Chicago, Illinois – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority mourns the loss of beloved honorary member Maya Angelou. Speaking on behalf of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s 265,000 members worldwide, the Sorority’s International President Carolyn House Stewart borrowed a title from one of her poems in hailing her as a “phenomenal woman.”
Declared Stewart, “As a poet, author, actress, advocate, humanitarian and dispenser of wisdom, Maya Angelou inspired and uplifted everyone she touched. In her words and deeds, she was fierce, courageous and bold. Most of all, and at her core, she radiated love. This rare ability to give and receive love will ultimately be the legacy she leaves the world.”
President Stewart said that Maya Angelou was one of the Sorority’s most-heralded members. She was inducted into the Sorority on March 10, 1983 as an Honorary Member. During the ceremony, she was hailed as a distinguished woman whose works and contributions parallel AKA’s ideals of achievement and service. It is an ideal she maintained throughout her 86 years of life, said Stewart.
“Alpha Kappa Alpha extends condolences to the world community, which grieves the loss of this icon,” stated Stewart. “While we lament her passing, we join the world in celebrating her life, which will be forever etched in our minds and in our hearts.”
