Lambda Pi Chi

Lambda Pi Chi
ΛΠΧ
Founded	April 16, 1988; 33 years ago (April 16, 1988) Cornell University
Type	Cultural Interest
Affiliation	NALFO
Scope	United States
Vision statement	A lifetime network of Hermanas dedicated to empowering themselves and their communities.
Motto	La Hermandad Nunca Termina
Colors	Red   Gold   Black   White
Flower	Red carnation
Jewel	Fire opal
Mascot	Butterfly
Chapters	30 undergraduate, 14 professional/graduate
Nickname	Pi Chis
Ideals	La Cultura Latina, La Comunidad and La Hermandad
Headquarters	P.O. Box 1522 New York, NY 10028 United States
Website	www.lambdapichi.org

Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Incorporated (ΛΠΧ) (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.^[1]

The organization is a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO).^[2]

History[]

Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad /Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. was established on April 16, 1988, at Cornell University by Patricia Rivera, Maria Caban, Eva Marie Sosa, Migdalia Franklin and Dr. Irma Almirall-Padamsee. The organization was founded upon three principles: La Cultura Latina (the Latino Culture), La Comunidad (the Community), and La Hermandad (the Sisterhood).^[3] 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.^[4]

"The community of Latino students and staff at that time (1988) at Cornell was very small. Although there was a student association, which two of the other founders and I started (Las Associacion de Latinas Universitarias) [The Association of Latina University Women], it became clear that what many women really wanted and needed was a means by which to foster lifelong, deep friendships. Having a formal means by which women, who were especially interested in the richness of the Latino heritage, perceived themselves as leaders for their communities and were committed to making positive change for the latino community at the university and after graduation seemed to make sense. The curriculum was overwhelmingly Euro-centric and although of top caliber theoretically, left much to be desired by students who wanted to learn about the history, experience, and contributions of non-European communities. Our university had experienced various building takeovers, sit-ins, and eventually a hunger strike, which were directly triggered by Latino and black student dissatisfaction with the university's inability and seeming unwillingness to meaningfully address the financial, educational, and social needs of the students of color on campus."

— Dr. Irma Almirall-Padamsee, Nuestra Historia y Futuro (Our History and Future): Latino/a Fraternities and Sororities

Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. was the first Latina sorority incorporated in New York state.^[5] During the organization's 2015 National Convention, members voted to become trans-inclusive, the first National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) sorority to do so.^[6]

On March 25, 2017, Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc., established their first chapter at a historically black college and university (HBCU), North Carolina Central University.^[7] The Organization is the first Latina-based, and not exclusive, Sorority on the campus, and the second National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) sorority to establish a chapter at a HBCU.^[8][4]

Philanthropy[]

Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority Inc. focuses on serving the Latino community with an emphasis on the Latina, communities of color, and members of other underserved communities.^[9] To do this, the sorority partakes in 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.^[10][11]

On July 14, 2016, Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. announced two scholarship opportunities in honor of deceased Hermanas Fanny D. Carela and Gabby Oberti. The two scholarship opportunities 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).^[12]

Chapters[]

Lambda Pi Chi currently has thirty undergraduate chapters and fourteen professional/graduate chapters:^[4]

Undergraduate chapters[]

• Alpha chapter— Cornell University / Ithaca College
• Beta chapter— Columbia University / City College of New York
• Gamma chapter— SUNY Albany
• Delta chapter— New York University
• Epsilon chapter— American University / Georgetown University
• Zeta chapter— Syracuse University
• Eta chapter— Wesleyan University
• Theta chapter— George Washington University
• Iota chapter— University of Massachusetts Amherst / Smith College
• Kappa chapter— Duke University
• Lambda chapter— University of Rochester / Rochester Institute of Technology
• Mu chapter— George Mason University
• Nu chapter— Harvard University / Northeastern University / Tufts University
• Xi chapter— St. John's University
• Omicron chapter— University of Delaware
• Pi chapter— Letter reserved for Professional/Graduate chapters.
• Rho chapter— North Carolina State University
• Sigma chapter— Johns Hopkins University
• Tau chapter— Union College
• Upsilon chapter— Long Island University C. W. Post Campus
• Phi chapter— University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Chi chapter— University of Chicago
• Psi chapter— St. Thomas Aquinas College
• Omega chapter— Reserved for deceased Hermanas
• Alpha Alpha chapter— Saint Leo University
• Alpha Beta chapter— North Carolina Central University
• Alpha Gamma chapter— Davidson College
• Alpha Delta chapter— Rutgers University-New Brunswick
• Alpha Epsilon chapter— Campbell University
• Alpha Zeta chapter— High Point University
• Alpha Eta chapter— Western Carolina University
• Rhodes College Provisional chapter— Rhodes College

Professional and graduate chapters[]

The sorority allows for graduate chapters for those seeking participation after college, or for alumnae initiates:^[4]

• Pi Alpha—New York, New York
• Pi Beta—Washington, D.C.
• Pi Gamma—Miami, Florida
• Pi Delta—Upstate New York
• Pi Epsilon—Rochester, New York
• Pi Zeta—Southern California
• Pi Eta—New Jersey
• Pi Theta—Boston, Massachusetts
• Pi Iota—North Carolina
• Pi Kappa—Long Island, New York
• Pi Lambda— Houston, Texas
• Pi Mu— Central Florida
• Pi Nu— Maryland
• Pi Xi— Delaware

References[]

External links[]

• Official website