Herstory of Pi Lambda Chi Latina Sorority, Inc.
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Alpha Chapter
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, Colorado​
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Chapter One​
Sisterhood, education, unity and the preservation of Latina culture were all reasons why Pi Lambda Chi was founded at the University of Colorado at Boulder on March 5, 1994. Many young women, drawn together by their common need for a unique support system specifically geared to support, preserve, and teach Latino culture and history formed a union, on the University of Colorado’s Boulder campus. That union is now known as Pi Lambda Chi, the first Latina sorority at the University of Colorado.The initial group began in the spring of 1993 in Boulder, Colorado with five students: Tamara Acevedo, Maria Castro, Dezi Gutierrez, Estella Juarez, and Jennifer Rodriguez. The sorority began as a series of weekly dinners held at member’s homes with traditional Mexican food usually being the menu of choice. During these dinner meetings, the group got to know one another and talked about all the reasons why they believed a sorority that embraced Latina issues was needed on the Boulder campus. These women met with a Latina sorority already established, in hopes to open a chapter in Boulder. In the fall of 1993, they formed an interest group that expanded to include Lorraine Atencio, Ramona Bash, Jessica Bauernfeind, Sandra Cano, Carmen Estrada, Regina Longoria, Christine Olivas, Helen Richardson, and Tanya Vigil. Serving as officers for the interest group were President Maria Castro, Vice President Jennifer Rodriguez, Secretary Tamara Acevedo, and Treasurer Dezi Gutierrez.Upon organizing this interest group to pledge, the women as a whole felt their needs would not fully be met with this already established sorority and without further ado began to establish their own sorority.
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Chapter Two ​
ΠΛΧ was the result of the hard work and effort of fourteen unique young ladies who found that existing campus groups did not fully meet their needs. Some women believed it would be founded to build a support system to help overcome the obstacles a Latina must overcome in higher education and in life. Others envisioned it as the beginning of the Latina contribution to the ethnic Greek system already in place. Some saw it as an academic support network, while still others saw it as an opportunity to unite Latinas on campus and help promote education in the Latino community. Community service in the Latino community, teaching and promoting awareness of Latina culture, sisterhood, and embracing their uniqueness were all things these women strove to include in the organization they were creating. What they felt most in their hearts was the importance of building a bridge across the rough waters of life for the Pi Lambda Chi sisters yet to attend college and even those yet to be born.
An important aspect of Pi Lambda Chi’s ideology is that any female of any ethnic group is welcome to share in the experience of being a Lambda. At no time, do the founding mothers wish to close the doors of opportunity to anyone, as doors have all too often been closed to them. Any Latina or any woman interested in Latina culture is welcome to join the pledge line. Once you are a part of this special sisterhood, you will remain a sister for the rest of your life.
¡Hermanas Por Vida!​​
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Chapter Three ​
After months of meetings and envisioning the kind of things they stood for, the group headed to Tabernash, Colorado on March 5-6 1994, to choose the letters, colors, symbols, and constitutional requirements. On the evening of March 5, 1994, a unanimous vote passed in favor of adopting the letters ΠΛΧ. The group, who a year earlier had not even know one another, formalized their union with a toast, and were the first to crossover into the sisterhood of Pi Lambda Chi. March 5, 1994, forevermore became known as Founder’s Day.
The University of Colorado recognized this historical achievement with an Inaugural Banquet on April 18, 1994. It was there, in front of university officials, student group representatives, and their families that the founding mothers of Pi Lambda Chi received their letters.
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Chapter Four​
Pi Lambda Chi’s first Alpha Line had its beginnings in the form of an interest group during the fall semester of 1994. The intake process of this line began January 21, 1995. The first Alpha Line to crossover consisted of the following individuals: Tonka Aguirre, Amparo Garcia, Gina Garcia, Emanuelita Martinez, Rena Martinez, Esther Rocha, Amanda Rodriguez, Alma Rojas, Melissa Salazar, Laurie Vargas, and Corrie Velasquez.
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