Models in the world’s largest traveling fashion show recently walked the runways at Schaumburg’s Prairie Center for the Arts. Sponsored each year by the Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, the fashion show is a production of Ebony Fashion Fair, a fundraising organization for national and international charities and social service agencies.
Delta Sigma Theta is a predominantly African-American sorority established in 1913 on the campus of Howard University. Begun as the dream of 22 women seeking camaraderie and fellowship, the organization now has nearly 100,000 members and hundreds of national and international undergraduate and graduate chapters.
As in past years, the funds raised from the fashion show provide the monetary basis for the sorority’s scholarship program, which provides awards to college-bound African-Americans who reside in the northwest suburbs.
But the fashion show is just one facet of the work done by the northwest suburban alumnae chapter. The women of this organization and eight other primarily black fraternities and sororities make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council, a nationwide organization that coordinates the goals and activities of its affiliate members. What really distinguishes the council’s members from some other groups is the work they do after graduation from college.
Going beyond even a broad notion of volunteerism, the members of Delta Sigma Theta and these other organizations work on dozens of volunteer activities throughout the year, provide educational scholarships and devote hundreds of hours each year to enhancing the lives of individuals in their communities.
The Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta has more than 30 members who divide their time across nearly a dozen committees. Although the time commitment to their sorority varies throughout the year, the hours can add up quickly. Most members attend two to four meetings per month — and that’s only for the planning phase of the many activities that they are involved in throughout the year.
For example, in addition to its annual scholarship program, the Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates alumnae chapter sponsors a tutoring and mentoring program at Hoffman Estates High School.
Hoffman Estates resident Ronaye Busch is a counselor at the high school and a member of the chapter. “I think it’s an important program,” she says. “It gives the girls role models and encourages them to become active in other school organizations.”
The fraternities and sororities that belong to the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which currently has 1.5 million members, are primarily social service organizations. New members seeking to become initiated must demonstrate a willingness to enter into a lifetime commitment to serve the needs of their communities. For example, as part of their initiation, undergraduates might be asked to take a group of disabled children to a football game, visit a senior citizen center or do fundraising work for a national organization.
Membership in a chapter can begin at the undergraduate level. That’s when former Wheeling resident Gwendolyn Coley first joined Delta Sigma Theta. Now the president of the Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates alumnae chapter, Coley is marking her 20th anniversary in the sorority this year.
“I’ve lived from coast to coast, and each new place I move to, I find a church and I find the local chapter of Delta Sigma Theta,” says Coley, now a Chicago resident. “One of the great things about our sisterhood is that it provides a way to become involved with the community. There is a sense of pride in being a member of this organization. We are committed to the community, to caring about the people in the community and to making the community a better place.”
The Ebony Fashion Fair is one of the sorority’s primary fundraising events and serves as the kickoff for the chapter’s yearly activities. This year’s show attracted more than 400 people, each of whom paid $25.
Belinda Buchanon of Elgin served as chairwoman for this year’s show. “We had a very successful evening,” she said. “We sold each and every ticket and also received financial donations.
“The success of the fashion show guarantees more scholarships for college-bound African-American students in the northwest suburbs.”
The funds from last year’s show generated three scholarships that were awarded at a luncheon earlier this year. Angela Brickler of Arlington Heights, who graduated from John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights last year, received $1,000. She is now a freshman studying architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. Christopher Henderson of Cary, a graduate of Cary Grove High School, received $750. He hopes to become a doctor and is now a freshman in the pre-med program at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Elgin High School’s Brittany Pedersen of Elgin received $500. Pedersen also hopes to become a doctor and is a freshman in the pre-med program at Duke University.
The tutoring and mentoring program at Hoffman Estates High School is one way to make a connection with the students. Sorority members meet with the girls once a week for the first few months of the school year. The meetings are held at the school from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays. There is a designated time for homework, quiet reading or other studying.
After a snack, there is an outside speaker. Recent meetings featured a doctor and a nurse who answered questions about health issues and a scientist who shared her thoughts on women and science.
“The mentoring program is vital in the development of the girls,” Busch said. “We deal with everything from study skills to anger management. It brings the girls together, provides a place for them to see what they have in common.”
At the conclusion of the mentoring program, the sorority members take the girls on a field trip. This year, the Deltas are taking the girls to Dance Africa Chicago ’97, a festival featuring national and local companies that specialize in the dances and music of African nations.
Chartered in 1991, the Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates Alumnae chapter is just 6 years old. But you wouldn’t guess that from glancing at a list of their accomplishments and current activities.
Last year, the Deltas sponsored a Girl Scouts Fitness Day in Maywood and Wheaton. The daylong event featured fitness lectures and presentations on non-traditional sports such as tae kwon do.
The chapter sponsors a clothing drive in suburbs from Palatine to Elgin for Forever Free, a substance abuse recovery program in Chicago. Last year, members participated in a Feeding the Homeless program held at Temple Church in Elgin. They also sponsored an adoption party, held in conjunction with the State of Illinois Social Services Group, for prospective parents to meet children.
“What we do depends on the particular interests of our members,” Buchanon says. “There’s always something to do if someone has the interest to do it.”
The Deltas often work hand in hand with local social service organizations such as Shelter Inc., an Arlington Heights-based non-profit group that provides emergency housing for abused and neglected children, on special projects.
Although the emphasis of their activities is on serving the needs of their local communities, the chapter is also involved with nationwide groups and organizations. Twenty or 30 women working in their community might not have an impact on national and international events. But when they join with their 100,000 sisters, the Delta voice speaks loud and clear. It can be heard in South Africa in the form of food and clothing or in Washington in the form of thousands of letters urging the appointment of Labor Secretary Alexis Herman.
Alumnae chapters are also involved with nationwide organizations such as the American Red Cross, the NAACP, the Urban League, Habitat for Humanity and National Voter Registration Drives.
An example of the involvement of an alumnae chapter in a national organization is the Ebony Fashion Fair. The first Ebony Fashion Fair was held in Louisiana in 1957. Originally planned as a social evening for a ladies auxiliary, the show now travels to nearly 200 cities and draws more than 300,000 people annually. Since its inception 40 years ago, the fashion show has raised nearly $43 million, which is distributed to national and international charitable organizations.
The relationship between these two organizations demonstrates one of the ways in which being a member of the sorority provides a connection to other individuals and groups.
“No matter where you go, you’ll always find a Delta chapter that can help you feel connected and become involved,” Buchanon says. “It’s part of being a good citizen, finding a way to give back to the community.”
