HR 395

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 395
BY REPRESENTATIVES NEWELL, BILLINGS, CHASSION, FISHER, KNOX, LYONS,
     MARCELLE, MURRAY, TAYLOR, AND WALTERS
  A RESOLUTION
To commemorate the ninetieth anniversary of the 1936 charter of the New Orleans Alumnae
        Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
        WHEREAS, the New Orleans Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.,
was chartered in June 1936 and supports the sorority's mission of service, scholarship, and
social action; the chapter's history reflects resilience, leadership, and a dedication to uplifting
generations through education, advocacy, and civic engagement; 2026 marks the ninetieth
year of sisterhood, growth, and public service in the Greater New Orleans area; and
        WHEREAS, the chapter's charter members were Ema Joyce Adams Bailey, Melva
Dier Borris, Julia Washington Bond, Sadie Nelson Boyce, Elizabeth Stubbs Davis, Jessie
Covington Dent, Irene Colbert Edmonds, Oralee Baranco Mitchell, Sylvia Labat Randall,
Estelle Baranco Turpin, and Naomi Evans Washington, eleven exceptional women who
brought the sorority's first chapter to the city of New Orleans; and
        WHEREAS, the legacy of leadership continued through the line of past presidents
and leaders such as Cynthia Butler-McIntyre, Gloria Bryant-Banks, Carolyn E. Lewis,
Pamela M. Rogers, and many others who have shaped the direction of the chapter and
contributed to the sorority's global impact; and
        WHEREAS, while the chapter was chartered as the Alpha Eta Sigma Chapter of
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., its level of excellence continued after the name was
changed to the New Orleans Alumnae Chapter; the sorority's Five-Point Programmatic
Thrust is economic development, educational development, international awareness and
involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement; and
        WHEREAS, the New Orleans Alumnae Chapter has organized nine service projects
that have positively impacted citizens in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard;
such programs include gathering to worship and venerating the Christian principles on which
the sorority was founded, sharing stories, recording reflections, and preserving the chapter's
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HR NO. 395  ENROLLED
history; there are more than seven hundred active members whose individual acts of service
benefit the community at large; and
       WHEREAS, the New Orleans Alumnae Chapter has generated millions of dollars in
economic activity and brought thousands of visitors to New Orleans by hosting three
regional conferences and three national conventions; the chapter has awarded more than five
hundred thousand dollars in scholarships to students attending colleges and universities in
the Greater New Orleans area and sponsored numerous signature programs designed to
develop local youth; and
       WHEREAS, the New Orleans Alumnae Chapter has provided compassionate care
and support to communities experiencing natural disasters and other hardships across the
world; the chapter promotes health education, community health fairs, healthcare access, and
research on health disparities; it also promotes voter registration, voter education, voter
participation, and civic engagement with state and local government officials; and
       WHEREAS, the ninetieth anniversary of the New Orleans Alumnae Chapter is not
only a celebration of the past but a catalyst for renewed commitment to the future of the
chapter and the broader community; it is fitting to reflect on the chapter's history, mission,
and vision for years to come.
       THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commemorate the ninetieth anniversary of the New
Orleans Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and does hereby express best
wishes as its members reflect, celebrate, and renew their commitment to the sorority’s
mission of service, scholarship, and social action.
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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