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I'm a Zeta in the Pacific Northwest -- a region where there aren't that many folks of African descent to begin with. To further complicate matters, I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - a city that has a less than 1% black population. It's my dream to start a chapter in Vancouver, but I know that in order for the chapter to thrive and survive here, I'll have to open the doors to women of other ethnicities.
I don't have a problem with relating to folks of different backgrounds. I've always had friends of all races, and my husband is a different race than I am. I do wonder, though, how an organization that was founded as a traditionally African American organization plays to non African-American members. I'd personally love to hear the opinions of NPHC women of other races as to why they were drawn to the organization.
I don't think it's (always) a matter of 'being comfortable' with Black people. Personally, I find that a little insulting, because it implies that people should automatically be uncomfortable with us. I'd like to think that the reason these people joined our organizations are similar to the reasons why we chose the organizations we did: because they saw something in us that they didn't see in the others. I saw something in Zeta that spoke to me far and above other NPHC sororities. I have nothing against Sigma, Delta, or AKA, on the contrary, I have nothing but the greatest respect for my Sisterfriends. But I know which one felt true to me. Why can't it be the same for non-Black members of NPHC organizations?
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