By: Grace Mamon
Washington and Lee University’s chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a historically Black Greek-lettered sorority, is cheering on Sen. Kamala Harris, a sorority sister and first Black woman on a presidential ticket.
Jhade Jordan, president of the local chapter, said AKA cannot officially endorse a political candidate or make political contributions on behalf of the sorority. But Harris’ nomination was a “pleasant surprise” to her personally.
The Washington Post reported Oct. 1 that AKA is showing their support more covertly on a national level.
The Democratic National Committee began receiving “thousands of donations in the precise amount of $19.08 without any obvious explanation” shortly after Harris became Joe Biden’s running mate. As of Sept. 25, the DNC had received over 14,000 donations of $19.08, approaching $275,000 total, the Post reported.
The $19.08 donations represent the year AKA was founded at Howard University, Harris’ alma mater. AKA women also came to Harris events and organized get-out-the vote efforts to show their support.
The W&L chapter is similarly supportive, encouraging voter registration, engagement and election education. “Although [AKA] does not participate in political campaign activity, members are politically engaged in their communities on an individual level,” said Leah Jackson, a junior and secretary of AKA at W&L, in an email. “[They] are encouraged to participate in the entirety of the political process.”
Jackson said that one major political initiative of the sorority is LEAD, an acronym that stands for learn, empower, advocate and decide.
“LEAD is an initiative that ensures we learn the issues that impact African Americans and the underserved, empower our chapter members and communities to exercise their right to vote and combat voter suppression, advocate for local, state and federal laws and policies to address community needs and decide elections by voting in record numbers,” Jackson said.
The sorority also encouraged Get Out the Vote efforts this year. Both Jackson and the Post article mentioned the overwhelming political activity of AKA members.
And historically, AKA women vote in “overwhelming numbers too large to ignore,” Jackson said.
She said that all members of W&L’s Tau Zeta chapter of AKA have already voted in the upcoming elections. The sorority also plans to encourage other students to register and vote through a social media campaign, Jackson said.
“Internationally, some members are changing social media profiles to the American flag as a reminder that the democracy of the United States of America is for each and every last citizen,” Jackson said.