Last Saturday, the 64th Biennial Boulé of Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc. came to a phenomenal close. Held in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Hilton Inner Harbor Hotel, the historic gathering concluded with an enriching and inspiring closing banquet.
Scripture shares in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” This truth echoed through the room during the magnificent closing gala and awards formal banquet, marking the end of the Boulé.
Under the stellar leadership of International President & CEO Dr. Kartessa Bell, the sorority honored members with prestigious awards, including me — I received The Legacy Award, along with others across various categories, including the Eastern Region Event Planning Committee, under the leadership of Phyllis Vessels, Boule Marshall, Tamara Causley Robinson and Co-Boule Marshall, and Mary Porter. The evening also featured a historic first: the crowning of the Inaugural Miss Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc.
During the awards celebration, the Gamma Phi Delta Foundation, Inc., an organization where I have proudly served as President for the past ten years, was invited to participate. In another historic first, the sorority and foundation partnered to honor a phenomenal Baltimore woman of God and HistoryMaker: a ‘great’ friend of mine from over ten years ago, the Honorable Judge Wanda Keyes Heard.
Supported by her sisters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., family, and friends, Judge Heard accepted her recognition not just with gratitude, but with a profound testimony of how God turns historical pain into divine purpose.
As the daughter of a teacher, Judge Heard naturally brings history into the light. She recalled how she used to educate jurors about Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney, the man behind the infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision, which declared African Americans inferior beings who could never be citizens. But God always has the final say.
Stepping back even further into history, Judge Heard shared a sobering truth about our regional soil. She said, “In 1817, near the intersection of Pratt and Light Streets, right where the Hilton Hotel now stands, docks served as a major hub for the domestic slave trade.
Enslaved men, women, and children were marched down Pratt Street in shackles, held in pens, and loaded onto ships bound for the deep South.
As a Black woman, Judge Heard stands as a living testament to the resilience of ancestors who may have walked those very streets in chains.
Fast forward nearly 200 years to 2016. In the very city and within blocks, it is where our ancestors were viewed as property. Judge Wanda Keyes Heard made history as the first woman ever to be appointed Chief Judge of the Baltimore City Circuit Court.
Reflecting on this, Judge Heard said, “What a mighty God we serve! Only God could orchestrate a 200-year journey from the slave docks to the highest seat of justice in the city of Baltimore.”
Looking back on her 40 years of service to justice and the community, Judge Heard gave all honor and praise to God, alongside her parents and ancestors who prayed and sacrificed for her.
She left the audience with a powerful, urgent charge: pray for those chasing their dreams, support our Black-owned businesses and professionals, and never let obstacles stop you.
In a time when many are trying to erase our history, Judge Heard’s message is clear: “Know it. Tell it.” Let us hold our heads high, remembering that the same God who broke the chains of the past is guiding our steps into the future.
Let me close by saying, there was a news article about Judge Wanda Keyes Heard, a Special Feature: “Retired Chief Judge Wanda Heard: The Judge Who Showed Up,” by Doni Glover, July 2, 2026, in an online newspaper, entitled BMore News (bmore-news.com). What stood out for me was how this article shared how she gave men and women a second chance. Some listened, and others did not. The article talked about how she would get in her car and drive to the job or go wherever she thought she needed to, in order to speak with those who were under her supervision, on probation with stipulations. Great article title; she really was the judge who showed up!
It is my pleasure to call Judge Wanda Keyes Heard my friend. She was on panels at my church, and on a panel about Shirley Chisholm, and several times she was featured on my radio show, Think on These Things. We love you, Judge Wanda Keyes Heard; you do us proud!
