NEW YORK — Perhaps no group of women has watched Kamala Harris become vice president with more pride than her sorority sisters, members of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority incorporated, nearly 300,000 strong.

“It’s more like wow these women are doing amazing things and it’s not surprising," said Nialah Edari, one of Harris’ sorors.

What You Need To Know

  • As Kamala Harris highlights her membership as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., it’s brought more attention to all Black Greek organizations

  • Members say organizations like AKA have been providing sisterhood, mentoring and leadership opportunities for more than a century

  • Many find Harris’s rise to the office of vice president inspiring

Edari is a member of the organization’s Harlem based Lambda chapter and the co-founder of Freedom March NYC. Four year after graduating from Barnard College, she’s among those noticing that as people learn about Harris, they also learn about the special role of black fraternities and sororities.

“What it means to be a Black Greek goes beyond the four years of college. It’s beyond parties and social events. It’s really about community service," Edari said.

AKA, as it’s called was founded in 1908 at Howard University. It was the first Black sorority in the country. That’s part of what inspired Melle Hock to seek membership as a student at Columbia.

“I think of this group of women who were amongst the first in their communities, their families to be college educated and they saw the need for an organization that would help to safeguard that legacy," Hock said.

Now, it’s one of nine fraternities and sororities that make social and civic engagement an important commitment. It's a mission evident in a Zoom seminar on heart health held earlier this month, which was jointly organized with Delta Sigma Theta sorority incorporated.

“The divine nine are at the forefront. W.E.B. Dubois talked about the talented tenth, and we are that top 10% and we turnkey to our communities to ensure that we are constantly uplifting," said Donna Joseph, president of the Omega Omega chapter in the Bronx.

The sorority’s in-person events are on hold so they’re adjusting to the limitations of the pandemic. But, they continue to be bolstered by a sisterhood that, as Harris has shown, continues to lead by example.

“It’s a reminder of everything that I can really achieve if I am striving my hardest, but also remembering the rich network of amazing women that I have around me," Hock said.