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‘This is a Bond for Life:’ From Sisterhood to the Presidential Race

HOWARD UNIVERSITY NEWS SERVICE — The women who were initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. at Howard University in the spring of 1986, they know Kamala Harris as “line sister.” More than 30 of Harris’ sorority sisters celebrated this historical moment. They traveled across the country to meet here in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention. And Monique Poydras, an organizer of the event, shares why her sorority sisters are here to support Harris.

Published

2 years ago

September 1, 2024

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By Trinity Webster-Bass | Howard University News Service

CHICAGO — Kamala Harris has had many roles and titles over the course of her political career. Attorney General, Senator, Vice President and now Democratic presidential nominee.

But for the women who were initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. at Howard University in the spring of 1986, they know Kamala Harris as “line sister.”

“Greetings most gracious ladies of the upper, uppermost house of Alpha Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059,” they all chanted in unison.

Today, I sat down with a few fellow members of the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. More than 30 of Harris’ sorority sisters celebrated this historical moment. They traveled across the country to meet here in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention. And Monique Poydras, an organizer of the event, shares why her sorority sisters are here to support Harris.

College classmates and sorority sisters of Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris gathered at the Democratic National Convention.

“So, we have gathered here today because we are so excited about our line sister, Kamala Harris, Vice President Harris,” Poydras said. “We’re here to celebrate her and also to support her in her nomination for president of the United States, and we’re looking at an individual who’s not only qualified, she’s qualified, overqualified for the role. And we couldn’t be more proud and humbled about our beginnings at Howard University.”

Valerie Pippen-Coutee has known Harris for over 40 years, and before they were sorority sisters, they were best friends.

“We got closer and closer together almost every day, and what we ended up doing was the summer of ‘85 we decided to go to summer school,” she recalled. “So, we worked during the day and went to summer school at night, and that really was difficult, but we were together every night.”

Pippen-Coutee continues to tell the story of how she convinced Harris to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first Black sorority founded at Howard University.

Harris (upper left) on the campus of Howard University with her Alpha Chapter AKA members (1986).

“I remember I had pledged already, and I remember saying to her, ‘Hey, you should go out for the sorority. You should really do it.’ She was like, ‘I don’t know. I don’t know what I want to do.’ I was like, ‘Look, you really need to do it.’ And she said, ‘I’m gonna do it.’ And so she did, and the rest is history.”

For many of Harris’ fellow members, getting people to the polls and Harris into the Oval Office are personal matters. From California to Washington, D.C., her sorority sisters have been there every step of the way.

Pippen-Coutee, like many of her sorority sisters, had plenty of stories to tell. They spoke of fond memories as they moved through life together.

“She might not remember this, but there was one time I visited her in Oakland, and we went shopping, and I was working, and I believe she had just become working in the District Attorney’s office. She kept saying, Pippen. She calls me Pippen. ‘Pippen, I need a blue suit. I need a blue suit.’ I bought her that blue suit.’”

And as a line sister Inez Brown explained that they have been with Harris throughout her wearing many different suits.

Vice President Kamala Harris with line sister Inez Brown Courtesy: Inez Brown.

“We have celebrated her along the way,” Brown said. “When she was serving in Los Angeles, when she became the Attorney General, some of us were present at her swearing-in ceremony and celebration when she became a U.S. Senator we also celebrated with her in that moment. We were in the room when she took her oath and when she was running for president.”

“We galvanized and we did what we could do to influence and encourage people to register to vote and to support financially, because we know money speaks, and that is an important part of every election.”

What her fellow sorority sisters love most about Harris is her character, and for Pippen-Coutee, her laugh.

“I just want people to know how much of a genuine person Kamala is, how loving and caring and funny, like we both love to laugh,” she said. “And that’s one thing we always had in common was laughter. And I just remember how she and I would just look at each other, just start cracking up.”

Brown, who also helped to organize the event, wants people to know that at the end of the day Harris is a person too.

“And I think a unique lens for us is her line sisters, as we get to paint the human side of Kamala,” Brown said. “People have only sort of known her in her public service, so they often wonder, ‘Is she really this? Is she really that?’”

“We are here to say she is authentic and she is genuine and she has never shifted that. No matter what role she has served in. We love her for that, and I think she absolutely loves us for being there for her as line sisters and not people who are just enamored with her space in life.”

Despite campaigning and running the country, Brown explains that in her time of need, Harris still found a moment to always have her back.

“I had brain surgery, and I talk about it because it is something real, and I realize it empowers me to support someone else who might be taking that journey,” she said. “I had just had surgery. Kamala called the hospital, and she was in the thick of her candidacy, but she made the time to reach out to me.”

Poydras knows that what bonds them is their shared experiences as Black women. It’s their sisterhood that connects them all.

“The founding of our illustrious sorority came at a time when we didn’t have anywhere,” Poydras explained. “We only had each other. So, we had to create our own organization so that we could be a part of something special. This is not, ‘Oh, you just, you know, you’re part of an organization in college,’ and then it ends. This is a bond for life, a commitment for life, and that’s what our sisterhood stands for.”

And in case you’re wondering, Vice President Harris did indeed work at the McDonald’s on Georgia Avenue across from campus.

“Yes, it is true. She had to make money,” Brown said. “We all needed a job,” Brown and Poydras exclaimed at the same time.

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

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He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
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Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
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“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
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AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY