City officials host virtual roundtable with Alpha Kappa Alpha members on 'AKA Day'

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee officials have opened a dialogue with members of one of the oldest sororities founded by African Americans.

Tuesday was Alpha Kappa Alpha or "AKA" Day.

Milwaukee Common Council members along with the city's health commissioner, Jeanette Kowalik, invited local sorority members to a virtual roundtable on coronavirus, system racism and voter education.

Kowalik says leaders across the country need to address the racial disparities of COVID-19.

"Again tying these back to a lot of these decisions that have been made over the years -- the redlining, the segregation, access to jobs, where you can live, the list goes on and on," said Dr. Kowalik.

Kowalik commended Milwaukee leaders for declaring racism a public health crisis last year.

She says other cities across the country have looked to the city as an example of how to address systemic racism and its impact on public health.