HOUSE MEMORIAL 39

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Sheryl Williams Stapleton and Jane E. Powdrell-Culbert

A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ALBUQUERQUE ALUMNAE CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED.

     WHEREAS, on January 13, 1913, twenty-two collegiate women at Howard university in Washington, D.C., founded the public service organization, delta sigma theta sorority; and

     WHEREAS, the organization's first public display of social activism was participation in the women's suffrage march on March 3, 1913; and

     WHEREAS, these young women wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence, provide assistance to persons in need, provide scholarships, provide support to the underserved, educate and stimulate participation in the establishment of positive public policy and highlight issues and provide solutions to problems in their communities; and

     WHEREAS, on March 18, 1967, Mona Humphries Bailey, farwest regional director of delta sigma theta sorority, incorporated, presented the Albuquerque alumnae charter to fifteen awe-inspiring women; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter of delta sigma theta sorority, incorporated, is the only alumnae chapter of delta sigma theta sorority, incorporated, in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, charter members of the Albuquerque alumnae chapter are Uline Hughes, Euola Cox, Joy Malry, Ellie Warren, Ina Webb, Margaret Carson, Artis Hopkins, Alfreda Taylor, Lauretta Loftus, Anna Swain, Jennie Brown, Sara Davis, Fannie Dawson, Buena Vista Green and Dorothy McNeil; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter has volunteered hundreds of hours in the last fifty years with community service programs, such as habitat for humanity, the Albuquerque rescue mission, the African American read-in, the roadrunner food bank of New Mexico, project share, the breast cancer resource center, cuidando los ninos, my sister's closet, S.A.F.E. house New Mexico, world AIDS day, the school supplies drive, the dress for success clothing drive, the spread the warmth blanket drive, the step-2-success shoe drive, the voter education and registration drive and the city of Albuquerque's adopt-a-highway program; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter has successfully raised funds and participated in the American cancer society making strides against breast cancer walk, the Susan G. Komen race for the cure, the leukemia and lymphoma society's light the night walk and St. Jude walk/run to end childhood cancer; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter has held workshops on scholarship applications and financial literacy; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter has awarded thousands of dollars in college scholarships to high school and college-aged students; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter has supported the arts through successful collaborations with the university of New Mexico's Popejoy hall to provide cultural enrichment to the community; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter continues to take an interest and maintain active involvement in the welfare of the community through voter education and registration; and

     WHEREAS, in 2014, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter hosted the forty-fourth southwest regional conference of delta sigma theta sorority, incorporated, in Albuquerque, where one thousand five hundred women from Arkansas, Jamaica, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas attended and contributed almost one million dollars ($1,000,000) over four days to the local and state economies; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter has submitted anti-hazing legislation to the state legislature to prevent reckless acts that intentionally endanger the physical, mental and emotional health of anyone seeking admission to a group, athletic team, organization or society related to educational institutions in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque alumnae chapter will continue to perform the work of the organization's five-point program thrust of economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health and political awareness and involvement;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the Albuquerque alumnae chapter of delta sigma theta sorority, incorporated, be recognized for its dedication and commitment to social activism on its fiftieth anniversary; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the Albuquerque alumnae chapter of delta sigma theta sorority, incorporated.

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