Re-inventing the D9 sororities?
 

Is it me?, or are these new black greek sororities trying to re-invent sororities of the D9? You be the judge.

http://www.geocities.com/sigma_beta_xi_03/home.html


http://www.geocities.com/ldjones2601/index.html


http://www.deltalambdadelta.com/

:confused:

Woah :eek:

I hope they got permission to use those Nationals letters on that artwork.

http://www.geocities.com/xilambdachi/purpose.html

one-word answer...
 

YEP

oh, and it's pretty wack that they would re-do DELTAtude...

http://www.geocities.com/xilambdachi/xlchat.jpg

actually, all of this artwork is wack...

http://www.geocities.com/xilambdachi/pamper.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/xilambdachi/world.jpg

Re: one-word answer...
 

Ditto Soror. I've seen these organizations on EverythingBlack.com!! My one word answer is...Whoa!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Re: Re-inventing the D9 sororities?
 

How you feeling, Ms. Carla?

**rocking back and forth like Miss Sophia at Christmas** CON fused. :(

I call it Founder-itis. I personally don't think its a good idea but if there are women out there who feel their needs aren't being address by ANY organization that currently exists then more power to them. This conversation reminds me of discussions on the abundance of LGLOs. People need to RESEARCH before they create. And why do they have to mimic the Fab 4?? Be original and add something new to the mix.

Well, to play devil's advocate, sometimes women (and men) feel that our orgs are very exclusive and clique-ish. They may have gotten a bad impression of us from our own members (it happens, lets not hide it in the closet). So beacuse of whatever happened to tarnish our image in their eyes, they decided to do their own organization. This MAY explain why they do things like this.

Personally, I figure to each her own. Its really got nothing to do with me. They're not trying to be exactly like SGRho, or one of the other F4 women and stealing our stuff EXACTLY, so let them do them. If we're gonna say, "well, yall gotta pick one of us 4", then that's in a way hypocritical to DST, ZPhiB and SGRho, because with that attitude, we're all "copying" AKA. And its not EVEN like that. Let's use our energy and work on improving our images so that people won't want to start their own organizations, so that the F4 can blow up to even grander proportions.

Well...

I know one of the girls in XLC (saw her in the pic). She's aGamma Sig now, so I'ma have to ask her about all of this.

Sistergreek, I have to disagree with you. I can't speak for Zeta or SGRho, but I can assure you that Delta Sigma Theta does not "copy" AKA in any way. I know where you're going with your statement, but it's not even close to being accurate when it comes to my sisterhood. We all have things in common, but that in no way implies "copying."

My issue is why does every "org" have to be a sorority? Why can't you be a single mom support group and just leave it at that? Why do you have to have colors, hand signs, etc. etc. etc.

There are single moms all over the world. Why can' they just join or get a Yahoo group to chat and debate and discuss? Why does everything have to be a SORORITY? Because that implies there is a line of sorts and initiation of sorts. Why do they have to have Greek letters? Why do they have to utilize Greek art to have graphics? WHY WHY WHY??

Those other organizations are just 2 funny. I guess if you can't get invited into one you can just create your own.
Ms. Thang

OMG I'm having a "It's not that serious" moment.

This seems to be a spinoff of all of our organizations that have members that joined for the wrong reasons. I cannot explicitly say that any of the organizations featured in the thread just founded a sorority just to do so, but I earnestly believe that some of these newer BGLOs are being founded just because they can be. I would have to research the org, but I recall a sorority that was founded at Georgia Southern Univ. That sorority was basically a clique founded by some girlfriends, and it eventually dissolved.

Essentially, a lot of people have a core desire to be a part of something, so they make up their own something. If it fills a real void like some of the multicultural and latino orgs, then it's beautiful. I hope they find others to bond with their cause just like the F4 Founders did all those decades ago. If it's superficial and an excuse to wear letters - any letters, it's something they have to deal with. Either way, these orgs' existence don't take shine away from my illustrious sorority, and the other F4 (that's a nice phrase!) sororities already know this.

I don't care if it sounds arrogant. Hmph....

Question for you CT....Why not? If these women think being in a sorority will bring them something "extra" that a support group, club, etc. won't bring them, then what is the harm in them calling themselves a sorority?

I understand the feelings around removing one sorority's letters from a piece of artwork and replacing it with another, but I don't understand why people have a problem with other folks just trying to do what ever it is they do.

Someone said that mothers with children can join the D9 sororities and that is true, but I recall a long conversation on her some time ago where many people expressed reservations about extending membership to a single mother with a young child. In addition, even if it is allowed, it is not the norm or the focus. Kinda like with NPC sororities. AA women can certainly join, but I have heard many people say they would not because they were not designed to address their unique issues.

