Black south suburban women who are fellow Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. sisters with Vice President Kamala Harris say their enthusiasm is off the charts for Harris’s presidential run.
Words like ecstatic, hopeful, excited, enthusiastic, beyond words, are being uttered by Harris supporters.
on the overturning of Roe V. Wade on June 26, 2022, in Plainfield
(Kyle Mazza/TheNews2/Deposit Photos)
The women say the Black sororities will not be officially endorsing the Democratic ticket. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, the sororities raise money for a host of special causes and must remain neutral. But the sisterhood that generates from the sororities is creating a special bond this presidential race.
Erica Walker of South Holland said several weeks were full of surprises. She had always recognized President Joe Biden as a strong, enthusiastic speaker. She was surprised by his performance during the June 27 debate with Donald Trump.
Walker said her second surprise was when so many people clamored for Biden to step down. Biden, she says, has been an outstanding president.
“When he finally did (step aside July 21), it was less of a surprise because there was so much noise being made. I felt the pressure on his behalf, so by the time he did it I really wasn’t surprised, and I certainly wasn’t surprised that he endorsed her,” Walker said.
Walker had the chance to interact with Harris at a Howard University party and a fundraiser. She describes her as warm and humble. “All of my classmates and sorority sisters stress that the person (Harris) you see is really that genuine.”
She also appreciates Harris’s position in support of reproductive rights. “It was really scaring me, the direction we were going, so I’m excited by (her position) as well.”
Nichelle Bush of Lynwood said, “I think we are all very excited and hopeful,” for Kamala Harris. “I think the world is ready for change. There’s excitement just having a woman (candidate). To see that this is a young woman, smart as a whip. She’s very astute, polished. It’s exciting.
“And most women would agree it’s not just her story, it’s the time to be alive. I think moving forward, anything is possible,” Bush added.
“I definitely expected something more from her (than serving as vice president),” said 23-year-old Jasmyn Bush who was accepted into the sorority when she was graduating from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans.
“When she stepped up it was like ‘Oh yeah, here we go!’ kind of vibe. I think it’s just expected of her to step up not only as a leader or member of Alpha Kappa Alpha but as a Black woman. It’s always expected that Black women go the extra mile, so I think it was her legacy to run for president of the United States.”
“We knew in 2020 she was presidential material,” said Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, a Harris delegate to the 2020 Democratic convention that was abbreviated due to the pandemic.
Miller remembers being in Chicago with other sorority members wearing masks and doing social distancing just so they could watch together as Harris was nominated for vice president. Miller will be together again with sorority members at a watch party for the scheduled presidential debate on Sept. 10.
Joni Bradley-Scott of Flossmoor said Harris was an outstanding vice president who she believed would be ready for the presidency if there was a need. She calls this race “a natural progression” for Harris.
When the Democratic National Convention opens Monday, Aug. 19, in Chicago, Bradley-Scott will be there as a volunteer. Nichelle Bush, a nurse practitioner, will also be there at the suggestion of Congresswoman Robin Kelly who suggested Bush could network with others interested in maternal health issues, especially as they pertain to Black women.
Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon will be at the convention as a PLEO (Party Leaders and Elected Officials) delegate. Harris was officially nominated by the convention’s delegates the first week of August to meet ballot requirements in several states.
“We did a virtual roll call, and I put in a ballot” on Aug. 5, Gordon said. “I am truly just proud to be an American, proud to be a Democrat and I think that Joe Biden put patriotism before the party. He showed he wanted the best outcome, not best for him. It’s about service.
“Kamala has energized the party and there’s an incredible amount of momentum that will be consistent. I don’t think it will end before the Nov. 4 election,” Gordon said.
Margaret Boyd of Lynwood was one of the 44,000 women on a Zoom call with Harris days after she announced her candidacy.
“I thought it was just tremendous that it allowed us all to get on. I have been donating after that call,” as one the thousands of first-time donors to the Harris campaign. Boyd now is planning a Harris/Walz fundraiser at her home.
And in January 2025, Boyd plans to attend Harris’ inauguration. “That’s how committed I am. It’s historical,” she said.