Florida Senate - 2010                            (NP)    SR 1482
       
       
       
       By Senator Lawson
       
       
       
       
       6-01392-10                                            20101482__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution recognizing March 16, 2010, as “Florida
    3         Sigma Zeta Day” at the Capitol.
    4  
    5         WHEREAS, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity was founded at Howard
    6  University in Washington, D.C., on January 9, 1914, by A.
    7  Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I. Brown, and
    8         WHEREAS, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority was founded at Howard
    9  University in Washington, D.C., on January 16, 1920, by Arizona
   10  Cleaver, Myrtle Tyler, Viola Tyler, Fannie Pettie, and Pearl
   11  Neal, and
   12         WHEREAS, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and Zeta Phi Beta
   13  Sorority, Inc., are the only constitutionally bound,
   14  historically black Greek fraternal organizations, and
   15         WHEREAS, both Sigma and Zeta address the societal ills of
   16  the current day, such as gaps in the availability and
   17  accessibility of health care to racial and ethnic minority
   18  groups, and
   19         WHEREAS, research indicates that blacks are
   20  disproportionally impacted by cancer, infant mortality, and
   21  HIV/AIDS; have less access to adequate health care; and are more
   22  likely to not have health insurance coverage, and
   23         WHEREAS, state and local partnerships are vital to
   24  promoting awareness of minority health issues, such as
   25  increasing screenings for breast, colon, and prostate cancers;
   26  raising awareness of sudden infant death syndrome; and
   27  establishing more HIV testing sites, and
   28         WHEREAS, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., addresses
   29  improving men’s health through Sigma Wellness, Living Well -
   30  Brother to Brother, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., strives to
   31  enhance community and women’s health through Z-HOPE - Zetas
   32  Helping Other People Excel - and Zeta Health Justice
   33  initiatives, and
   34         WHEREAS, Florida State Senator Al Lawson and Florida State
   35  Representative Betty Reed support the efforts of Phi Beta Sigma
   36  Fraternity, Inc., and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., as sponsors
   37  of the organizations’ social action initiatives addressing
   38  health disparities, NOW, THEREFORE,
   39  
   40  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   41  
   42         That March 16, 2010, is recognized as “Florida Sigma Zeta
   43  Day” at the Capitol.