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November 2, 2024 14 mins

Host Ramses J and cohost Q Ward continue their series profiling the distinguished ladies of the 2024 National Council of Negro Women. Today's guest is Ms. Rhonda Briggins, President of Delta Women In Action aka "D4". Rhonda also serves in a senior political role for Delta Sigma Theta sorority Inc. 

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to our special series Distinguished Ladies of the NCNW
here on the Black Information Network. Recently, myself, Ramsay's Jah,
and q Ward made our way to Baltimore for the
sixty first Annual Convention of the National Council of Negro Women,
and we're able to have some meaningful conversations with some
of the most powerful and influential Black women in America.

(00:20):
We discuss politics, education, healthcare, economics, and everything in between.
So sit back and enjoy today's episode of the Distinguished
Ladies of the NCNW here on the Black Information Network.
So one of the good things about being on the
ground here at the NCNW twenty twenty four here in Baltimore, Maryland,

(00:40):
is that we get to talk to folks that have
these unique perspectives. There's a whole lot of synergy in
this room, but it's still very meaningful to hear different
vantage points articulated. You know, everyone walks away different walk

(01:01):
For example, I grew up on the West Coast. I
was born in Compton, California. As many of you know,
I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. I did not go
to an HBCU. I went to Arizona State and as
a result of that, you know, and the rest of
the things in my life, I have a perspective that

(01:22):
is different from a lot of black people. I grew
up in an environment and with a mindset that was
the same but different at the same time. And one
of the things that I've come to appreciate being on
the ground at this event and events like this is
the role of HBCUs in Black culture at large in

(01:48):
this country, and the role of the Divine Nine, and
how important that these organizations are in day to day life.
And I wouldn't have known it had I not gotten
to this point in my career and seen it time
and again. Our guest is an individual that I know

(02:11):
is going to enlighten me even more in terms of
how far these affiliations can go, how much impact these
organizations can make. And these are things that are so
impressive to me, having not grown up around them, having
not heard about them until later in my life. And

(02:33):
it's a little sad because I realized on how much
I missed out on, Like I don't regret my childhood
or anything like that, but wow, And of course a
lot of you might know this already. I came to
the party late, but I got here. You know, I
know what I'm talking about now, but you know I'm
always willing to learn, and hopefully today's conversation will teach
me and you even more. Our guest is Rhonda Briggins.

(02:54):
She is the president of Delta Women in Action D
four and she serves as the political arm of Delta
Sigma Theta. So welcome to the show.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Thank you, Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
Okay, so talk to us a little bit about your
role as the political arm of Delta Sigma Theator. What
does that mean?

Speaker 3 (03:13):
So Delta for Women in Action really was a response
to our organization. George Floyd had died. We were all
locked in our homes. Everyone just took to the streets. Sure,
and as you all know, social action is the foundation
of Delta Sigma Theta.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
As a sorority.

Speaker 3 (03:33):
Our first action as an organization was to participate in
nineteen thirteen in the Women's Suffrage March. So that's what
we've been doing in the community, that's what we're known for.
So when that incident happened, of course our members.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
Would take to the streets, got active.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
And got active and activated.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
Even while I thought instructions and one of the things
that we realized at that point we needed to protect
the organization and not cross political lines, making sure that
people were out doing things in the right way. All
of that then moved over to the twenty twenty elections
and people wanted to get go even further, and so
we needed to protect ourselves. In one of any things
that we did as an organization, Delta created a five

(04:16):
and one C four five one four allows us to
cross the political lines in a way in which we
can endorse candidates.

Speaker 2 (04:24):
Now, it allows us to lobby.

Speaker 3 (04:28):
It allows us to begin to train our members, cause
if you look at the landscape, many of our members
are already have a seat at many tables, and so
when we wanna increase that pipeline. One of the things
that we saw during this presidential election cycle, our bench
is short. We don't have a pipeline, and so this
organization will allow us to create a pipeline of folks

(04:51):
to run for political office. And so it has completely
shifted the way in which we could do our work.
Beyond just advocacy around issues, we can now endorse candidates
and really get out there in the front and be
very vocal for and against issues which.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
Is something that we haven't done in this.

