Supporting Womxn of Color...
In the 1997 fall school quarter, Alicia Lopez and Maisy Liao began searching for an organization that would offer support for women of color here on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. They came across the Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority web page and immediately decided that this would be the union that they were looking for. Alicia and Maisy based this decision on their beliefs in the five principles of the sorority- Morals and Ethics, Academic Awareness, Cultural Awareness, Community Service, and Social Interaction.
Jessica Meza was another woman on campus with the same idea to start a Latina organization. Alicia, Maisy, and Jessica decided to collaborate and on January 24, 1998 twenty-one women gathered for the very first informational meeting of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority. These women were: Linda Alvarez, Natasha Arroyo, Sharon Ebongu, Cardina Esparza, Maynangha Flying Earth, Bridget Gonzalez, Kendra Harrison, Na Kang, Maisy Liao, Alicia Lopez, Ingrid Martinez, Karen Martinez, Michelle Martinez, Jessica Mayorga, Jessica Meza, Adelrita Nartey, Cherese Salazar, Adriana Taborda, Laura Torbeck, Phung Truong, and Paula Lanthrop. Sylvia Sanchez from Delta chapter at the University of Illinois- Urbana/Champaign was their contact.
On February 28, 1998, Elsa Bautista came on one week’s notice and inducted the ten remaining girls. Linda Alvarez, Sharon Ebongu, Kendra Harrison, Maisy Liao, Alicia Lopez, Ingrid Martinez, Jessica Meza, Adelrita Nartey, Laura Torbeck, and Phung Truong are the original founding sisters of the Sigma Lambda Gamma Colony at the University of Minnesota. These Mujeres Fuertes laid a strong foundation for future members of the sorority.
Almost a year later on January 16, 1999, the first line of Damas Encantadoras was inducted into the Sigma Lambda Gamma Colony. This group consisted of eight women that included Angelica Alaniz, Desiree Chavez, Stephanie Hooks, Michelle Lopez, Elizabeth Meza, Tokumbo Okanla, Nichole Sanchez, and Karla Ugalde.
On February 19, 2000, we were granted chapter status and took our place as the Sigma Alpha chapter.
On May 6, 2000 Sylvia Sanchez returned and initiated nineteen members into the Sigma Alpha chapter. These nineteen women were Alicia Lopez, Sharon Ebongu, Maisy Liao, Ingrid Martinez, Jessica Meza, Adelrita Nartey, Kendra Harrison, Karla Ugalde, Michelle Lopez, Elizabeth Meza, Nichole Sanchez, Minerva Munoz, Elizabeth Sifuentes, Diana Sifuentes, Renilda Muggli, Michelle Kodet, Natalie Gilliam, Shannon Waterman, and Michelle Ugalde.
Jessica Meza was another woman on campus with the same idea to start a Latina organization. Alicia, Maisy, and Jessica decided to collaborate and on January 24, 1998 twenty-one women gathered for the very first informational meeting of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority. These women were: Linda Alvarez, Natasha Arroyo, Sharon Ebongu, Cardina Esparza, Maynangha Flying Earth, Bridget Gonzalez, Kendra Harrison, Na Kang, Maisy Liao, Alicia Lopez, Ingrid Martinez, Karen Martinez, Michelle Martinez, Jessica Mayorga, Jessica Meza, Adelrita Nartey, Cherese Salazar, Adriana Taborda, Laura Torbeck, Phung Truong, and Paula Lanthrop. Sylvia Sanchez from Delta chapter at the University of Illinois- Urbana/Champaign was their contact.
On February 28, 1998, Elsa Bautista came on one week’s notice and inducted the ten remaining girls. Linda Alvarez, Sharon Ebongu, Kendra Harrison, Maisy Liao, Alicia Lopez, Ingrid Martinez, Jessica Meza, Adelrita Nartey, Laura Torbeck, and Phung Truong are the original founding sisters of the Sigma Lambda Gamma Colony at the University of Minnesota. These Mujeres Fuertes laid a strong foundation for future members of the sorority.
Almost a year later on January 16, 1999, the first line of Damas Encantadoras was inducted into the Sigma Lambda Gamma Colony. This group consisted of eight women that included Angelica Alaniz, Desiree Chavez, Stephanie Hooks, Michelle Lopez, Elizabeth Meza, Tokumbo Okanla, Nichole Sanchez, and Karla Ugalde.
On February 19, 2000, we were granted chapter status and took our place as the Sigma Alpha chapter.
On May 6, 2000 Sylvia Sanchez returned and initiated nineteen members into the Sigma Alpha chapter. These nineteen women were Alicia Lopez, Sharon Ebongu, Maisy Liao, Ingrid Martinez, Jessica Meza, Adelrita Nartey, Kendra Harrison, Karla Ugalde, Michelle Lopez, Elizabeth Meza, Nichole Sanchez, Minerva Munoz, Elizabeth Sifuentes, Diana Sifuentes, Renilda Muggli, Michelle Kodet, Natalie Gilliam, Shannon Waterman, and Michelle Ugalde.