I see it like this. If I am Mr. McDonalds then you opening the Burger Hut and selling hamburgers in your city is not going to effect me. I feel I hav ea great product and people are going to buy happy meals all day and night. If your Burger Hut concept is good, it may grow to the size of my resturants,. On the other hand, if you don't have a good concept you may continue with just one Burger Hut or your Burger Hut may go bankrupt in less than a year.. Either way, I'm still McDonald's with over 100 billion sold! :D

What are they doing that makes them a sorority?
I honestly could care less what they call themselves.

But imagine if all orgs started calling themselves a sorority:
MADD Sorority
Girl Scouts Sorority
NOW Sorority
NCNW Sorority
Junior League Sorority

I just think that a lot of these orgs choose the name sorority and then replicate existing sororities, including the Fab 4 (I like:)), but why replicate us? Be original.

Fine, they are a meeting a need for single moms. GREAT!! KUDOS but do they HAVE to be known as a sorority or even utilize Greek nomenclature?

We're not going to agree on this and that's fine because I don't know any of these members of this organization although I know A LOT of single moms.

The members of this organization should understand that they are going to receive criticism. They just are. Delta did and still does.

Counter questions for you, CT4
 

Why does there only have to be 4 black sororities? Why can't another black group form a sorority? Why does the NPHC have to have a monopoly on the Black Greek letter "market"? Why don't NPC orgs have this same mentality when a new sorority joins NPC?

Why are there TONS of local sororities and they can co-exist with NPC orgs peacefully? HC (as far as we know, anyway) the original 9 NPC orgs (Alpha Phi, Pi Beta Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, Delta Gamma, Delta Delta Delta, Chi Omega, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Kappa Kappa Gamma) didn't have that "the buck stops here" mentality.

Frankly, I highly resent the notion that the NPHC is the be all, end all choice for Black GLOs. But I will answer one of your questions on why it has to be a sorority?

Because it is the respective founders' right and perogative to start one. Period.

ETA: As far as "lack of originality" goes, I think our (Black) culture tends to bite off of others in some way, shape, form, or fashion to begin with and put our own original "twist" on it. So to be fair, the lack of originality argument, while I see where you are coming from, is rather weak.

I think I know what org you are talking about
 

Was that org called Xi Gamma Phi and did they have a brother fraternity called Gamma Phi Eta?

pardon my barge
 

Just to make a point, the original 9 NPC groups were NOT necessarily the oldest groups founded.

And I'm also guessing there are STILL women out there who think it's horrible that they let those "teacher sororities" join NPC. My point is that just because everyone's in NPC, it certainly does not mean every sorority is on an equal footing.

NPC isn't going to begrudge anyone the right to start a local, but if that local's copying things from an NPC or if everyone and their sister is starting locals rather than looking into the NPCs already there, then yes, there's going to be fur a flying. ;)

Don't even get me started on the pedicure artwork. :p

:confused: I was in no way saying that we copied ANYONE, what I was saying was that if people want to have the attitude of saying why join/create other orgs to mimic us when there's already 4 orgs, that would be the same thing as saying that every org after AKA copied them, every orf after DST copied them, etc. My point was that to each her own. Like you said yourself, "We all have things in common, but that in no way implies 'copying'". So why all the drama over these girls that are doing their own thing, just like the founders of ALL of our organizations. Why crush their dream, when we fought to have ours realized? Afford them the same opportunity.

PREACH, Sands.

Re: I think I know what org you are talking about
 

Thank you. Exactly.

Re: Counter questions for you, CT4
 

And? So you came in here to tell people that they shouldn't resent these new orgs popping up, but you resent a certain notion? Sooooo what? Well, I don't think you should resent the fact that we are the end all be all. How about that? And I'm not saying that we are, but if I was, I highly resent the fact that you resent the notion that we are the end all be all. :p

And who said we couldn't co-exist peacefully?

You know, when I was a little girl, I HATED when my neice would mimic or mock me. HATED IT. But I LOVED her. And I always supported her, and still do. But I would always complain to my mother that she was copying me. Ooh, it would get on my nerves. But you know what? She did it because she loved me and (for lack of a better word) idolized me. To this day, we are two very different people, and have grown in different directions. I know that my sister resented the way that I would treat my neice from time to time. I'm sure she did. But I wanted my neice to be her OWN person, not a mini-me. Influence is one thing, replication is another entirely. Had my neice been her own person instead of copying the actions of others and adopting their belief systems, she would have had a very different life with less struggle and hardships. Why do we teach our children lessons (e.g., BE YOURSELF) that we don't seem to embrace in real life?

