[adpiucf]

None of these conferences discriminate among potential members or members on basis on race or background. The differences you see where the majority of NPC women are white or NPHC women are black are due to historic circumstances. If you are interested in NPC membership, go through NPC recruitment. There are black women in NPC organizations throughout the US. Just as with NPC and MCGLO membership, going through recruitment is not a guarantee you will be offered membership.

To gain a little perspective on why it appears there is still this unintentional segregation of sororities, one must look at the history of sororities, women in education and the equal rights movement.

Women in the US did not gain the right to a college education until around the time of the Civil War. Once women started going to college (of course, at this time young women in college were privileged white women), sororities formed. Later, black women gained this right, and formed sororities, as well. Thanks to the end of segregation, you can now find NPCs and NPHCs on the same campuses. But think back to the history-- there was a time when Jews and Catholics experienced discrimination in this country -- there were some NPC groups that formed originally to cater to these two minority groups b/c they were barred from joining exisiting NPC groups at that time. After a period of time, social conventions changed and today all of the NPC organizations welcome members of all backgrounds, religions and races.

So you won't find a lot of black members in NPC groups or white members in NPHC groups, and that's why. But I think it is very encouraging when a young woman interested in a sorority looks at all of the sorority conferences available on her campus and selects the one she thinks is best for her.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I will say that if you feel your personal appearance is an issue and it is something you can work on for your own health and confidence, you should certainly do that-- but don't do it if you're just trying to fit in or if you feel you need to change yourself just to make someone else accept you.