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CHAPTER HISTORY
Updated
June 10, 2006
Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Inc.
Inglewood Alumnae
Chapter
In February
of 1991, six Sorors gathered to consider the
chartering of a new Delta Chapter in the Los Angeles
County. Sorors saw a need in the Inglewood
community and the seed to form a new Delta Chapter
was planted. The core group began to grow as Sorors
were reclaimed. The number soon grew to forty-eight.
On Friday, April
16, 1993, at the Los Angeles Airport Marina Hotel,
their hard work paid off. Over three hundred members
of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., gathered to
witness and celebrate the chartering of the
Inglewood Alumnae Chapter, the eight hundred and
fifty-first chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Soror June Long Esq., then the Farwest Regional
Director officiated the closed ceremony. It was a
heartwarming occasion.
The highlight of
the evening was the inaugural address by President
Dr. Thelma James Day. President Day charged the
Chapter with the task of revitalizing the Inglewood
community. She encouraged us to blend in the spirit
of giving by “Reaching Back to reclaim Sorors who
have not been active with the Sisterhood; Going Back
to principles and traditions instituted by our
Founders; and Giving Back to the community a portion
of that which was given to us.”
With that message
in heart, the Inglewood Alumnae Chapter of Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was off and running.
Today, the
Inglewood Alumnae Chapter is still endeavoring to
meet the challenges placed upon us some seven years
ago. The past years have been filled with events and
activities, which demonstrate the Chapter’s desire
to uplift and improve the quality of life for
Inglewood and its surrounding communities. In the
beginning, our efforts included projects such as the
Delta Teens with the Zenith Group Homes, the Annual
Holiday Can Food and Gift Giving Drive, and
Scholarship Awards to college bound young women from
Inglewood and Morningside High Schools.
Additionally, our Arts and Letters projects included
a book signing with Rosa Parks; hosting the Central
State University Chorus as well as the Boys Choir of
Harlem in Concert and an Afro-centric Afternoon of
song, dance and oral interpretation in celebration
of African-American History. Today, our efforts much
the same, now includes the development and
implementation of our Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta
Academy and the Delta Teen Lift Program.
Chapter highlights
during the 1997-98 Sorority year included the
initiation of thirteen new Sorors into the Inglewood
Alumnae Chapter on April 3, 1998. The 13 Stages of
Evolution, the first line in the Chapter’s five year
history, was an eclectic mix of Engineers, Lawyers,
Social Workers, Psychologists and Business Women
dedicated to working hard for Delta.
Our Scholarship
program has continued to assist young women
continuing to a four-year college or university from
Inglewood and Morningside High School and St. Mary’s
Academy as well as other high schools in the Los
Angeles area. We have given over five thousand
dollars in scholarship awards to graduating young
ladies since 1994.
The Inglewood
Alumnae Chapter Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy has
been in existence since 1998. It was developed under
the leadership of our second President, Soror Desdra
Butler. The implementation of the Delta Academy has
been a huge success for the Chapter. Since its
inception, the Academy has serviced some thirty
young ladies between the ages of 11 and 14. The
Sorors in the Inglewood Alumnae Chapter help
facilitate the components of the Delta Academy in
the area of Math, Science and Technology while
teaching the girls about sisterhood and self-esteem.
The Academy meets twice monthly and their activities
have included a demonstration of an EV I electric
car, workshops focusing on African-American
Scientists and Experimental Science, and seminars on
stocks and bonds. In addition, there were workshops
on Personal Hygiene and Cultural Enrichment “Our
Black History.” Our young ladies have participated
annually in the Thanksgiving Food Drive in which
food baskets are made, filled to capacity and
donated to the Jenesse Center, Inc. the oldest
African American Shelter in Los Angeles, for Women
and Children of Domestic Violence.
As part of the
Academy’s curriculum, the Chapter hosted a Community
Technology Awareness Day. Activities included a
workshop where community participants were given
direct access to the Internet and the World Wide
Web. Participants were allowed to access search
engines, access email, and learned the
inter-workings of the computer and the Internet. The
Chapter has also participated in the Presidential
Academies at both the – 44th National
Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1998 and at
the 45th National Convention in Chicago,
Illinois where one of our young ladies, Candace
Girod was chosen as one of the Presidential Academy
participants.
The year’s
culmination activity includes an inspirational Rites
of Passage ceremony for the girls graduating from
the Delta Academy to the Delta Teen Lift Program.
Delta Teen Lift is
a program geared to build self-confidence in high
school students between 15 and 18 years of age, by
exposing them to the world around them as well as
successful African Americans across the country. It
is also designed to broaden the horizon of the
participants through exploration of educational
opportunities, diversified occupations and the lives
of people who have made outstanding contributions to
the community. Some of the activities include a Book
Club; Core Principles Workshops in the areas of
Self-Confidence/ Self-Esteem, Problem Solving &
Conflict Resolution, Effective Communication,
Scholarship & Academic Excellence, College Prep &
Career Development, and Community Service;
Mentoring; Journalizing, and Tutoring.
The
Inglewood Alumnae Chapter Delta Teen Lift Program
has enjoyed two successful years where educational &
economic development, physical & mental health, and
community service have been the focus of our
program. We have mentored over thirty young ladies,
giving them a sense of self and success in the areas
of college preparation, career exploration and
community service.
