plant director to lead the start-up of an
$80 million bakery facility in Dallas. She later moved to Frito-Lay’s corporate office and led a
cross-functional team in the commercialization of $300 million in innovative products. She
retired in 2017 after 34 years of service.

Danette Reed holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration, specializing in Finance, from
Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from
Northwestern University.

In addition to her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority service, Danette Reed is a charter member of the
Greater Denton County (TX) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated®; Top Ladies of Distinction;
the Carrousels of Dallas, TX; and the National Association of Parliamentarians. Currently, she
serves as Treasurer of the Krugerville, TX Community Development Corporation. She has
received numerous honors, awards, and accolades, including:

• -Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals
• -Women’s Inclusion Network Lifetime Achievement Award
• -PepsiCo’s Global Harvey Russell Diversity and Inclusion Award
• -National Council of Negro Women Outstanding Service Award
• -Greater Denton County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated Leadership Award
• -Women’s Inclusion Network Leadership Development Award
• -Women of Color “Making an Impact Award”

It pains me to write this statement as our communities and our nation come to grips with the horrific act of racism that unfolded in Buffalo, NY. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, the historic Jefferson Street community and the entire City of Buffalo. Another senseless act of gun violence, rooted in hate and disdain for human life, has marred life as we know it as African Americans in this country. So, what do we do and what do we say to ease the pain and anxiety?

There is no simple answer about how we should deal with the tragic deaths of these 10 Americans struck down by the ill-thoughts and will of a white gunman who shares the unfortunate mindset of too many in our country. But through it all, there remains hope as America has always come together for healing and a greater understanding following tragedies like this. We embrace what unites us, instead of what divides us. However, we must take it a step further and continue our fight for social justice and equality. If there was ever a time to realize and honor our calling as women of service, that time is now.

I believe the fight begins at the ballot box. That is where we remove individuals from office who have and continue to use their public platforms to spew hatred, misinformation, and alternative facts. With mid-term elections underway, let’s strive to elevate our voter engagement and mobilization efforts and hold elected officials accountable. Sadly, racism and racist practices are entrenched in American society. We must play our part by exposing racism in all its forms wherever it is found if America is ever to rid itself of this national shame.

As I have said time and time again, we must hold onto hope and the promise of a better day. History has shown us that our hope is not misplaced. From the emancipation of slaves and the Civil Rights Movement to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), The Urban League, Black Lives Matter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and many others, seminal movements and consequential organizations have played a pivotal role in changing the course of history in our country. It can be done again, but it requires all of us. Our work is not done.

So as you sojourn through your day and take this message to heart, please remember Celestine Chaney, 65; Roberta A. Drury, 32; Andre Mackneil, 53; Katherine Massey, 72; Margus D. Morrison, 52; Deacon Heyward Patterson, 67; Aaron Salter, 55; Geraldine Talley, 62; Ruth Whitfield, 86; Pearly Young, 77; and countless others who have senselessly lost their lives to racially-motived mass shootings. We will continue to do all in our power to eliminate unbridled hate and intemperate bigotry as we work together to promote unity, justice, love, and peace throughout our democracy.

May we always remember and never forget.

Sincerely,

Dr. Glenda Glover
International President and CEO

CHICAGO – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® is continuing to make good on its commitment to our nation’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This evening the sorority’s International President and CEO Dr. Glenda Glover presented Morris Brown College with a $100,000 donation to establish an endowment for scholarships and other operational needs to help bolster the institution’s sustainability. A check presentation took place on the historic campus at the Dr. Gloria Anderson Multi-purpose Complex.

“Alpha Kappa Alpha is pleased to make this donation to Morris Brown College, as we continue our support of the county’s HBCUs,” said AKA International President and CEO Dr. Glenda Glover.

“Our gift to this historic institution will be used to assist President Kevin James with scholarships, academic support, and programmatic activities that we believe will increase the sustainability of Morris Brown for years to come,” added Dr. Glover.

“I want to thank Alpha Kappa Alpha for their dedication to HBCUs and especially for the sorority’s commitment to strengthening our endowment, which could not have come at a better time with our full accreditation announcement,” said Morris Brown President Kevin James. “I want to thank President Glenda Glover for her leadership and to all the AKAs for their continued support as we continue our quest to restoring Morris Brown to her former glory.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha’s gift to Morris Brown is part of a four-year $10 million goal set by Dr. Glover under the sorority’s HBCU for Life: A Call to Action initiative. Glover implemented the program when she took over leadership of the sorority in 2018. A major component of the initiative is the sorority’s fundraising efforts to secure fiscal sustainability and success for accredited HBCUs around the country. For four consecutive years, members have surpassed their goal to raise $1 million in one day for HBCUs on a designated day in September.

“We started this journey in 2018 with a goal of raising $1 million in one day. Certainly, unchartered territory,” explained Dr. Glover, who is also president of her alma mater Tennessee State University. “We had the audacity to believe we could raise $1 million in one day. And, we did it then, as well as in 2019 and 2020, by exceeding our million-dollar goal. And, in 2021 to raise more than $2.4 million in our final year was simply phenomenal.”

Dr. Glover also shared that AKA has helped thousands of students get into the college of their choice through the sorority’s #CAP initiative. It stands for College Admissions Process and is the signature program she established to increase the number of students who want to attend any college, whether an HBCU or predominately white institution (PWI). Her focus has been on exposing students to HBCUs because she believes the needs of these institutions are so great, including the need to fill seats and to obtain funding.

“Many people are unaware of the significant contributions these legacy institutions continue to make in our cities and throughout the country, including graduating 22% of all African Americans with bachelor’s degrees, nearly 80% of all African-American judges, 50% of all Black lawyers, and 25% of African Americans with STEM degrees. HBCU grads also make up 50% of Black public school teachers.”

The confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States is one of the most incredible historical moments for our nation and one of immense pride and joy for millions of Americans.

African-American women have been at the forefront in bringing about positive change in our country for centuries. The true significance of this confirmation cannot be overstated. With the confirmation of Justice Jackson, an African-American woman with impeccable credentials, a brilliant legal mind and unimpeached character and integrity will serve on the highest court in our nation. This moment in history is long overdue, but the day has finally arrived.

The 320,000 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority join me in commending President Joe Biden for staying the course and honoring his commitment to our community and to Black women with his nomination. We also commend Senator Dick Durbin, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, for shepherding this historic process and ensuring a fair and timely confirmation hearing resulting in a bipartisan confirmation vote of 53-47.

Congratulations Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson! You have earned this sacred appointment, and we know you will serve all of the citizens of this country with honor and integrity.