The Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. Epsilon Omega celebrated the chapter’s ninth year of being at the University of Memphis March 16. In the Greek life world, “charter day” refers to the anniversary of when a chapter of a fraternity or sorority is established on a college campus.
“We are celebrating when we were established at the University of Memphis on March 16, 2013,” Isabel Delgado, the chapter’s president said.
But what exactly is LTA? Founded in 1975 at Kean University, LTA is the first sorority made for and by Latina women. The group's focus is the integration in campus social, political and community service projects and arenas.
“We are Latin by tradition not definition. We were established as a Latin sorority, but since then, we have been considered a multicultural sorority,” Milca Perez, vice president of LTA Epsilon Omega, said.
In the nine years since they have been founded at the University of Memphis, LTA Epsilon Omega has focused on giving back to the campus and Memphis community at large, particularly St. Jude Children’s Hospital. On March 17, the group held a crafts night at the Rose Theatre located at the university’s main campus.
In addition to that, LTA Epsilon Omega also participates in the annual St. Jude Walk/Run event and does general fundraising for the hospital as well. The chapter also participates in the monthly Service on Saturday event, where the university’s Civic Engagement Board provides service opportunities for students and staff.
“In nine years, I would say we have given back to the community on campus with diversity. We’ve hosted several multicultural events and involved organizations on campus to promote diversity. We’ve also participated in block parties, we did that for Treadwell Elementary,” Perez said.
Giving back to the community is a large part of being an LTA member as well as upholding and living the values of the sorority: unity, love and respect. These values were established with its founding in 1975 and every chapter as well as every member of LTA is expected to uphold these three values.
In Perez’s words, the Epsilon Omega chapter interprets these values like this:
“For the chapter, unity means the unity between women. For love, it would be how we treat others and ourselves. For respect, it would be how we carry ourselves and how we treat other people. It’s also about fostering that in the U of M campus."
The Lambda Theta Alpha sorority was founded in 1975, but the Epsilon Omega chapter at the University of Memphis was founded in 2013.
