Senate Resolution No. 1867

BY: Senator PARKER

COMMENDING Eta Nu Sigma Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho
Sorority, Inc. upon the occasion of hosting the
Waterpalooza Wet Clinic - SWIM 1922 on May 30, 2026

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
celebrate those organizations whose tireless dedication to community
health, public safety, and the empowerment of underserved communities
reflects the highest ideals of service and civic responsibility; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend Eta Nu Sigma Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., upon the
occasion of hosting the Waterpalooza Wet Clinic as part of the SWIM 1922
initiative, to be held on Friday, May 30, 2026, at the Brooklyn School
for Social Justice; and

WHEREAS, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded in 1922 at
Butler University in Indianapolis, and has grown into a nationally
renowned organization whose motto, Greater Service, Greater Progress,
animates its members' commitment to uplifting communities across the
country and throughout the African diaspora; and

WHEREAS, SWIM 1922 was created to address the stark and troubling
reality that approximately 10 people drown every day in the United
States, and that 70 percent of African American children and 60 percent
of Hispanic children do not know how to swim, with African American
children three times more likely to drown than their white peers;
through its partnership with USA Swimming, SWIM 1922 works to dismantle
these disparities by providing swimming instruction, water safety
education, and access to aquatic opportunities in communities that have
historically been denied them; and

WHEREAS, The SWIM 1922 initiative is inspired by the tragic events
of 1922, when more than 100 African Americans drowned while swimming in
segregated public pools across the country, a sobering reminder of the
enduring consequences of racial injustice and unequal access, and a
powerful call to action that continues to guide the work of Sigma Gamma
Rho and its chapters to this day; and

WHEREAS, Eta Nu Sigma Chapter, the Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Sigma
Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., has been a steadfast champion of the SWIM 1922
initiative in our community, hosting annual clinics and events that have
brought swimming lessons, water safety demonstrations, CPR training, and
aquatic career education to hundreds of young people across Brooklyn;
their dedication to ensuring that swim safety is a right for all and not
a privilege for some has made a lasting and measurable impact on the
lives of the children, families, and communities they serve; and

WHEREAS, The Waterpalooza Wet Clinic represents the Chapter's
continued commitment to this vital mission, bringing together sorority
members, community partners, and young participants in a joyful and
empowering celebration of water safety, health, and inclusion; this

event exemplifies the spirit of Greater Service, Greater Progress that
has defined Sigma Gamma Rho for over a century; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor and commend Eta Nu Sigma Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.,
upon the occasion of hosting the Waterpalooza Wet Clinic - SWIM 1922,
and to recognize its extraordinary and ongoing commitment to water
safety, community health, and the empowerment of young people in
Brooklyn and across our state; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body extends its deepest
appreciation to the officers, members, and partners of Eta Nu Sigma
Chapter for their tireless dedication to ensuring that every child in
our community has the opportunity to learn to swim safely, and for the
countless lives they have touched through this important work; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Eta Nu Sigma Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., as
a token of this Legislative Body's esteem and highest regard.