Zeta Phi Beta Brings Over 400 Members to Capitol Hill to Advocate for Black Maternal Health, Equity, and Voting Rights

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated brought more than 400 members from across the country to Washington, D.C. for its annual Zeta Day on the Hill (ZDOTH), continuing a decades-long tradition of advocacy in partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus. This flagship social action initiative placed urgent disparities facing women and families of color at the center of national dialogue and legislative engagement.

This year’s advocacy focused on Black Maternal Health Equity, advancing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, while also tackling pressing issues such as pay equity, workplace fairness, voter access, and voting rights protections. In today’s polarized climate, Zeta reaffirmed its role as a leading voice for systemic change and justice for marginalized communities.

ZDOTH featured direct engagement with lawmakers, alongside forums that elevated community leaders and subject-matter experts. Distinguished keynote speakers included Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Texas State Representative Aicha Davis (District 109), and Ashley Sharpton, Founder and Director of National Action Network. Karen Boykin-Towns, Vice Chair of the NAACP National Board, served as moderator.

The event’s Health Justice Forum featured a critical discussion on mental health led by Roslyn Y. Daniels, while the Economic Justice Forum—moderated by Sheryl Underwood, 23rd International President of Zeta Phi Beta—spotlighted paycheck equity and wealth creation. Panelists included Reverend Shavon Arline-Bradley, President & CEO of the National Council of Negro Women; Alphonso David, President & CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum; and Portia Fields, Vice President of Blueprints to Black Wealth, Prudential.

ZDOTH also served as a prelude to the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference (CBC Week), where Zeta Phi Beta and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated co-hosted a panel and celebration amplifying Black voices under the theme Vision to Victory: Amplifying Black Voices.

Through these efforts, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated reaffirmed its programmatic commitment to The Extraordinary Power of S.H.E., a global call to action advancing Social, Health, and Economic justice. Since its founding in 1920, Zeta has championed the causes of women, children, and communities of color, ensuring that advocacy, service, and sisterhood remain at the core of its mission.

As Zeta Day on the Hill continues to grow, the Sorority remains steadfast in preparing the next generation of leaders to uplift communities, transform systems, and embody its enduring principles of Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood, and Finer Womanhood.