Florida Senate - 2012 (Corrected Copy)(NP) SR 322 By Senator Bullard 39-00132D-12 2012322__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution acknowledging the invaluable 3 contributions made to the people of Florida by Delta 4 Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and recognizing January 5 22-24, 2012, as “The 18th Annual Delta Days at the 6 Florida Capitol.” 7 8 WHEREAS, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is a public 9 service organization founded on January 13, 1913, by 22 10 outstanding women at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and 11 WHEREAS, nearly 6 weeks after its founding, the first 12 public act of the sorority was its participation in the Women’s 13 Suffrage Movement, demanding rights for women, particularly the 14 right to vote, and 15 WHEREAS, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is a sisterhood 16 of college-educated women committed to implementing the 17 sorority’s mission through its Five-Point Program Thrust: 18 economic development, educational development, physical and 19 mental health, political awareness and involvement, and 20 international awareness and involvement, and 21 WHEREAS, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., recently 22 celebrated 99 years of exemplary service and support to local 23 communities, leading dialogue on public policy issues, 24 supporting quality education, producing new projects to 25 stimulate current and future economic growth, and improving the 26 holistic well-being of minority populations internationally, and 27 WHEREAS, with more than 200,000 college-educated women 28 initiated and more than 950 chapters worldwide, 52 of which are 29 located in Florida and the Bahamas, members of Delta Sigma Theta 30 Sorority are clearly focused and visible as corporate and civic 31 leaders, productive public officials, acclaimed academicians, 32 and activists in their own right, and 33 WHEREAS, for the past 17 years, the sorority’s Florida 34 chapters have conducted “Delta Days at the Florida Capitol” to 35 provide information to state legislators and government 36 executives which is vital to developing public policy; to host a 37 reception for state legislators and government executives; and 38 to monitor the progress of pending legislation related to 39 significant public policy issues, and 40 WHEREAS, on January 22-24, 2012, under the leadership of 41 Southern Regional Director Cheryl W. Turner and Southern 42 Regional Representative Manica Pierrette, the members of the 52 43 chapters of the sorority now serving Florida and the Bahamas 44 will converge on Tallahassee to conduct the 18th Annual Delta 45 Days at the Florida Capitol and provide special recognition at 46 the Sixth Annual Honorable Carrie P. Meek Servant Leadership 47 Luncheon to the state’s Delta Dears, who have blazed trails in 48 social advocacy and public service, and 49 WHEREAS, Senators Larcenia J. Bullard, Audrey Gibson, and 50 Arthenia L. Joyner and Representative Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed are 51 esteemed members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., NOW, 52 THEREFORE, 53 54 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 55 56 That the Florida Senate commends Delta Sigma Theta 57 Sorority, Inc., for its contributions to the people of Florida, 58 and recognizes January 22-24, 2012, as “The 18th Annual Delta 59 Days at the Florida Capitol.”