Rhodes College - Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc.

Today is the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, and to celebrate, we would like to share an upcoming article about Rhodes' Latina-based Sorority Chapter.

Rhodes College Welcomes Latina-Based Sorority Chapter
by Mariam Khayata '22

In the fall of 2019, a group of ten Rhodes students founded a Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. chapter at Rhodes College. The Lambda Pi Chi Sorority Inc., also known as the Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad (LPC) – Latinas Promoting Community –, is a national Latina-based, but not Latina-exclusive sorority, originally founded at Cornell University in 1988. Established to “empower women by providing a supportive network dedicated to their personal and professional advancement,” LPC is an inclusive Hermandad – sisterhood – that celebrates the Latinx community and culture. At its core, LPC is deeply committed to activism, social justice, community, and public service.

Approaching its one-year anniversary, the Rhodes College LPC chapter is the first in the Mid-South. The Hermanas – sisters – worked to bring LPC to Rhodes as an inclusive space that celebrates and empowers Latina women, diversifying Greek Life at Rhodes. Welcomed with open arms by other Greek organizations at Rhodes, LPC Chapter president, Mildred Vázquez ‘21, notes how comforting it was for Rhodes’s Hermanas to receive this support. “Prior to being an organization on campus, a lot of our members were nervous to see what kind of reaction other Greek organizations would have to us. It was so heartwarming to see other organizations congratulate us and show us support. Their continuous support has made us feel at home at Rhodes and has shown us that Greek life can look many different ways,” says Vázquez, an Education and Psychology major.

At the heart of every Hermana is her love for community. That is why LPC’s national philanthropy initiatives are Proyecto H.A.C.E.R and Project L.E.A.A.P, focusing on empowering underprivileged communities. Proyecto H.A.C.E.R. provides minority and low-income women with resources to further their education and career goals. Project L.E.A.A.P, Latinas Educating on AIDS Awareness and Prevention, works to disseminate HIV/AIDS information to the Latinx community. The Rhodes LPC chapter fundraises and donates to these impactful projects and additionally plans to host panel events discussing HIV/AIDS in the Latinx community.

As a newly founded chapter, LPC’s past programming include: volunteering for the Mid-South Food Bank on MLK Service Day; hosting a Valentine’s Day fundraiser featuring Mexican pastries; collaborating with the Rhodes Latinx Student Association on Noche de Celebracion – A Night of Celebration –; and fundraising for CasaLuz, a Memphis-based nonprofit organization working to prevent domestic violence in the Spanish-speaking community and to promote equal access to justice. LPC’s events center around community empowerment, education, service, and personal and professional development. During this virtual semester, the Hermanas have been fostering community through virtual check-ins, Netflix watch parties, game nights, and a fall retreat. They cherish each meeting or event as an opportunity to uplift and support one another.

As the Rhodes Hermanas celebrate one year of being a part of an established LPC chapter, they reflect on the comfort and empowerment that Lambda Pi Chi has provided them. “The more I learned about the Sorority and met Hermanas from all over the country, the more I felt like I had a true place and purpose. Lambda Pi Chi is a mechanism by which I can serve my community more broadly, celebrate my culture, and build bonds with like-minded women,” says Diana Miranda ‘22, an English major, Latinx Studies minor, and Bonner scholar. As the Rhodes Latinx student population grows, Miranda hopes that incoming Latinx students will view LPC as an inclusive and empowering space and feel more welcome, safe, and comfortable at Rhodes.

Are you ready for Spooky Season? 👻
Do you want to support efforts to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma, prevent HIV among the hardest-hit populations, & help people with HIV stay healthy? Enter our Spooky Basket Raffle for a chance to win a handcrafted spooky basket and contribute your support to Planned Parenthood of TN ❤️
Enter to win by venmoing LPC_Rhodes!
The winner will be announced on October 15 - National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day

Interested in learning more about Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad / Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc? Visit us at our informational booth at the SACK Fair to learn about our vision, mission, and goals. You will also get a chance to meet and learn more about our Oh So Fly Hermanas! We can’t wait to meet you!
Please register for the SACK Fair using the link below and check out our booth between 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM on August 25th. ❤️💛

https://hopin.to/events/sack-fair-student-organizations

Rhodes College Provisional Chapter - Founding Intake Class 🦋🔥

Thank you for your support! 🦋

Join us in fundraising for CasaLuz. Together, we can help past and present victims of domestic violence who are unable to receive federal aid. All proceeds will go directly to CasaLuz who will distribute the funds to womxn in need. 💜
Here’s how to donate:
Venmo: LPC_Rhodes
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=C7MZMTYKM2WFL
(please include LPC in the message box)
Facebook: CasaLuz Memphis
Mail: P.O. Box 84. Cordova, TN 38088

Interested women are welcomed to attend the LPC Conclave with us and if they have any questions about attending they can Angye at [email protected] ❤️

Saludos,

For any women seeking a support system of strong womxn that goes beyond the collegiate experience here's some more information. We are Latina based, but not Latina-exclusive. Angye Zamudio ([email protected]) is our recruitment chair, so please feel free to reach out with any questions.

A few things to note, we require a 2.5 GPA, we cannot Intake first-semester freshmen, and If an undergraduate, you must be enrolled in an accredited 4-year institution.

The Sorority is a not-for-profit membership organization which means that our members are financially responsible for the viability of the Organization and the ex*****on of successful programming. This financial responsibility is part of our lifetime commitment. Annual membership fees differ from year to year. We have a strict anti-hazing policy, you can find more details on our national website (https://www.lambdapichi.org/page/hazingpolicy).

Additionally, our organization has an alcohol policy that forbids the consumption of alcoholic beverages at any official undergraduate Sorority event.

We believe firmly in broadening our network to include womxn whose strength of character and vision will promote the goals and purposes of our organization as well as continue our long-standing tradition of service to the community, academic and professional excellence. The Sorority has and continues to attract a diverse group of dedicated, visionary womxn.

Anti-Hazing & Anti-Discrimination Policy - Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. No Chapter or subentity of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/ Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. shall adopt a policy that is in conflct with the national policies and laws of the Sorority, its university policies, or the policites of its university's governing Greek council.