If a new artist came on the scene, and all they did was paint Monet's works, but in different colors, what would people say? If a new recording artist came on the scene and all they did was sing other people's songs and changed a couple of the words, how would they fare on the charts? If you wrote a book, and a new author wrote one just like it, but changed the characters' names and the cover of the book, would it be cool? What would you think if they advertised a brand new game show and then when it came on, it was just a rip-off of another show? Same game, different name and different host, but the same game?

Anyway, I said all that to say this: just like you have the right to resent the fact that we are the be all end all, we have the right to resent WHATEVER we want to.

Yeah, I'm rambling. I'm bored. What? :p

Re: Re: Counter questions for you, CT4
 

All of this happens everyday. I think that what Rain Man was trying to get at (IMO) is it seems as if since there is the NPHC group of sororities and fraternities geared for African Americans, and anyone that chooses to go Greek and does so outside of these ranks are looked at by NPHC members as "copycats", "traitors", and "unnecessary". Yes these groups have colors, symbols, mascots, calls, etc, but maybe they feel this is the protocol for a sorority. Most prominent non-white organizations have these things, so maybe they thought, "Hey, this is how its supposed to go". And that's ok. Do you feel the same way when you see a Latino organization or an MC organization do the same thing? Or are we all too protective of our people and what EVERYONE to fit in the same 9 molds? Again, most of us wouldn't even be here if people felt this way. Look at it as our Founders and our organizations blazed the trail for other African American organizations to rise up as well. Look at it as progress and freedom of choice, not as something to be offended by or to resent. It's counterproductive; it really does waste energy and time. But, to each her own, you are right you can feelhow you want.

Re: Re: Re: Counter questions for you, CT4
 

The question is does EVERYONE have to be in a GLO? THAT is the question that CT4 was trying to get at.

ETA: I missed your blue words, lol, don't ask me how. For all the millions that Puff and crew have, there are millions more who don't like it and resent the fact that he has no original music, but all tracks. We have talked about that very thing here on GC. The same with books; I've seen authors copy their OWN work. That sucks, and people complain about it. Girl, don't EVEN get me started on Reality TV.

And I do think that we are protective, but I'm not sure if I think that there is a such thing as TOO protective, y'know? To be honest, these orgs can keep popping up. No one REALLY cares. Like, I bet CT4 didn't call her mom and say, "Ma, you ain't gon' believe what I found out..." No, it's not THAT deep. But we have opinions on everything, y'know? I don't think it's any more counter productive to form opinions about this anymore than it is to form them on the different brands of toothpaste. :)

Re: Re: Re: Re: Counter questions for you, CT4
 

No, they don't, but if that's what they want to do, then more power to them. Is it a problem for people to want to have a "sorority" over a "regular" organization? I'm really not seeing what the problem is. :confused:

Been busy
 

Ditto with Ideal08.

That is all.


KTHXBI!

Starting a sorority for superficial reasons doesn't bother me. People can do what they want there. If it's for service, I think we are better in large numbers than scattered here and there with no resources to carry out goals/agendas. I really don't see the point in making a sorority to promote better reading when AKA and SGRO (pardon me if I'm wrong or I've left out another who has a reading initiative) have national reading programs. The same thing goes for an org directed at single moms when ZPB has the Stork Nest program. I also don't think the number of single moms being denied membership is so enormous that another org had to be created to fill the void.

It's bad enough many people don't take us seriously when the word sorority comes out of our mouths. It does us all an injustice when you have these cracker jack box orgs saying they recruit only fine people, what size their shoe is or how many babies they have especially since we are working hard in our communities to achieve our targets.

I also have the same feelings towards new graduate chapters being formed in areas where there are already a good number of them. Members say I don't like this chapter or any of the other chapters within this 20-mile radius, so I'll just charter another one. IMO we are diluting our resources and or org when we do this. Different topic though.

Get out of my head.:p

On your last point, Soror, I completely agree. Then again, I'm biased because my chapter is the only one in my area. We're a good size.

Now as for the other orgs being discussed, I pay no attention. My concern is with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and what we are doing.

I PROBABLY shouldn't say this but once upon a time (when I was stupid) I joined two different GLOs. My reason for joining the first org, a sorority, was because I thought I would never get into a BGLO to save my life. The stories got to me about the "requirements" and I was, as I said before, stupid.

I left the first one becuase the founder, who was significantly younger than me, started doing some CRAZY stuff. She was not taking care of business so to speak.

The second one, Multicultural Frasority, I was there from the beginning. The conception and all. I left them as well. The Frasority was really a joke in my eyes because what the men wanted was to be the leaders and have the women as some sort of "sweethearts." And if I wanted to be a sweetheart, I would have became one YEARS ago!

