Delta Phi Epsilon Encourages Members to Vote for Women's Rights As Supreme Court Revokes Right to Abortion
PHILADELPHIA—The Supreme Court of the United States today ruled to uphold the 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi, effectively eliminating federal protection to abortion rights first established nearly 50 years ago in the ruling of Roe v. Wade. In response to this immediate denial of health care for millions of Americans, the leaders of Delta Phi Epsilon are calling for members to vote this fall in favor of women and other minority rights.
Delta Phi Epsilon International Executive Director Nicole DeFeo issued the following statement:
“Today, 36 million women, in addition to countless other individuals who can become pregnant, can no longer access abortion in their state. Without Roe v. Wade, bodily autonomy is now out of reach for the majority of people in this country. Without bodily autonomy, we are stripped of ethical agency and excluded from humanity.
Women’s rights are under attack. Pregnancy’s monumental impact on a woman’s body, health, future, opportunity and freedom cannot be minimized. The consequences of this decision will be seismic for generations to come.
And this is only the beginning. History has shown us that rights for women, in addition to other minority groups like the LGBTQ community and Black, brown and Indigenous communities, will continue to chip away if we do not take a stand for our rights and futures.
As part of Delta Phi Epsilon’s vision to empower our sisterhood to engage in a lifetime of leadership and service, the international sorority encourages all of its members to speak up for the injustices within our world, including at the ballot box, which we believe is the most effective way to make change.
Our founders were among the first women to exercise their right to vote and we encourage our members to exercise that right in their tradition. Do your part to elect candidates that represent your convictions and protect your rights.
While devastating for many of us, We must not let this decision deflate us. We must remain inspired and rededicated to activism in the protection of our rights and our futures.”
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AboutDeltaPhiEpsilon, Inc.
Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority was founded on March 17, 1917 at New York University Law School as a social organization for women. The mission is to provide a sisterhood experience rich with tradition, innovation and opportunities for growth. Learn more about Delta Phi Epsilon at www.dphie.org.
From Weekly Chapter to Congress: Representing DPhiE in Hill Visits
Kiara Josey- Gamma Lambda chapter, Caldwell University
From day one of the recruitment process during her freshman year at Caldwell University, it was clear to now senior Kiara Josey that the members of Delta Phi Epsilon had strong, unbreakable bonds that she strived to experience, especially during her undergraduate experience.
After that moment, Kiara decided to join DPhiE and dedicate her next four years to developing those bonds while also pushing efforts in inclusion so more and more individuals could experience the friendships that she was able to form herself.
Due to this steadfast commitment to inclusion and belonging, Kiara was nominated to represent the sorority as a whole at a recent virtual lobbying visit with her representatives.
Normally hosted in Washington, DC, Kiara, along with representatives from other partnering sororities, met with offices of both representatives and senators virtually to discuss two pieces of legislation related to expanding the sorority experience.
The undergraduate members were accompanied by representatives from the Fraternal Government Relations Coalition (FGRC), an organization dedicated to advocating for legislation that is important to the success of fraternity and sorority organizations across the country.
Kiara, along with a member from Sigma Delta Tau sorority, discussed the importance of Greek housing maintenance and anti-hazing policy.
The Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2021, if passed, would allow tax-exempt charitable or educational organizations to make collegiate housing and infrastructure grants to fraternities and sororities that apply such grants to their collegiate housing property. Currently, alumni members of chapters are not guaranteed donations made to the campus will enhance sorority or fraternity housing.
The Report and Educate About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act would create a federal definition of hazing, require universities to include incidents of hazing in their Clery Act reporting and provide students with educational programming related to hazing.
“This was my first time lobbying and I did not know much about the process going into the sessions,” Kiara said. “It was a really rewarding experience being able to represent DPhiE on issues that affect us everyday.”
Within her chapter, Kiara serves on the leadership team as the vice president of equity and belonging. When looking back at her experience so far as a member, she noted her favorite memories were helping the sorority to navigate through the last few years of social uprisings.
From Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the country, to hate crimes targeting the AAPI community, Kiara helped her chapter navigate the best way to lead with empathy and make sure DPhiE is and remains an organization dedicated to diversity, inclusion and belonging.
Because of her leadership within this space, Kiara received the nomination to represent the international community in the lobbying visit.
“Because of DPhiE, I have been able to learn from fellow leaders on best practices to handle difficult situations and tactics to help navigate obstacles,” Kiara said. “I learned that lobbying for the things that matter most to you is a great way to get your voice heard.”