Dressed in red, Delta Sigma Theta sorority members blanket Capitol Hill

More than one thousand members of the historic African-American sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, descended on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to promote 10 pieces of legislation they say are critical to the black community.

Dressed in their traditional red from head to toe, sorority sisters of all ages walked from one lawmakers’ office to another, vowing to see as many Congress members as possible.

“A lot of these issues affect our community, and they are currently sitting still on (Senate Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell’s desk,” said Ashley Stepps of North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Throughout the morning, clusters of sorority sisters generated curiosity and excitement as they snaked through the halls of Congress adorned in their bright red pant suits, rhinestone sweaters, and ornate pins spelling out their Greek letters. Some held their thumbs and index fingers together with others to form a triangle with their hands, forming the Greek symbol for change.

Throughout the day there was an air of enthusiasm, mixed with frustration, as the sorority sisters acknowledged, it was a critical time to reach their representatives, who held the keys to blocking or unlocking legislation that would directly impact their lives.

Stepps also wants her senator, Republican Tom Cotton of Arkansas, to step in.

Cotton’s staff confirmed to CNN that his staff met with representatives from the sorority. CNN has reached out to McConnell for comment.

The federal legislative proposals Stepps and other sorority sisters are championing include: supporting voting rights, strengthening gun background checks, requiring colleges to report hazing incidents, decriminalizing marijuana, reforming the criminal justice system, and banning discrimination against hair texture or styles associated with a particular race or national origin.

Sarahjini Nunn Spencer, the Midwest Regional Director of the Deltas stood outside McConnell’s office with a group of about 50 sorors.

“Senator McConnell plays a vital role in getting issues passed within the Senate, and his effect is far reaching, so we thought that it was important to come collectively, representing various states to let them know that we are here,” Nunn Spencer said. “We are watching. And we need him to represent us as well.”

Nunn Spencer acknowledged the especially important role black women will play in the presidential election this year, and said the issues they raise with lawmakers change from year to year.

“We worry about Russia, playing a part in these elections. We’re also interested in voters’ rights issues which we know is a state issue, but we also need them to recognize that he’s very powerful on the state level, too, and can lead that charge as well,” Nunn Spencer said.

For 22-year-old Kyesha Williams from the University of Arkansas, it’s about addressing the student loan crisis.

“A lot of students come to school but they don’t have the funds. I know a lot of those leave in debt … So we’re kind of trying to make sure that we aren’t stuck, so far in debt after graduation,” Williams said.

The Deltas were founded in 1913 at Howard University in Washington DC, making their organization 107 years old this year. It was thirty-one years ago, in 1989, when they began their annual “Delta Days” legislative conference to promote public policies pertinent to African-Americans. Rep. Marcia Fudge, an Ohio Democrat, served as a past National President of the organization.

This story has been updated with additional developments Tuesday.