Speaker 4 (05:09):
Type of way.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
So that's what we're doing now with this organization.

Speaker 5 (05:12):
Very interesting the juxtaposition between Ramses and myself how different
our experiences were leading up to this point. I am
a member of Conversation of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated,
and I am the former national second vice president of
the National Panelanic Council, So my experience in this space

(05:33):
a lot different than my brothers. But collectively here we are.
We spoke about being able to endorse candidates and participate
in the political scape in a more straightforward way. And
I say straightforward because, as we've said many times today,
not only have black women led us through every important

(05:54):
moment in this country's history, but our Divine nine organizations
to Sigma Data specifically in my life, have kind of
been a north star to what direction we should go
and the type of organizations and movements that we should
be involved with. How much has that dynamic shift impacted

(06:15):
your members now that you have the five oh one
C four that can give you a little bit more
leeway with being conspicuous or straightforward.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
In that way.

Speaker 3 (06:25):
Well, to be honest, it really is a shy relief
it's a shay relief. We're relieved, to be honest, because
we've just been coming so close to the line for
so many years.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
So now having the opportunity to.

Speaker 3 (06:40):
Cross that line into the political space in a more
direct way in what you were talking about, it's been
a relief for us. It has allowed us to support
our members who are already members of or elected officials,
you know, for for us to have fundraisers and really
get out there and support them in a different way
before we're like, you know, deal on that side of

(07:00):
the House of the Seven, don't wear your letters and
all of this. On this side, you can really be
outward with your support and your efforts. And so that
has been a sign of relief. The other thing is,
and you said leading the way, Delta Sigma Theta was
the first Greek letter organization to establish a five to
one C four organization.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Now you all came behind us.

Speaker 3 (07:21):
So the Sigmas have a C four though make us
have a C four. The Zetas have a C four,
Sigma Gamma row Aka all have packs along with the
Kappus and the Aphas and so in iotis and so
we each have now organizations where we can transfer all
of our collective power into a different way where we

(07:43):
could really be more intentional, even more intentional about our work.
And we've been doing that together and now collectively we
have even more power.

Speaker 4 (07:52):
If my voice didn't matter, people wouldn't be trying so
hard to silence me, and if my vote didn't matter,
they wouldn't work so hard to take it away. So
you know why I'm voting this November because I know
they don't want me to.

Speaker 6 (08:04):
Your voice is powerful, your voice matters. Don't let your
voice be silenced. To register, confirm your voting status, or
get information about voting in your area, visit vote dot gov.
That's vote dot goov a message from the Perception Institute
and the Black Information Network.

Speaker 1 (08:21):
Now, you mentioned being intentional about your work. I want
to go with that a little bit. What are some
of the things that you found people are particularly interested
in in this election cycle and what is it that
you're doing to address people's concerns.

Speaker 3 (08:37):
Well, people want to know what to do. I think
that's the biggest thing that I've found on the ground.
People want directions, They want to know what to do,
and they want to know how to do it. And
so we've come out of COVID, and unfortunately, when because
we're in COVID, we have been campaigned in COVID way,
which means, you know, not direct contact on the ground,

(08:57):
and so we're not having to re educate.

Speaker 2 (08:59):
People about hey, you still have to door.

Speaker 3 (09:01):
Knock, you still have the phone bank, you need to
touch voters, and so those are some of the things
that we're beginning to do and really making sure we're
out front with those type of activities.

Speaker 5 (09:13):
We benefit from being in your orbit, but we've realized
that we all benefit from being with each other. When
we link up at events like this, all of us
get a little bit more energy at a little bit
more juice in our batteries, a little bit more gas
in our tank. How important is it that we all
as affiliate organizations support each other because it's an ncent

(09:36):
W event, but we see members of the National Urban League,
members of the NAACP that are all here collectively pushing
this same agenda forward. How important is it that all
of our affiliate and legacy civil rights organizations are forming
this coalition to push forward agendas for people that look
like us.

Speaker 3 (09:56):
Well, first of all, we're going back to basics Okay,
We as a black community always shared. We always work together.
You know, you go to your grandma house, everybody neighborhood,
you knew everyone on that street. You she would tell
you often, go next door and give me a cup
of sugar.

