Alpha Kappa Alpha's President Declares True Winners of Election

Nov. 7, 2012 - PRLog -- Contact: Melody McDowell – Chief Information Officer – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority           773-660-2001 – Office   312-371-8917 – Cell          e-mail: melodyaka@aol.com

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA'S PRESIDENT HAILS VOLUNTEERS AS
“TRUE WINNERS” OF ELECTION
Stewart singles out AKA's C.A.R.E.S Program for its voter registration success

Chicago, Illinois – November 7, 2012 - Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's international president, Carolyn House Stewart, declared that the “true winners” of the Election were members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority who led and collaborated with other organizations in massive voter registration/education campaigns.   She projected that the combined efforts led to thousands of citizens getting registered and becoming informed on the voter process.  She characterized the effort as “democracy in action.”

Stewart praised Alpha Kappa Alpha, members of the Divine 9, the NAACP, the Black Woman's Agenda, faith-based organizations and others that mobilized their forces and resources to activate voter registration, voter education and GET OUT THE VOTE campaigns.

She singled out Alpha Kappa Alpha's C.A.R.E.S. campaign as one of the most successful voter registration/education initiatives. Inspired by C.A.R.E.S' acronym, Collaborate, Advocate, Register, Educate, and Stimulate, members adopted a two-pronged strategy: to get out the vote and to educate citizens on the voting process. The campaign was launched in September 2011 and organized and implemented by the Sorority's Connection Committee, whose chairman is Attorney Leyser Q. Hayes of Jackson, Mississippi.

“C.A.R.E.S yielded phenomenal results because it was focused and because members of Alpha Kappa Alpha set to this mission with resolve and conviction,” declared Stewart in praising the program.

In advance of Election Day, Stewart said members penetrated the neighborhoods and blitzed citizens with information. Thousands knocked on doors, passed out leaflets, sponsored voter education forums, made calls at phone banks, sent out e-blasts, and engaged in one-on-one dialogue to explain the Electoral process to the community.   The Sorority was also vigilant in monitoring states where voter suppression laws were enacted.

With early voting becoming the trend, citizens endured long lines and braved the weather to exercise their right to vote.  Members of the Sorority established Comfort Stations at early-voting sites. As a show of caring, they passed out water, food and assisted seniors.

On Election Day, members volunteered to drive citizens to the polls.  They also served as poll watchers and monitored the process to make sure the elections were run fairly.  In her State of Florida, the International President was on the Election Protection Team for Hillsborough County, Florida and served as a poll watcher for early voting at two sites. She served as a poll watcher on Election Day where she spent the entire day at one site.

Stewart said that the Sorority has a long legacy of effective voter registration campaigns. Alpha Kappa Alpha's efforts have touched thousands of lives and impacted hundreds of communities where the Sorority has chapters.

The results over the years have won the Sorority awards and recognition.  More important, the Alpha Kappa Alpha campaign has become a model that others have emulated.  Its success, stated Stewart, is due to members' hard work, focus, resolve and passion to serve the community, which is Alpha Kappa Alpha's mission.  

She added that the leadership of the C.A.R.E.S. campaign captured the essence of the Sorority's program theme: '“Global Leadership Through Timeless Service.'”