Divine Nine Members Rally at Indiana Statehouse to Call for Changes to Healthcare and Education Policies

Pamphlet reading, “Divine 9 Day at the Capital” alongside their Greek letters - Credit: Amber Grigley

Sierra Pope | Multimedia News Intern

3-minute Read

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Samantha Powers once said, “All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy,” representing the heart of the Divine Nine, a historic collective of African American Greek-letter fraternities and sororities. Recently, Indiana's Divine Nine members called for Medicaid funding, school board policies, and the repeal of a Senate bill requiring public schools to share property tax dollars with charter schools during the Statehouse meeting. 

"We're very excited to be able to do this with our D9 brothers and sister; and at the same time, we are here to impact communities purposefully," Erica Chism, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., said. "This gives us a vehicle to do that."

Valerie Harvey, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., withstood Senate Bill 2, which seeks to limit the number of Indiana natives receiving Medicaid through the Healthy Indiana Plan. For Harvey, the proposal would alter her daughter’s access to vital medication.

“I have a daughter that suffers from schizophrenia," Harvey explained. "She has to have Medicaid in order to provide the services that she needs and to get her medicine. There is a difference between spending money and saving money and cutting resources that are reckless, and I think you have to be able to prioritize.”

A group of Divine Nine members at the Indiana Statehouse meeting - Credit: Amber Grigley

Once the session moved toward education, Stephon Jones, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and chair of mentorship at Ball State University, voiced concerns regarding the effects of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within academic institutions.

“Designated scholarships for minorities fall under DEI," Jones contended. "Are those going to be eliminated if we don’t speak up? And how are those funds going to be appropriated?”

By the end, Indiana Members of the Divine Nine were proud to demonstrate unity and service on a larger scale, hoping to advance the state’s policies on healthcare and education.

"I mean, we have those conversations in the barbershop," Keith Young, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., noted. "We have those conversations in the salon, what can we do together to actually make those conversations be fruitful."

We encourage you to stay informed on Indiana’s Divine Nine advocacy approach, understanding the power of civic engagement, and amplifying underprivileged voices.