Senate Resolution 1039
By: Senator Mallow of the 2nd
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 23rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration by the Daughters of Mary Magdalene
and commending Melonie Sims; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and
emphasizes cultural pride through events inspired by recollections of our ancestors' and
grandparents' struggles against slavery and segregation, and their fight for freedom, dignity,
justice, and equality for generations to come; and
WHEREAS, the Daughters of Mary Magdalene is a nonprofit community organization that
serves areas lacking economic, social, and cultural resources by offering educational
materials, mentoring, and oral history griots to motivate and help uplift people to reach their
full potential; and
WHEREAS, the theme for this year's Juneteenth celebration is, "Rebuild, Reconstruct and
Re-Educate!"; and
WHEREAS, one of the highlights of the Juneteenth celebration is the Honorees Program,
which recognizes ordinary people who exemplify extraordinary character and dedicate their
life's work to helping and benefitting children, young adults, and others throughout the
community; and
WHEREAS, Melonie Sims is being recognized as a 2026 Juneteenth Celebration Honoree;
and
WHEREAS, Melonie is a Savannah native. She attended the public school system and is
1985 graduate of Savannah High School. She later moved to Long Island, New York and
earned certification as a nurses aid; and
WHEREAS, Melonie finds her calling to be in service to her church and community,
originally as a member of St. John Divine Baptist Church where her daughter was baptized
and she served as the Youth Choir leader; and
WHEREAS, currently Melonie is a member of Resurrection Pentecostal Temple where she
sings in the choir, works with the kitchen ministry, serves as program announcer, presenter
and reporter, and she also accompanies the Temple's Prophetess leader as she ministers to
others throughout the city; and
WHEREAS, Melonie considers the best jobs she's ever had to be mother to her daughter
Nefra Payne, and grandmother to Elijah Payne; and
WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper to recognize the Daughters of Mary
Magdalene for presenting the longest-serving Juneteenth celebration in Savannah, of more
than 23 years, and commend Melonie Sims as a 2026 Juneteenth Celebration Honoree.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body
recognize and commend the Daughters of Mary Magdalene and Melonie Sims.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the Daughters of
Mary Magdalene and Melonie Sims.