ATLANTA — Leaders of the Divine Nine, the coalition of historically Black fraternities and sororities, have announced an unprecedented voter mobilization effort ahead of the upcoming November presidential election.
This announcement follows Vice President Kamala Harris, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, entering the race for the Democratic nomination.
In a statement, the presidents of the nine organizations emphasized their non-partisan commitment to activating chapters worldwide, including significant efforts in Georgia.
11Alive spoke with local chapter leaders about their plans to engage voters.
Brianca Martin, president of the Pi Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., has a long list of reasons to love her sorority.
"It is certainly the service that the organization has participated in for 116 years, as well as the sisterhood," Martin said.
That service includes making sure her community turns up to vote.
"Voter engagement and advocating for social justice is a hallmark of the current administration and one of the signature initiatives that we are focused on," she stated.
The Divine Nine announced on Monday a combined effort to register and engage voters, with Martin's chapter playing a significant role.
Dr. Avery Kenly, president of the Eta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., highlighted the deep-rooted responsibility of his fraternity in promoting voter rights.
"Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated," Kenly noted, referencing King’s influential "Give Us the Ballot" speech.
"One of our pillars is assuring we protect and promote the right to vote," Kenly said on camera.
The announcement of this effort comes shortly after Vice President Kamala Harris, an Alpha Kappa Alpha member, declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination. Despite Harris's affiliation, the Divine Nine leaders stressed that their voter mobilization efforts are non-partisan and do not endorse any particular candidate.
Local Divine Nine representatives emphasized their focus on empowering their communities and ensuring their voices are heard.
David Jones of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. highlighted the organization's long-standing commitment to voter education and engagement.
"We thrive on this. We've been doing this for over 100 years. We have over two and a half million members worldwide," Jones said.
Jones hopes that the excitement and motivation can continue as they inch closer to the election.
"Even though, you know, we got excitement now, and everybody's kind of, you know, getting motivated, hopefully, we can continue to educate voters on what's on the ballot," Jones stated.