Speaker 2 (10:12):
She would tell you often.

Speaker 3 (10:13):
Hey, go send this piece of cake that I just
cooked to down the street.

Speaker 2 (10:18):
We were we always because we're.

Speaker 3 (10:20):
We are tribal in that way as a yes, so
this has allowed us to go back to what we
are instincts is to be tribal, to be community, and
so that's what we're doing right now. We've been that way,
I think with the D nine all Divine nine organizations
for probably the last six or seven years, where we
have mobilized ourselves in a very different way, but it's

(10:44):
more of a unified way.

Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yes, as a matter of fact, we call each other
team unity.

Speaker 5 (10:48):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (10:49):
And everything's about promoting unity and showing our strength in numbers.
One thing I'm gonna mission and I'll let you ask
me another question. We went to Selma for the fifty
to fifth and versary of the Salema to Montgomery March.

Speaker 1 (11:01):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (11:02):
It was literally the week end before we got locked
down in COVID and all of us came together.

Speaker 2 (11:08):
In that particular time. Thirty thousand of the.

Speaker 3 (11:12):
Divine Nine members from around the country migrated on the
foal where it all started with voting rights in that Salema, Alabama,
and we marched across Atmaspetteris Bridge, each of our national
presidents locked arm and arm. That was the thing that
shifted this country to see us because we represent two

(11:32):
point five million voters in this country. At that particular point,
all of the candidates said, oh, we're members of the
Divine Nine.

Speaker 2 (11:41):
Oh we went to HBCUs.

Speaker 3 (11:43):
That's where that started from, because they began to see
us as one collective body of voters.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
That we can vote in a block.

Speaker 1 (11:53):
Yeah. Q talks about that quite a bit because that's
something that in terms of its strategy kind of that
you know, people always say black people aren't a monolith.
But to Q's point that he makes quite a bit
on the show, there's there's a power in being a monolith.
You know, we all decided to do the same thing,
and I think that that example on Selma Bridge is
a testament to that. I want to ask a question

(12:16):
that maybe you can help out with. So for folks
that are listening to our conversation today that have pledged,
you know, they have their Greek letters, they have that experience,
they have the connective tissue to be the boots on
the ground for you know, their various organizations in terms
of affecting shaping political outcomes for folks that have not

(12:41):
had you know, the luxury, the pleasure of pledging, and
that just isn't a part of their story. I'm talking
about myself and maybe some of our listeners too. How
would you propose that they get involved with some of
the things that that the Divine Nine is pushing it
or is even possible.

Speaker 2 (13:01):
Absolutely, let me say this to you.

Speaker 3 (13:03):
When you look at leadership around this country in every
organization it does I'm talking in corporate America and entertainment
in any industry. If you can begin to talk to
those folks, they're all members of the Divine Nine, most
of them that are leading around this country because we've
been taught.

Speaker 2 (13:21):
To be leaders.

Speaker 3 (13:23):
So I think the community is already engaged.

Speaker 1 (13:26):
With those folks.

Speaker 3 (13:27):
Just because they don't wear it on their shoulders doesn't
mean they're not members of those organizations. And so they
have transformed Black culture in that way because of the
things we are taught as a member of those organizations
when it comes to leadership, when it comes to collective power,
when it comes to galvanizing your power and being a voice.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
At the table. Those are the folks that.

Speaker 3 (13:50):
Are already there now in a practical way in which
you're talking about I think right now what we're doing
here where you get be a part of these ansular
organizations where you don't have to pledge. So you have NAACP,
you have NCNW, you have Urban League, and each one
of those leaders are members of the Divine Nine. And

(14:10):
so that is an example where everyday citizen, every day
anyone as a black person, can engage because they're the
ones leading.

Speaker 2 (14:19):
They're the ones helping to.

Speaker 3 (14:21):
Create this circle of advancement and progress for our community
and for black folks.

Speaker 5 (14:28):
We have a lot of excitement, energy, momentum, and potential
right now. So I've asked this to everyone that we've
had an opportunity to have a conversation with. How do
we take this momentum and make it coinnectic. How do
we have an action
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