I say all this because many people who start organizations like the idea of forming an sorority or a frat or frasority. They often split from other groups, in case of the second group I joined. They want to foster some kind of kinship amongst each other. But in my experience, they don't. Its a clique that wanted to be like the big dogs, whether its the group they left, LGLO, BGLO, etc.

Not that they are copying the molds that are set forth, many feel that they can enhance the image of what at GLO is in general. Not that one GLO is perfect and not that these new heads are perfect either.

When I was young and stupid (I have been out of the Greek scene as a member of a GLO for over two years), I thought I could make a difference in the world. To make that difference I was well aware that one person can not do it alone. That being part of a group make things happen. Now, I don't know these other groups or their mindset, but that is my opinion on what is the creation of these type of groups.

ETA: I have been asked would I join another GLO on different non-affliated occasions. I said yes. And only to an organization that is established with some kind of morals that I am trying to achieve in my life.

my two cents...

I think you make an interesting point. What makes a sorority? What unique qualities should be in place for an organization to consider themselves a sorority?

My guess is that because they wanted a sisterhood. They wanted to say that we are more than just members of the same organization, but we are sisters. I was a Girl Scout. Even worked for them for a while, but when I meet another former Girl Scout I don't really feel any particular connection to her. Same thing with the NAACP. But I have a strong sisterhood in Spelman. When I meet another Spelman woman I feel an immediate kinship with her because of our shared sisterhood.

Well 2 big things that seperate a sorority from any other organization are ritual and the detailed requirements to achieve and maintain membership.

Re: Re: Re: Counter questions for you, CT4
 

HEL-LO!!!

BirthaBlue, you spoke my thoughts to a T, cause we are right ==========>HERE!!<==========

Yeah, Ideal08, you're right, you can resent whatever you want to resent, but I would think that as Greeks representing our present and future leaders, we would have the wisdom to discern what is and isn't worth fussing about. And all this contention about something as trivial as another Black GLO in existence is a waste of time and energy, as BB4 indicated.

Again, Greeks, PICK YOUR BATTLES!!

ETA: 33girl, yes you are correct about the 9 founding NPC groups aren't the oldest, as the oldest 2, Phi Mu and Alpha Delta Pi weren't initially in the fold. By the same token, as far as the contemporary sorority goes as we know it , if anyone should be b[el]ching and complaining about replication of sorority life, those two orgs are most qualified to do it

Re: Re: Re: Re: Counter questions for you, CT4
 

Does your posting in this thread constitute hypocrisy?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Counter questions for you, CT4
 

Is this a battle??

The point is that we can agree and disagree with these people all we want. Are they going to cease to exist? um, no. There's nothing wrong with someone having an opinion on a matter. Just because you have an OPINION, does not mean you are the leader of a CRUSADE.

Personally, I am only concerned with the actions of the organization I made a pledge to. Still, I can have an opinion about these new organizations. I agree with CT4 and the rest when they ask, WHY does it have to be a sorority? Why do they have to start yet ANOTHER organization? This is a valid question. Before starting a nonprofit consultants suggest that you should ask yourself, "Are we needed? ARE we providing a service that is not being filled by another organization?" It's wonderful that they are volunteering with other organizations. But, they did not need to start an organization in order to do that. I agree with the person who mentioned Founder-itis. It's all about ego.

Re: Counter questions for you, CT4
 

I was at least understanding, even if I don't agree, with this post until I read this:

Black culture is the most bitten off, reproduced, remixed culture around. This statement should read:

As far as lack of originality goes, I think other cultures tend to bite off of Black culture in some way, shape, form, or fashion...

Okay. Point taken. But the major uproar is over the artwork. Also, I remember seeing other "new" orgs with hand signs like upside down pyramids, standing in the ivy stance, and even saw an org duck walking once. That is where the problem comes in. I also agree with Soror CT4. Why do they have to call themselves a sorority? Other than the fact tat they are a group of women, what about them makes them a sorority? And originality is desperately needed. The whole Fab4 remix can be tedious. Bring something new to the mix. That's all.

Why shouldn't they be a sorority if that's what they want to be? If they want to be selective in their membership, that makes them a sorority. If they want to have values that are codified through a ritual, that makes them a sorority. Lots of factors contribute to what an organization is, not just the superficial elements. There are things about being an Alpha that I could never explain to someone who wasn't an Alpha themselves -- I am sure the same is true of organizations founded well after mine.

If it was just about service, none of our orgs have to be fraternal or sororal, either. But it's not just about service or programming or social action -- it's about having a brotherhood/sisterhood and being in close association with people who have the same values.

Hijack

why you quoting two different prince songs in you sig, why am i dying cause i noticed, why you all right with me (in my best erykah badu from mama's gun impersonation)

end Hijack