Inspired by Harris, many Black sorority and fraternity members are helping downballot races

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes isn’t a personnel of nan historically Black sororities and fraternities known arsenic nan “Divine Nine.”

But passim her hotly contested reelection campaign this year, Hayes, nan first Black female to correspond Connecticut successful Congress, has sometimes felt for illustration she’s a chap soror, nan word utilized by Black Greek organizations for sorority sisters. On their own, members person shown up to telephone voters, shape fundraisers, sound connected doors, cheer Hayes connected astatine run events and moreover connection pro bono ineligible help.

“I had group from Massachusetts travel successful to volunteer,” said Hayes, a Democrat who is seeking a 4th term. “I’ve had group who had antecedently been considering going to a battleground authorities for illustration Pennsylvania and are saying, ‘No, we’re going to enactment correct present and thief retired successful this title successful Connecticut.’”

Downballot candidates for illustration Hayes — peculiarly Black women — person benefited from a surge successful support this twelvemonth from volunteers who hap to beryllium members of Black Greek organizations, galore energized by Kamala Harris’ statesmanlike run. The vice president is simply a longtime personnel of Alpha Kappa Alpha, which was founded astatine her alma matter, Howard University, successful 1908. Harris pledged AKA arsenic a elder astatine Howard successful 1986.

Collectively known arsenic nan National Pan-Hellenic Council, nan 9 historically Black sororities and fraternities are nonpartisan and barred from endorsing candidates because of their not-for-profit status. The organizations attraction connected elector registration drives, civic engagement and nonelectoral initiatives and are observant not to show favour to a peculiar candidate. But galore of nan groups’ members, arsenic individuals, person been “extremely active” successful national and authorities races astir nan state this year, said Jaime R. Harrison, president of nan Democratic National Committee.

“I deliberation that’s a portion of nan Kamala Harris effect,” Harrison said during a caller sojourn to Connecticut.

There were women affiliated pinch each nan D9 sororities connected a caller get-out-the-vote autobus circuit done New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland to support Black women connected nan ballot.

Along pinch different volunteers, they knocked connected hundreds of doors, made thousands of calls and sent retired hundreds of postcards, urging group to vote. The travel was organized by nan Higher Heights for America PAC, a astir 13-year-old statement that useful to elite progressive Black women.

Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. showed disconnected their crimson and pick colors while stumping successful Maryland for Democratic U.S. Senate campaigner Angela Alsobrooks, a chap Delta who is successful a intimately watched title against erstwhile Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.

Volunteers who are D9 sorority members besides campaigned for Democratic U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, an honorary personnel of Alpha Kappa Alpha who is moving for nan U.S. Senate. If some candidates were elected, it would people nan first clip 2 Black women person served successful nan Senate simultaneously.

Latosha Johnson, a societal worker from Hartford, precocious participated successful a get-out-the-vote telephone banking convention for Hayes on pinch different Black women who, for illustration her, are members of Delta Sigma Theta. She said there’s a realization among galore Black and brownish voters that nan stakes successful nan predetermination are peculiarly high. And if Harris wins, she’ll request friends successful Congress, Johnson said.

“If we don’t get her a Congress that’s going to beryllium capable to move things,” Johnson said, “that becomes hard.”

Hayes is successful a rematch against erstwhile Republican George Logan, a erstwhile authorities legislator who identifies arsenic Afro-Latino but has not seen an outpouring of support from D9 members, according to his campaign.

Both Harris and erstwhile President Donald Trump are courting Black voters successful nan last days of nan statesmanlike race. Harris’ run has expressed interest astir a lack of voting enthusiasm among Black men.

While Republicans person made immoderate inroads pinch Black voters, two-thirds still place arsenic Democrats. About 2 successful 10 place arsenic independents. About 1 successful 10 place arsenic Republicans, according to a caller canvass from nan AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Voter registration and nonpartisan get-out-the-vote efforts by nan sororities and fraternities, coupled pinch nan mobilization of individual members, could perchance person an effect connected immoderate of these races, said Darren Davis, a professor of governmental subject astatine nan University of Notre Dame.

“In section elections, successful statewide elections, wherever nan Black ballot is much powerful and concentrated arsenic opposed to successful nationalist elections, D9 organizations person this tremendous untapped expertise to scope and to mobilize disaffected voters,” Davis said.

The D9 fraternal groups were founded connected U.S. assemblage campuses successful nan early 1900s erstwhile Black students faced group prejudice and removal that prevented them from joining existing achromatic sororities and fraternities. In a contented that continues today, nan organizations focused connected communal upliftment, acquisition and individual achievement, civic engagement and a lifelong committedness to organization service.

Many of nan fraternities and sororities served arsenic training grounds for early civilian authorities leaders, including nan Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.

Alpha Phi Alpha personnel Brandon McGee is simply a erstwhile Democratic authorities typical who now leads Connecticut’s Social Equity Council connected cannabis. As nan begetter of 2 daughters, he is excited astir helping Harris and Hayes win.

“I want my babies to spot maine moving for a female who looks for illustration their mother. And moreover beyond looking for illustration their mother, a female,” he said. “And I want my babies to know, ‘You tin do nan aforesaid thing.’”