To Be a Delta …

 

I am beat … which means I probably shouldn’t try to create a post at this time, but I want to share my reflections while my thoughts are still fresh.

I spent the last four days in Washington, D.C. for the centennial celebration of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. I never imagined what it would be like to be in the company of over 12,000 (predominantly) African-American women who all share one of many commonalities: of all the organizations, all the civic groups, all the clubs in the world we chose Delta!

I could revisit what some of you may have read in other posts, including a list of notable members of our sorority. Or the rich history in which our organization was founded. Or the plethora of ways that we are changing the world every day through service projects. But instead I will briefly reflect on just a few Deltas who have impacted my life.

My cousin was the first to introduce me to sorority life on the campus of Benedict College.  She planted the seed for both college life and sorority life. When I started my own journey at Morris Brown College, there were 3 Deltas on the Student Government Association, one of whom was in my Speech Communications class and remains a very special Delta to me. My two Residential Assistants (RAs) who took me under their wings, loved on me and helped me start my journey at MBC would also become Deltas and my line sisters! And another special Delta woman who took me out for lunch at Busy Bees Restaurant the summer after my freshman year and continues to support and inspire me in more ways that she knows.  During my sophomore year, I shared the homecoming court as Miss Sophomore with Miss Morris Brown – also a Delta. While I was away in Peace Corps, one Delta woman wrote to me and sent me music and videos. It was also a small group of Delta women who would pick me up from the airport to spend quality time with me during a brief layover in Atlanta on the way to my grandfather’s funeral. When I returned from Peace Corps and started graduate school, I met a lot of amazing women. But it was two special Delta women who were constants in my journey then and now. When I moved to Las Vegas and didn’t know a single person, the Delta alumnae chapter paired me with sorors who became my angels and best friends during my stay there. And when I moved back to Atlanta, it was and continues to be my line sisters who remind me of the courage, strength, wisdom, diversity, persistence, resilience and beauty found within my sorority.

Over my four days in D.C. as we volunteered, cried, danced, sang, prayed, laughed, strolled, and ooop’d … I was reminded of the beauty of being a Delta woman. For those of who are not members of a Greek letter organization, this may not make sense. But for me it was an unforgettable experience – to see a sea of black, red, white, crimson, cream (depending on the day and event) all in one place celebrating 100 years of sisterhood, scholarship and service. I will never, ever forget this past weekend.

And on today – one day after our centennial celebration and one day before classes start – I must say that this weekend reminded me that so much has been done, but there is still so much left to do. I was reminded that it is great to have fun (and have I had my share of celebration during my break :-)), but – at least for some of us – a life of service and giving is the ultimate reward. And that no matter how far apart we are, we are bound by our commitment to something(s) greater than ourselves … a commitment on which our founders stood … a commitment that our legacy upholds. Sisterhood. Scholarship. Service.