Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Incorporated () (also known as Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc.) is a Latina-based, but not Latina-exclusive Greek letter intercollegiate sorority founded on April 16, 1988, at Cornell University by five women.
The organization is a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO).
History Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. was established at Cornell University on April 16, 1988. Its founders were Patricia Rivera, Maria Caban, Eva Marie Sosa-Grandison, and Migdalia Franklin, who established the sorority with the assistance of Dr. Irma Almirall-Padamsee. Although originally designated as the first honorary member of the organization, Dr. Almirall-Padamsee later came to be regarded as the sorority's fifth founder.
The sorority was founded upon three principles: La Cultura Latina (the Latino Culture), La Comunidad (the Community), and La Hermandad (the Sisterhood). The founders of Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. envisioned an organization that would embrace Latina community leaders who wanted to make a positive impact at Cornell and the Latino community at large despite institutional struggles.
Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. was incorporated on April 8, 1991; it was the first Latina sorority incorporated in New York state. The sorority received strong community support during its establishment on campus from the fraternities Lambda Upsilon Lambda and Alpha Phi Alpha (who were also founded at Cornell University) and the student organization La Asociacion Latina. During the organization's 2015 National Convention, members voted to become trans-inclusive, becoming the first National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) sorority member to do so.
On March 25, 2017, Lambda Pi Chi established its first chapter at a historically black college and university (HBCU), North Carolina Central University. It is the first Latina-based, but not Latina exclusive sorority on the campus and the second NALFO sorority to establish a chapter at a HBCU.
Symbols The motto of Lambda Pi Chi is . Its ideals or pillars are , , and .
The sorority's colors are red, gold, black, and white. Its flower is the red carnation. Its jewel is the fire opal, and its mascot is the butterfly in flight.
Philanthropy Lambda Pi Chi focuses on serving the Latino community with an emphasis on the Latina, communities of color, and members of other underserved communities. The sorority has two public service projects, L.E.A.A.P: Latinas Educating on AIDS Awareness and Prevention and Proyecto H.A.C.E.R (Hacer in Spanish means to make, to build, to do).
On July 14, 2016, Lambda Pi Chi Sorority two scholarship opportunities in honor of deceased members Fanny D. Carela and Gabby Oberti. The scholarships are intended to embody the spirit and passion of the Hermanas and also invest in the advancement and education of La Hermanadad (the Sisterhood) and La Comunidad (the Community).
Chapters Collegiate chapters Following is a list of the collegiate chapters and provisional chapters (colonies) of Lambda Pi Chi. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.
ChapterCharter dateInstitutionLocationStatusAlphaCornell UniversityIthaca, New YorkActiveIthaca CollegeBetaColumbia UniversityNew York City, New YorkActiveCity College of New YorkGammaUniversity at Albany, SUNYAlbany, New YorkActiveDeltaNew York UniversityNew York City, New YorkActiveEpsilonAmerican University Washington, D.C.ActiveGeorgetown UniversityZetaSyracuse UniversitySyracuse, New YorkActiveEtaWesleyan UniversityMiddletown, ConnecticutActiveThetaGeorge Washington UniversityWashington, D.C.ActiveIotaUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstAmherst, MassachusettsActiveSmith CollegeNorthampton, MassachusettsKappaDuke UniversityDurham, North CarolinaActiveLambdaUniversity of RochesterRochester, New YorkActiveRochester Institute of TechnologyHenrietta, New YorkMuGeorge Mason UniversityFairfax, VirginiaActiveNuHarvard UniversityCambridge, MassachusettsActiveNortheastern UniversityBoston, MassachusettsTufts UniversityMedford and Somerville, MassachusettsXiSt. John's University New York City, New YorkActiveOmicronUniversity of DelawareNewark, DelawareActivePiUnassignedRhoNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, North CarolinaActiveSigmaJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MarylandActiveTauUnion CollegeSchenectady, New YorkActiveUpsilonLIU PostBrookville, New YorkActivePhiUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, North CarolinaActiveChiUniversity of ChicagoChicago, IllinoisActivePsiSt. Thomas Aquinas CollegeSparkill, New YorkActiveOmegaMemorialAlpha AlphaSaint Leo UniversitySt. Leo, FloridaActiveAlpha BetaNorth Carolina Central UniversityDurham, North CarolinaActiveAlpha GammaDavidson CollegeDavidson, North CarolinaActiveAlpha DeltaRutgers University–New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New JerseyActiveAlpha EpsilonCampbell UniversityBuies Creek, North CarolinaActiveAlpha ZetaHigh Point UniversityHigh Point, North CarolinaActiveAlpha EtaWestern Carolina UniversityCullowhee, North CarolinaActiveRhodes College Provisional ChapterRhodes CollegeMemphis, TennesseeColonyVirginia Tech Provisional ChapterVirginia TechBlacksburg, VirginiaColony
Professional and graduate chapters The sorority allows for graduate chapters for those seeking participation after college, or for alumnae initiates. Following is a list of its professional/graduate chapters. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.
ChapterCharter dateLocationStatusPi AlphaNew York City, New YorkActivePi BetaWashington, D.C.ActivePi GammaMiami, FloridaActivePi DeltaUpstate New YorkActivePi EpsilonRochester, New YorkActivePi ZetaSouthern CaliforniaActivePi EtaNew JerseyActivePi ThetaBoston, MassachusettsActivePi IotaNorth CarolinaActivePi KappaLong Island, New YorkActivePi LambdaHouston, TexasActivePi MuCentral FloridaActivePi NuMarylandActivePi Xi20xx ?DelawareActivePi OmicronBronx, New York CityActivePi PiWest Chester Cty, NYActive
See also
List of social sororities and women's fraternities
Notes
References
External links