In high school, all I had ever heard about was AKA. Actually, I didn't even know it was called Alpha Kappa Alpha. I just knew the colors were pink and green
(hey, I was only in 10th grade). When I was a senior, my AP English teacher (a Delta) advised me to apply for the Delta Sigma Theta scholarship through the local Alumnae Chapter. I was one of the five recipients in my county to recieve the scholarship that year and the only one from my high school. I had to go accept it at one of their gatherings. There I saw many familiar faces, some teachers...a neighbor...my brother's friend's mother...my old girl scout troop leader...the wife of one of the few black dentists in the area, etc. They were all so beautiful dressed in red and wished me good luck in continuing my education. This is what initially sparked my interest.
I wanted to find out more about this organization who helped pay my tuition. I searched the internet and went to the library to read
In Search of Sisterhood. It was checked out (as it always is) so I bought it from a book and stationery store I was working at. It was cool learning about the organization, famous members, and it's purposes but nothing prepared me for meeting the undergraduate chapter during my freshman year. They were an awesome group of ladies...so involved around campus, they had the highest GPAs on the yard and the most community service hours, gorgeous, and friendly. A member from that chapter had been crowned homecoming queen every year for the past 4 or 5 years. Several were dating the star athletes and the best looking men on campus. Their programs were always packed and they were the tightest steppers. They were the "it" girls and most folks on campus wanted to be down.
Being the wide open freshman I was
, I knew my stuff wasn't together so I didn't even try to pursue membership. Since that messy first year and a little soul searching, I quit all the partying and threw myself in the books. I have been keeping myself busy in student clubs and service, and researched the other sororities.
So
why Delta Sigma Theta? In my opinion there is one main thing that sets this organization apart from the other D9 sororities and that is the commitment to excellence in service and awareness from the origins. The fact that Delta was created not only for social and academic purposes, but also with an emphasis on public service makes this sisterhood stand out. Personally, the Deltas I have encountered have been motivated, intelligent, sophisticated, and dedicated. I'm not saying that members of other organizations do not have these same qualities, but for some reason, Deltas have maintained characteristics of being strong, sincere, fierce, confident, and yet earthy at the same time. They are on point and about business. The goals of the thrusts and some of those defining characteristics match those of my own. I feel most comfortable around these women because I feel we have similar interests. Deltas have been blazing trails especially in the fields of education and politics, which are two things our people need to be more aware of.
There is no other way to describe why I want to be a member other than it's just in my heart and it's for me. I hope and pray the local undergraduate chapter will see that when the time is right.