Florida Senate - 2024 (NP) SR 1800 By Senator Thompson 15-01908-24 20241800__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution recognizing January 16, 2024, as “Zeta 3 Phi Beta Day” in Florida, celebrating 104 years of 4 community service and activism on the organization’s 5 International Founders’ Day. 6 7 WHEREAS, the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., was founded on 8 January 16, 1920, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., to 9 encourage the highest standards of scholastic achievement and 10 community service, and 11 WHEREAS, five remarkable women, Arizona Cleaver Stemons, 12 Pearl Anna Neal, Myrtle Tyler Faithful, Viola Tyler Goings, and 13 Fannie Pettie Watts, dared to depart from the traditional 14 coalitions for black women and sought to establish a new 15 organization with the precepts of scholarship, service, 16 sisterhood, and finer womanhood, and 17 WHEREAS, the organization counts among its illustrious 18 alumni the acclaimed author and anthropologist Zora Neale 19 Hurston, who grew up in Eatonville and was considered by many to 20 be one of the best authors of the 20th century as well as a key 21 figure of the Harlem Renaissance, and 22 WHEREAS, today, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s programs include 23 the endowment of the organization’s National Educational 24 Foundation and community volunteerism, including providing 25 scholarships, supporting charitable organizations, and promoting 26 social and civic initiatives at the national, state, and local 27 levels, and 28 WHEREAS, on January 11, 2024, members of Zeta Phi Beta 29 Sorority; its auxiliary groups, the Zeta Amicae and the Zeta 30 Male Network; and its youth groups will gather at the Capitol to 31 support causes that align with the organization’s strategic 32 plans and its 2024 theme, The Extraordinary Power of S.H.E. 33 (social, health, and economic justice), and 34 WHEREAS, those in attendance will include the Zeta Phi Beta 35 Sorority’s leadership team, composed of International President 36 and Chief Executive Officer Stacie Grant, Southeastern Regional 37 Director Vicki Pearson, State of Florida Director Paula Kay, and 38 Florida Social Action Chair Diana Jordan Baldwin, and 39 WHEREAS, on January 16, 2024, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., 40 will celebrate 104 years of community service and activism on 41 its International Founders’ Day, NOW, THEREFORE, 42 43 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 44 45 That January 16, 2024, is recognized as “Zeta Phi Beta Day” 46 in Florida, celebrating 104 years of community service and 47 activism on the organization’s International Founders’ Day.