Top row L-R: Elizabeth Berry Holmes Joy Elaine Daley Catherine Alicia Georges Kezirah Means Vaughters Bottom row L-R: Marie L. Cameron Brenda Georges Frances Tyus Carol P. Ray

To all our supporters, friends, well-wishers and lovers of accountability and transparency, we would like to say thank you for your encouragement, financial and moral support during the past eight months. Know that it is because of our love for our sorority and her founding principles that we embarked on this journey to hold our Leadership financially accountable and responsible. We are disappointed in the Judge’s decision to dismiss our case, however; we view the decision as justice taking a detour. Consequently, our resolve to return our beloved sorority to its members is undiminished, and we plan to appeal the decision. Know that this suit was never about financial gain for any of the plaintiffs. We simply want the entire membership to know how the Leadership is spending our monies. We are committed to have the books and records opened and will not rest until it is done.

As you know, the Judge found that there was jurisdiction over the sorority, and Plaintiff, Joy Elaine Daley, had standing which was the basis of the Defendants Motion to Dismiss. Nonetheless, relying on other procedural legal grounds the Judge dismissed our case. Since we are not attorneys we will not attempt to reiterate all the legal reasons our attorneys believe that there are appealable issues in the Court Order, and that in some key respects the Judge applied the wrong laws and standards to dismiss our case. Here’s one example, Alpha Kappa Alpha is not a shareholder organization, and we strongly disagree that we were required to file our case as a shareholder derivative action. We note that there are many reasons (some legal and perhaps some that are not) that the Judge may have chosen not to recognize and respect the differences between a for-profit shareholder organization and our member owned non-profit organization. More importantly, contrary to comments from the Leadership, this was not a decision on the merits of our case. Thus no one has been vindicated by this decision. Indisputable evidence was presented of breach of fiduciary duty, financial mismanagement, misappropriation of funds for personal benefit, corporate waste, fraud, and retaliation. Nothing in the Court Order dismissing our case addresses these charges, and certainly for us these are “egregious and unreasonable”, acts. The fight is not over, the battle is not won, and we are undeterred by this Court Order. Therefore, like the prophet Amos we will not rest until, “justice runs down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” You can read the Order in the Document/Media section.

We encourage all sorors, active and inactive, to do whatever you can to let the Leadership know that you do NOT support or accept the manner in which this administration has conducted itself, despite this or any other court decision. Your continued financial support to assist with the legal bills as we appeal is imperative to continue our fight to recapture “a vision fair” and place the governance of our beloved sorority in the hands of its members.

Yours in the name of accountability and transparency,

The Eight Plaintiffs

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