Slap Some Letters On Me and...

Well it's been about 2 weeks since I've been elected president of my sorority. I don't really think I'm used to the idea yet; I mean, I am very different from our previous two presidents. Today, I dealt with my first "crisis". Turns out our domains and webhosting fees were due. So I logged on and paid them. So I thought. Turns out our Iota Kappa chapter pays for their own hosting. They still had the credit card on file that was used to open the account and "bam!" they card a card of a sister who is not even on the national board. Great. True I did send her an e-mail a month ago about taking her card off of the account...but then she called me and said she would pay for the chapter's hosting fees. But I told her not to worry about it now...we would bill her once we opened our bank account...however she would still need to call our webhost to take her card off of the account (yes, these companies are getting CRAZY now...I can do everything else on the account but mess with her credit card because I don't have the full number, that CSV# or whatever it is on the back...). Anyway, it just looks like I lied. I didn't lie...I just had no idea we were paying to separate hosting fees because I login once and can access both accounts. So in my brain, that's one hosting account.

Anyway called the VP and the treasurer to tell them what was going on. They really got my back on this. I love my "sisters".

People can say what they want about sororities; I think joining mine was one of the best things I've done. I remember at first though, I was really let down. I mean I was bossed around when I was pledged and it didn't seem to stop after I was initiated. So yeah, that got old pretty quick because I don't really hang around when the situation isn't right. Since I pledged as a junior, after graduation I didn't even think about the sorority. Not for a minute. In wasn't until late in 2006 when I got an e-mail from some sisters in New York about getting support to change the headquarters and organize alumna. That's when it all changed.

I never really had a lot of female friends. I really don't know why...except it always seemed I had to prove my worth more with women. With guys, you say two sentences, and you are cool. The big exception to that have been my sorority sisters. And with this "batch" (most of the "alumna" are younger than me) I don't even know. Yet I've talked to them on the phone like I've known them for years. They called and cared when I was in the hospital. They celebrate anything you feel like celebrating. Now I do have some female friends...mainly co-workers and we have a great friendship. But going at it as a group...a collective? I can only do that with my sorority.

I know there are other "ladies clubs" and meetups and that Girlfriends group. But it seems that older women get into that stuff. Maybe because most women my age are busy with their marriages and kids and what not. I can understand that...but our treasurer just had a baby...she's still involved. Every sorority I know talks about the "lifetime commitment" that comes along with membership. I know in practice, it doesn't always happen that way. But when you take it out past college...it sort of makes the whole thing worth it.

Of course I'm talking about me personally. My sister (biological) wants to join Alpha Kappa Alpha. I know I "should" feel bummed that she is not interested in joining my sorority. However she is very different from me. And I think AKA would be a group she would be more comfortable in. We are very young...and it takes a lot of work being involved with us. Plus she thrives more in an environment where she can see other Black women like her "doing their thing". My sorority is mainly minority...but only a few of us are Black. Half of us who are Black are either Caribbean directly or have parents from the Caribbean. So yes, my sister is more AKA material. And I think that is something else people don't realize....the incredible diversity in the American fraternal system.

So here I am. I may just be the first sorority president who is Black, Jewish (kinda), a punk music fan, a reggae music fan, partly disabled, under 30 and living in the Mon Valley; all in one [of course]! I guess I should feel proud...I guess I kinda do :-D .