During the 1998-99
Sorority Year, the American Diabetes Association
recognized our young girls for their participation
in the annual Diabetes Walk-A-Thon, where they
raised over five hundred dollars towards a cure for
Diabetes. Also, the first Delta Teen Lift
Documentary was taped at the Inglewood Senior
Citizens Center., in celebration of Black History
Month. The documentary, entitled “Reflections”, is
comprised of live interviews of the Seniors telling
their stories of the world as it pertains to Black
History, before and after segregation. Last year,
during the 1999-2000 Sorority Year, the girls were
recognized by the Los Angeles Mission & Homeless
Shelter for the food, clothes & toiletries they
collected and donated during the Holiday Season. We
are excited about the Delta Teen Lift Program and
look forward to keeping the tradition of making our
mark in the community.
In keeping with
Deltas commitment to the Arts, the Inglewood Alumnae
Chapter has sponsored various Arts and Letters
programs at the West Angeles Arts Center in Los
Angeles during Black History Month in February. One
such program, “To Catch A Star” showcased the
various talents in the community in song, dance and
oral expression. Another, the “WOW Explosion”
celebrating Women of Worth in the Arts, highlighted
the many contributions African-American women have
made to the Arts. Presently the Arts and Letters
programs in the Inglewood Alumnae Chapter have
included a Theatre Party to the play “Woman Thou Art
Loosed” at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles,
attending the screening of “Love and Basketball” at
the Pan African Film Festival, “A Day of Cultural”
at the Afro-American Museum to view the exhibit
“Rhythms of the Soul – African Instruments in the
Diaspora”, and a “Night of Culture” an evening of
poetry, spoken word and music at the Wrapture
Coffeehouse in Los Angeles.
In the Inglewood
Alumnae Chapter, State and National Legislative
issues are important and our Social Action Committee
is always hard at work. Soror Margaret Evans, now
President of the Inglewood Alumnae Chapter charged
the Chapter to become involved in supporting the
Census 2000. We worked closely with the Inglewood
Census Office to get the word out to the community
residents. We took the campaign to the neighboring
communities, passing out flyers on the importance of
the Census 2000 and of the various jobs available to
those who applied at the Census offices. As a show
of our efforts with Census 2000, we received an
award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Census
Bureau. In addition to the Census 2000, year round
the Inglewood Alumnae Chapter is hard at work making
sure the residents of Inglewood are registered
voters for any upcoming election. Voter Registration
is an ongoing event for the Sorors in the Inglewood
Alumnae Chapter. Important as it is, the need was
especially so during the most recent 2000
Presidential election. In addition, our Chapter
continues to support Delta Days at the State and
National Capitals.
As we continue to
reach back reclaiming inactive Sorors into our
mighty Sisterhood, the membership of the Inglewood
Alumnae Chapter is working very hard. We host an
annual Reclamation Holiday Party during the
Christmas Season in addition to the activities held
during National Sisterhood Month in March.
Activities included a Girls Movie Nite, a Bowling
Party and Gift exchange, and a “Secret Buddy” for
the month. During the month of May our Chapter
fellowships together by attending Church services
where our Scholarship recipients are recognized.
Charter Members
Jackie Alexander,
Detrich Allen, Monique Anthony, Anna Barnes, Mary
Ellen Barnes, Sabrina Barnes, Delores Benson,
Sherron Benson, Brenda Berryhill, DeNetrice Bickham,
Athena Black, Rhonda Bowyer, Paris Brown, Trina
Brown, Desdra Butler, Diane Clark, Patricia Cole,
Marie Collins, Amelda Compton, Carlene Davis, Thelma
Day, Wendy Dillard, Roshalda Williams-Epps, Diane
Felton, Sheryl Garner, Loreather “Gail” Garrett,
Rondalyn Strother-Graham, Diane Parker-Harris,
Cassandra Hawkins, Terez Henson, Judith Hernandez,
Barbara Johnson, Denise Johnson, Jacqueline Jones,
Teresa Leonard, Patricia Miles, Annette Mondy,
Kimberly Monroe, Vanita Nicholas, Dorcas Price,
Susan Price, Phyllis Hayes-Reams, Vicki Roach,
Jennifer Soles, Beryl Brooks-Spikes, Germaine
Pate-Thomas, Karen Smith-Wilson, Winifred Yancy
Presidents
1993-95
Dr. Thelma James Day
1995-97
Dr. Thelma James Day
1997-99
Desdra Butler
1999 -03 Margaret
Evans
2003 - Karen
Smith-Wilson
Awards/Accomplishments
1.
Order of the Hammer, presented to Inglewood
Alumnae Chapter for the Contribution to the July 17,
1994 St. Louis/East St. Louis Delta Habitat Blitz
Build, acknowledged at 42nd National
Convention of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. – St.
Louis, Missouri
2.
Award of Recognition to Inglewood Alumnae
Chapter, for Public Service from Farwest Region,
June 28, 1995.
3.
Certificate of Appreciation from the Omega
Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., in support of the Southern
California Area Family Reunion, August 1999.
4.
Award from U.S. Department of Commerce,
Census Bureau for our work on the Census 2000.
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