Florida Senate - 2013 (NP) SR 1822 By Senator Joyner 19-00166-13 20131822__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution acknowledging the remarkable 3 contributions made to the people of this state by 4 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and recognizing 5 April 7-9, 2013, as the 19th 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 illustrious collegiate women at Howard University in Washington, 11 D.C., and 12 WHEREAS, nearly 6 weeks after its founding, the first 13 public act of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., was its 14 participation in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, demanding rights 15 for women, particularly the right to vote, and 16 WHEREAS, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is a sisterhood 17 of college-educated women committed to implementing the 18 sorority’s mission through its Five-Point Program Thrust: 19 economic development, educational development, physical and 20 mental health, political awareness and involvement, and 21 international awareness and involvement, and 22 WHEREAS, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., recently 23 celebrated 100 years of commendable service and support to local 24 communities, leading dialogue on public policy issues, 25 supporting quality education, producing new projects to 26 stimulate current and future economic growth, and improving the 27 holistic well-being of minority populations internationally, and 28 WHEREAS, with more than 250,000 college-educated women 29 initiated and more than 950 chapters worldwide, 52 of which are 30 located in Florida and the Bahamas, members of Delta Sigma Theta 31 Sorority, Inc., are clearly focused and visible as corporate and 32 civic leaders, productive public officials, acclaimed 33 academicians, and activists in their own right, and 34 WHEREAS, for the past 18 years, the Florida chapters of 35 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., have conducted “Delta Days at 36 the Florida Capitol,” providing information to state legislators 37 and members of the executive branch which is vital to developing 38 public policy; hosting a reception for state legislators and 39 members of the executive branch; and monitoring the progress of 40 pending legislation related to significant public policy issues, 41 and 42 WHEREAS, on April 7-9, 2013, under the leadership of 43 Southern Regional Director Cheryl W. Turner and Southern 44 Regional Representative Manica Pierrette, members of the 52 45 chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., now serving 46 Florida and the Bahamas will converge in Tallahassee to 47 participate in the 19th annual “Delta Days at the Florida 48 Capitol,” celebrating the theme “A Century in Service: Advocacy 49 in Action,” and 50 WHEREAS, the members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., 51 will provide special recognition at the Seventh Annual Honorable 52 Carrie P. Meek Servant Leadership Luncheon of the late and 53 honorable Yvonne Kennedy, past national president of Delta Sigma 54 Theta Sorority, Inc., and the late soror Mercedese R. Clarke, a 55 former "Delta Days at the Florida Capitol" committee member, 56 both of whom blazed trails in social advocacy and public 57 service, and 58 WHEREAS, Senators Audrey Gibson and Arthenia L. Joyner and 59 Representative Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed are esteemed members of 60 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., NOW, THEREFORE, 61 62 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 63 64 That the Florida Senate commends the remarkable 65 contributions made to the people of this state by Delta Sigma 66 Theta Sorority, Inc., and recognizes April 7-9, 2013, as the 67 19th annual “Delta Days at the Florida Capitol.”