House Resolution 17

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED, FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE ISSUES AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND CONGRATULATING IT ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 2006 STATEWIDE "DELTA DAY" IN THE STATE'S CAPITOL.

WHEREAS, on January 13, 1913, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, was founded by 22 women driven by a desire to provide scholarships and support to the underserved; to educate and stimulate participation in the establishment of positive public policy; and to highlight issues and provide solutions for problems in their communities; and

WHEREAS, anxious to create change and highlight issues facing its community, the sorority participated in the Women's Suffrage March of 1913 as its first public act; and

WHEREAS, on February 2, 2006, Deltas from the chapters of Alcorn, Bolivar County, Clay County, Clinton, Gamma Psi of Tougaloo College, Greenwood-Itta Bena, Hattiesburg, Jackson, Moss Point, Mu Nu of the University of Southern Mississippi, Tupelo, Vicksburg and Yazoo City have marched to the Mississippi State Capitol to highlight issues affecting their communities by delivering those issues to state lawmakers; and

WHEREAS, more than 200,000 college educated women in over 900 chapters throughout the United States, England, Japan, Germany, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and the Republic of Korea execute the sorority's Five Point Programmatic Thrust, which promotes educational development, economic development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health and political awareness and involvement in local communities and throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, annually, thousands of members of this extraordinary sorority travel from around the world to Washington, D.C., to attend "Delta Days in the Nation's Capital," which is the annual legislative conference to increase sorority members’ involvement in the national public policy-making process; and

WHEREAS, the annual conference includes legislative briefings, issue forums, advocacy skills development, and featured speakers including key policy makers, members of the United States Congress, congressional staff members, and national issues experts; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, that has given countless volunteer hours to improve communities throughout the world:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, for its commitment to highlight the issues and provide solutions for problems within the community and congratulating it on the occasion of its 2006 statewide "Delta Day" in the State's Capitol.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.