Kamala Harris' AKA sorority sisters in Milwaukee area react to her running for president

MILWAUKEE. (CBS 58) -- Vice President Kamala Harris is getting a boost for her presidential run from members of "The Divine Nine" — prestigious Black fraternities and sororities that have shaped the community's middle class for more than a century.

Officially, the nonprofit organizations cannot endorse political candidates nor parties, but some members have expressed their excitement that a woman, and one of color, may potentially become a first in the history of the United States.

"This is a very historic time, for women and girls everywhere just the idea that a woman could ascend to the highest job in the land...It's hard to hide the excitement that goes along with that and just, to know that she's a member of our organization made us very proud," said Tanzanique Carrington, AKA president of Epsilon Kappa Omega chapter.

"Truly a testament to what all members of Alpha Kappa Alpha have done for over 116 years," added Jaquilla Allen, AKA president of Upsilon Mu Omega chapter.

Carrington and Allen are part of the same sorority that Kamala Harris pledged to in 1986 at Howard University.

Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority was founded at Howard University in 1908 and is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American women in higher education.

"There's well over 300,000 of us, if not more, and we are women who are hard workers," said Allen.

Carrington also said that many prominent women in Wisconsin are also AKA members.

"Alderwoman Milele Coggs is a member, also Frances Starms, Pauline Redmond Coggs, who our actual foundation was named after, founded our chapter back in 1949," she said.

As a nonprofit, the sorority is nonpartisan but promises major voter registration ahead of the November election.

"One of our international initiatives is to advocate for social justice, what that entails of-- is voter mobilization and voter education," added Allen.

Presidents of the National Pan-Hellenic Council — also known as 'The Divine Nine,' an umbrella organization for nine historically Black fraternities and sororities — did not endorse Harris Monday.

However, on Monday night, the 'Win with Black Women' group, largely consisting of Harris' sorority sisters, met on their weekly call and raised over $1.5 million for her campaign in just under three hours.

If elected, Harris would be the first woman, the first ethnic Asian, and the second Black president of the United States.

"Coming from a single parent household, becoming, you know, a prosecutor, becoming district attorney, becoming attorney general, becoming a senator and to even rising to vice president, those are things that we don't commonly see with women, and so her journey is inspirational to all girls and women," said Carrington.