Miami Gardens honors Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority with street renaming
MIAMI — The City of Miami Gardens is honoring the first historically black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. with a street renaming.
Northwest 17th Avenue north from 183rd Street to Hard Rock Stadium is now known as Alpha Kappa Alpha Way.
It is a physical symbol that will reside in the city honoring the 117 years that AKA has been committed to service and uplifting the community.
"Alpha Kappa Alpha Way, please pass by so it'll be a reminder of all the dedication, the empowerment and the civic duties that Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated provides," said Cluster Coordinator of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
The decision to rename Northwest 17th Avenue was passed unanimously by the Miami Gardens City Council and supported by the Miami Dade County Commission.
"We want to continue to honor the legacy that the Divine 9 has poured into this country as a whole," said Miami Gardens City Councilman Reggie Leon. "With everything that's going on, with people trying to erase our history, we're standing firm and making sure that we preserve our history right here in Miami Gardens."
Alpha Kappa Alpha Way is one of nine streets renamed in Miami Gardens honoring historically black sororities and fraternities also known as the Divine 9. Besides AKA, other Black Greek letter organizations a part of the group include Alpha Psi Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho and Delta Sigma Theta.
"When you think about the Divine 9, specifically Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., these women have been contributing to this country, to this community for over 100 years. Helping us become better in so many ways and so it's important to actually chronicle those things," said Miami Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III.
