Bill Summary
This resolution recognizes and honors the 75th anniversary of The Links, Incorporated, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the cultural and economic influence of African-American ancestry for future generations. The Links, Incorporated was founded in 1946 with the goal of responding to the unique needs of Black women and has since grown to include over 16,000 members in 292 chapters across the United States, the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. The organization's core values include friendship, responsibility, honesty, legacy, commitment, and service, and its members contribute over 1 million volunteer service hours annually to enrich their communities. Through its various facets, including Services to Youth, Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services, and Health and Human Services, The Links, Incorporated has made significant contributions to the African-American community and those of African descent, providing scholarships, mentoring programs, support for historically Black colleges and universities, and addressing issues such as health disparities and access to education. This resolution recognizes the impactful work of The Links, Incorporated and celebrates its continued commitment to advocacy, service, and education.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could potentially inspire and motivate individuals to become more actively involved in their communities, especially in areas such as education, health and social justice. It highlights the impactful work that The Links, Incorporated has been doing for 75 years and may encourage others to follow in their footsteps.
2. The resolution may bring attention to the achievements and contributions of African-American women, both past and present, and serve as a source of pride and inspiration for members of the African-American community.
3. This legislation may also spark conversations and discussions about the ongoing issues and challenges faced by communities of color, particularly in regards to access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. It could potentially lead to increased efforts and resources being devoted towards addressing these disparities.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 725 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 725
Honoring the 75th anniversary of The Links, Incorporated.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 19, 2021
Ms. Johnson of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Honoring the 75th anniversary of The Links, Incorporated.
Whereas The Links, Incorporated is a nonprofit organization with an
international presence dedicated to ensuring the cultural and economic
influence of African-American ancestry exists for future generations;
Whereas through the hard work and volunteerism of its members, The Links,
Incorporated remains an influential, leading voice for Black communities
across the world;
Whereas The Links, Incorporated was founded on November 9, 1946, and is one of
the Nation's oldest and most widespread volunteer service organizations;
Whereas The Links, Incorporated was established under the leadership of Ms.
Margaret Rosell Hawkins and Ms. Sarah Strickland Scott to respond to the
needs of Black women in ways other clubs did not;
Whereas 7 other noble women joined Hawkins and Scott in the conception of an
intercity organization that would promote civic engagement, educational
advancement, and cultural development, and the founders of this
visionary group included Frances Atkinson, Katie Green, Marion Minton,
Lillian Stanford, Myrtle Manigault Stratton, Lillian Wall, and Dorothy
Wright;
Whereas The Links, Incorporated has 292 chapters and over 16,000 distinguished
female members of African descent from 41 States, the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom;
Whereas members of The Links, Incorporated are community, political, and opinion
leaders, activists, change agents, role models, mentors, influencers,
dreamers, believers, thinkers, and doers;
Whereas members devote over 1,000,000 volunteer service hours annually,
enriching the communities they serve;
Whereas The Links, Incorporated has been honored by the United Nations
Association of New York and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation, and was
recognized by the late Congressman John Lewis for its outstanding
community service initiatives;
Whereas the core values at the forefront of The Links, Incorporated's endeavors
are friendship, responsibility, honesty, legacy, commitment, family
relationships, accountability, respect for self and others, service,
confidentiality, integrity, and courage;
Whereas The Links, Incorporated has been consistent since its inception in
fulfilling its mission of service in the African-American community, and
in recent years, Links chapters have implemented various projects and
initiatives, and provided services through multifaceted programs,
including their Services to Youth, Arts, National Trends and Services,
International Trends and Services, and Health and Human Services facets;
Whereas, between 2018 to 2020, the Services to Youth facet awarded approximately
2,667 scholarships to Black youth across the Nation, encouraging them to
pursue their academic interests and assisting them in becoming
productive citizens, and in addition to providing these scholarships,
the Services to Youth program employs an interdisciplinary approach to
close the achievement gap from pre-K through college, provides college
mentoring programs, offers support for STEM programs, and of
historically Black colleges and universities;
Whereas through the organization's Arts facet, The Links, Incorporated supports
and prioritizes a wide range of projects and programs, which includes a
Signature Arts Program that promotes interest in the classical arts
amongst Black youth, a National Poster Art Competition, a partnership-
based program with the Sphinx Organization, and a Young Master Writers
Competition Program;
Whereas through the National Trends and Services facet, The Links, Incorporated
focuses on tackling economic, health, social justice, and other
disparities in communities of color by increasing access to resources
through advocacy, education, and service, and this includes a
programmatic approach that focuses on substance abuse, health and
wellness, and financial literacy and support for elderly Black women
aimed at empowering low-income Blacks, serving, on average, people who
make less than $50,000 a year;
Whereas The Links, Incorporated global perspective through the International
Trends and Services facet has permitted the organization to adopt
schools in South Africa, Liberia, Ghana, and Jamaica, build maternal
waiting homes in Liberia, provide thousands of dental exams at primary
schools in Jamaica, donate over 1,000 books to libraries, and so much
more; and
Whereas The Links, Incorporated works to confront the overwhelming concern of
inadequate access to health care through their Health and Human Services
facet and focuses on achieving health equity, fighting heart disease
(which disproportionately kills African-American women), decreasing
disparities in donor registration and transplantation in the African-
American community, educating communities on HIV/AIDS, promoting mental
health wellness, and advancing oral health: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the footprint made by The Links, Incorporated since
its establishment 75 years ago is vast, and their continued commitment
to advocacy, service, and education has and continues to uplift the
African-American community and those of African descent in remarkable
measures, both nationally and internationally.
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