The energy that Zeta Phi Beta emitted when Vice President Kamala Harris visited the sorority’s national convention was massive, and Stacie NC Grant doesn't see that waning.
The sorority, one of the country’s oldest historically Black Greek-lettered organizations, has plenty in store for the city of Indianapolis before it closes out its eight-day conference at the Indiana Convention Center.
When the presumptive Democratic nominee for U.S. president gave her keynote address on Wednesday, the sorority notched its latest first, said Grant, the international president and CEO of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
“This is beyond historic. This moment is incredible for our organization of firsts. We have carved our name in history once again, as the first Black Greek-letter organization to host the first female of color presidential nominee that represents more than one culture and experience in this country.”
(Zeta Phi Beta was first Greek-letter organization to charter a chapter in Africa; it was the first to form adult and youth auxiliary groups; and it's the first, and only, National Pan-Hellenic Council sorority to be constitutionally bound to a fraternity.)
Grant has been in Indianapolis since Thursday preparing for the July 23-28 meeting, with the address by the sitting vice president being a highlight.
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At the helm of the sorority since 2022, Grant had requested Harris participate in the organization’s 2023 Zeta Day on the Hill, an annual day of workshops, forums and meetings with congressional representatives on issues that affect minority communities across the U.S.
The notice was too short for Harris to make that September event though, so Grant asked if the vice president could attend the sorority’s 2024 convention, slated for the Circle City.
“You know how busy the vice president is, so we didn't know if it would be possible and it takes a long time for them to navigate her schedule to get back to confirm any appearance,” Grant said.
The Zeta leader said she got word a couple of months ago that Harris was considering the sorority's biennial convention — called the Grand Boule — as part of her scheduled appearances for July.
Then in early July, Harris’ office released the list of stops that included Zeta.
“I released to our membership that she would be coming, so everybody was like, ‘Oh, my gosh! The vice president is coming!” she said.
Harris appeared at Essence Festival in New Orleans July 6, and then was the keynote speaker on July 10 during the convention of her own Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in Dallas.
Before the Zeta meeting though, U.S. President Joe Biden faced a deluge of calls from within his party to abandon his reelection bid. He bowed out Sunday and endorsed Harris for the party’s nomination.
Suddenly, the Zetas were preparing to host the likely Democratic nominee for president and the first woman of color in that position. Harris’ mother was born in India and her father had moved to the U.S. from Jamaica.
“Little did we know while I was here planning to kick off the week that the news wouldhit on Sunday about President Biden choosing to pass the baton. And everything changed — the excitement, the planning, the Secret Service needs, the White House conversations,” Grant said. “It was like ‘Wait, wait, wait, what happened?”
Was there a possibility that Harris would cancel the Indianapolis engagement?
Some questioned whether Harris would change plans and skip Indianapolis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was later scheduled to speak before the U.S. Congress at about the same time as the Zeta Social Justice Town Hall at which Harris had committed to speak.
“I did hear some rumbling of that, but she's a woman of character and a woman of her word. And I know she was committed to being here,” Grant said. “And I'm so grateful that she kept her promise because that goes a long way with our constituency.”
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There arestill days to go before the convention ends. During that time, Zeta will elect officers, participate in workshops and attend concerts and celebrate its best performing chapters. It also has had training for local women-owned startups.
This week, the sorority kicks off a nationwide initiative to help end period poverty through a partnership with Project Period, having raised $100,000 for the Indianapolis-based program that provides free menstrual hygiene products in underserved communities.
Zeta Phi Beta leader on the 2024 presidential election
Founded in 1920 on the campus of Howard University, Zeta Phi Beta is one of the nation's oldest Black Greek-letter organizations.
IndyStar spoke with the organization’s president and CEO, Stacie NC Grant about the 2024 U.S. presidential race.
The sorority, which has inducted more than 130,000 members, is meeting in Indianapolis and hosted one the first public appearances by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris since she became a candidate for president of the United States.
President Biden leaving the 2024 race
“It stopped my heart a little bit because I've had an opportunity to build a little rapport with him, as well. He has been an excellent leader for our country, and I know how much he loves the United States of America; and I know this was not an easy decision. But I could also understand that he might want to just take some time with family, take some time to enjoy the results of the work because he will go down in history as a president that has accomplished so much more than many or most. … I was a little sad, but I was excited to know that he has given America his best and he deserves to be celebrated for that.”
The country’sprogress since President Barack Obama left the White House
“We've done an interesting navigational turn in some of the ways in which members of this country have not been properly respected. And from Obama to now, we've had reversals on what we never thought we would see reversals on, from the Supreme Court down. It's very challenging to think how that can be forward movement when those original cases stood the test of time for so long and were reversed because of a shift in the changing of the guard.”
Supporting Kamala Harris for president
“As my individual personal self, I am jumping up and down. As the official self as president I am just happy that I can educate and provide opportunities for discourse and dialogue for my members to make their personal choices. ... Speaking for my personal self, I was excited to see the work of Biden-Harris and I think it's just going to be more exciting to see what else comes from this. … I wish I could do cartwheels. Because if I could still do them, I'd be flipping all over this stage right now. But I'm excited to be a part of witnessing this history.”
Choice running mate for Kamala Harris
“Picking a vice presidential running mate is a critical part in the political process of being able to extend across all aisles for what's best for the country, so it'll be interesting to see how the decision is made to move forward and to allow the country to have a full opportunity to engage on who they want to see lead this nation. I don't believe in getting into all of the noise and the rhetoric. It should be on the facts. What can each candidate do to move this country forward? Period.”
Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com:@cherylvjackson.
