LaTanya Richardson Jackson and five other accomplished women were inducted as honorary members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated on Monday during the organization’s 72nd Boule in Las Vegas. The 2026 class also includes actress and director Salli Richardson Whitfield , Broadway performer Pauletta Pearson Washington , immunologist Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett Helaire , tech leader Merline Saintil , and Salesforce executive Robin Washington . Alpha Kappa Alpha International President and CEO Danette Anthony Reed presided over the private ceremony and praised the honorees for pairing professional excellence with meaningful service. The sorority’s announcement described the group as scientists, innovators, artists, executives, and visionaries whose work has reshaped industries and expanded access. Why This Honorary Class Hits Different Each inductee brings a distinct receipt to the sisterhood. Corbett Helaire helped accelerate the development of an early COVID 19 vaccine, Richardson Jackson is a three time Tony Award nominated actress, director, and producer, and Richardson Whitfield became the first Black woman nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. Washington is an award winning Broadway and film actress and the wife of Denzel Washington, while Saintil moved from software engineering into Fortune 100 boardrooms and investing. Robin Washington serves as Salesforce’s president and chief operating and financial officer, adding another major business accomplishment to a class rooted in leadership, scholarship, and service. Founded at Howard University in 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha is the nation’s first Black sorority and reserves honorary membership for women whose careers and community impact reflect its values. Translation: this was not a random photo op; these six women arrived with decades of influence already in the receipts.