HR 1957: Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc., an Asian-interest sorority and 501(c)(7) non-profit organization; outstanding work in creating the next generation of Asian women leaders unified by the bonds of sisterhood and its efforts in coalition building; commend

House Resolution 1957

By: Representatives Park of the 107th, Draper of the 90th, Au of the 50th, Tran of the 80th, Ali of the 106th, and others

A RESOLUTION

Recognizing and commending Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc., an Asian-interest sorority and 501(c)(7) non-profit organization, for its outstanding work in creating the next generation of Asian women leaders unified by the bonds of sisterhood and its efforts in coalition building amongst minority collegiate students across the United States; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, on December 5, 1998, seven women at the University of Georgia founded Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. as an Asian-interest sorority and culturally-based Greek letter organization with the mission of forming a lasting organization that could advocate Asian awareness through sisterhood and dispel stereotypes commonly held against the Asian community at their predominantly white institution (PWI); and

WHEREAS, culturally-based Greek letter organizations have a rich history of creating shared cultural spaces for minority collegiate students and advancing civil rights for their communities, with the first ones being Black Greek letter organizations whose traditions and values would later influence and inform all those to follow; and

WHEREAS, upon its founding, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. joined a wave of Asian Greek letter organizations forming in the 1990s, following the wave of Black Greek letter organizations beginning in the 1900s and Latino Greek letter organizations beginning in the 1970s; and

WHEREAS, in the summer of 2004, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. became a founding member of the APIA Greek Alliance, now known as the National APIDA Panhellenic Association (NAPA), a national umbrella council representing 18 Asian-interest Greek letter organizations alongside other prominent culturally-based national umbrella councils such as the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO); and

WHEREAS, while many Asian Greek letter organizations oftentimes face difficulty expanding to universities beyond their respective region, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. has expanded beyond the Southeast to the Northeast and Midwest, initiating over 2,400 members and chartering 26 collegiate chapters and six alumnae chapters across the United States; and

WHEREAS, on December 22, 2010, the Delta Phi Lambda Foundation was founded and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to financially support members of Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. in their academic and philanthropic endeavors, becoming the first NAPA organization to found a non-profit foundation and winning multiple NAPA awards since; and

WHEREAS, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. holds national philanthropic partnerships with the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation and the Asian Mental Health Collective to raise funds towards combating health issues that impact Asian Americans and host programming events raising awareness and prevention; and

WHEREAS, individual chapters of the sorority engage in local philanthropy through first-generation scholarships, mobile food banks, homeless shelter assistance, college preparedness programs, and more; and

WHEREAS, members of the sorority have consistently stood at the forefront of their respective collegiate institutions as student leaders who push the needle on their campuses, demonstrating academic excellence in all their pursuits and promoting Asian awareness through engaging in the student body; and

WHEREAS, in fostering a sisterhood for Asian collegiate women to share their culture at their respective PWIs and support one another throughout their academic journeys, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. has created the next generation of strong Asian women leaders who feel empowered to tackle the future's biggest issues and emboldened to advocate for both their own communities and the communities of their fellow culturally-based Greeks; and

WHEREAS, the Alpha Chapter at the University of Georgia, the Gamma Chapter at Georgia State University, the Zeta Chapter at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Theta Chapter at Emory University have made significant contributions towards the cultivation of multicultural Greek life and unity amongst culturally-based Greek letter organizations in the State of Georgia and the greater Southeast; and

WHEREAS, alongside other culturally-based Greek letter organizations, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. has diligently contributed to the formation of a close-knit multicultural community built upon the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood across the United States, which will ultimately uplift and advance their respective communities for years to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. for its development of strong Asian women leaders unified by sisterhood and its advancements in the national multicultural Greek community.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to Founder Anh Ngoc Nguyen and the chapter presidents of each of the respective Georgia chapters listed herein.