A Kamala Harris presidential candidacy ignites her AKA sorority sisters locally

In college, Kamala Harris pledged her commitment to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and gained a network of forever sisters. Today, Vice President Harris’ sisters, numbering more than 360,000, are preparing to get out the vote as one of their own could become the most powerful person in the world.

Alpha Kappa Alpha, or AKA, is one of nine service-oriented, historically Black, Greek-letter organizations within the the National Pan-Hellenic Council, also known as the Divine Nine. It’s the first African American sorority.

Today, the Divine Nine boasts more than four million members across the globe.

That’s a base of more than four million people who may be more energized than ever before to boost voter turnout.

“I felt like it breathed new life into the Democratic Party and gives us a new reason to fight, to come out for a strong Democratic candidate,” said Evelyn Sample-Oates, an AKA who heads communications and government affairs for the Fairmount Park Conservancy.

Harris pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1986 during her time at Howard University in Washington. Less than five miles away at American University, Sample-Oates had already done the same.

“We would see each other at good, wholesome college parties,” Sample-Oates joked.

For her, and others who spoke with The Inquirer, Harris’ ascension to being the Democrats’ presumptive presidential nominee is beyond exciting.

“She is probably like our ancestors’ wildest dreams,” said Sample-Oates. “They fought for this, they died for this, they wanted to see something like this.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha is a nonpartisan organization. The group’s mission includes civic engagement, but its get-out-the-vote effort doesn’t involve telling people whom to vote for.

Ala Stanford, known nationally for her heroic effort to vaccinate Philadelphians through the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium she founded, was tapped by the Biden administration to be the U.S. Health and Human Services Region 3 director, for Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Stanford said she accepted the position because she was aligned with the Biden-Harris administration’s policy goals, such as Black maternal health and reproductive freedom.

She is also one of Harris’ sisters.

Stanford sees a lot of overlap between herself and Harris. Both women are leaders in their respective fields. Both have been criticized for appearing too happy. And both know they can depend on their sisters for support.

“We rally around one another like nobody’s business,” Stanford said of their sisterhood. “You’re going to find every AKA in the world supporting Kamala Harris for president.”

Stanford remembers celebrating the sorority’s Founder Day with Harris at the White House in 2023. Harris sent an email to every presidential appointee, and called all AKAs to gather for a ceremonial photo op with the women all wearing the sorority’s signature pink and green, recalled Stanford.

“When she came out to greet us, you just heard this resounding ‘skeeeeeeee!’” she said of a trademarked sound only AKAs make. “No one wanted to be the first one to act out of our position and the respect that she deserved as the vice president. However, when she walked out and was skee-weeing, we all just fell into the sisterhood.”

Black Greek life evidently means so much to Harris that, in one of her first appearances since becoming poised to become the Democratic presidential nominee, she delivered the keynote speech at Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s national convention in Indiana on Wednesday.

She didn’t hold back when exposing the differences between her policies, particularly surrounding reproductive freedom, and those of former President Donald Trump.

“In this moment,” Harris told the group of Zetas, “I believe we face a choice between two different visions for our nation: one focused on the future, the other focused on the past. And with your support, I am fighting for our nation’s future.”

The Divine Nine are a disciplined set of organizations whose regional and local leaders receive marching orders from national and international leaders, said Minretta McFadden, who leads the Blackwood, Camden County-based Theta Pi Omega Chapter of the sorority.

“Even before we knew that she was going to run for president, it was part of our planned initiative to mobilize the vote,” McFadden said. “Of course, it’s on steroids now!”

One mandate for sorority members is to bring at least four other people to the polls, McFadden added.

Charlene Collins, who leads Philly’s Omega Omega chapter, emphasized that the organization can’t promote a single candidate. Still, she said, “As a member, who would not be more proud of this historical moment in our country?”

The Divine Nine are bolstering their ongoing voter engagement efforts by working more collaboratively, International AKA president Danette Anthony Reed said in a statement.

“In a pivotal historical moment, the Divine Nine has agreed to join forces to launch an unparalleled voter mobilization campaign,” said Reed. “As a united front, the Divine Nine are steadfast in their commitment to get put the vote, recognizing that strength lies in collaboration and solidarity.”

Reed said members will be canvassing, phone banking, registering people to vote and educating people on all things election-related.