National Founders ’ Day
114th Anniversary Commemoration
National Call to Action
Since its inception , Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority , Incorporated has been a major force in addressing societal concerns of racial , economic , and social injustice . In 1980 , the 20th Supreme Basileus , Barbara K . Phillips , appointed an ad hoc committee to study public policy issues and report to the Directorate on a regular basis . First Supreme Anti-Basileus Faye B . Bryant drafted and presented the first public policy plan at the 1980 Boule in Atlanta , Georgia . To continue the sorority ’ s longstanding legacy of excellence in the public policy arena , Supreme Basileus Glenda Glover actively advances the sorority ’ s National Advocacy Agenda which aims to address the public policy priorities of Black women and marginalized communities . As we observe our 114th National Founders ’ Day , sorority members are encouraged to answer the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority National Call to Action by engaging elected officials on two critical issues : Voting Rights and Black Maternal Health .
VOTING RIGHTS : Following relentless assaults on voting rights , the next steps are clear ― enact federal voting rights legislation that protects voters no matter the state in which they live . If passed into law , the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 , which was last reauthorized by Congress in 2006 but effectively gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013 . Additionally , the Freedom to Vote Act will ensure all Americans have free and fair access to the ballot and will solidify comprehensive voter protections , including a minimum of 15 days for early voting , mail-in ballots , and designating Election Day a national holiday .
CALL TO ACTION : In response to the onslaught of restrictive voting legislation across the country , call your two U . S . Senators and urge them to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and Freedom to Vote Act which would restore Section 5 and other key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 .
BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH : Black women are more than three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications as white women . Moreover , pregnant women who live in rural communities are 60 % more likely to die before , during , or following childbirth than women in urban communities . The Build Back Better Act passed by the U . S . House of Representatives would invest $ 3 billion in maternal health . Our Soror , United States Vice President Kamala Harris , designated the firstever White House Maternal Health Day of Action in April 2021 and announced new commitments to support safe pregnancies and childbirth and reduce complications and mortality in the year following birth .
CALL TO ACTION : Call and urge your two U . S . Senators to pass the Build Back Better Act , which includes over $ 3 billion in new maternal health funding . Ask your elected officials to support legislation that provides adequate funding for Medicaid , Medicare , and provisions to improve maternal health outcomes .
To contact your U . S . Senators , call the United States Capitol at ( 202 ) 224-3121 . An operator will connect you directly with the office you request .
An Enduring Legacy of Excellence 15