The Emerald Newsletter | Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Winter/Spring 2018 | Page 3

letter from the

BOD

3

Political Activity as a Sister

Name: Cynthia Esparza-Trigueros

Position: VP of Collegiate Affairs, [email protected]

Chapter, School: Alpha Eta, University of Nevada - Reno

What advice would you give to a new member: Embrace the experience. The process is very purposeful and it goes by really fast. The feeling you'll have after initiation is amazing!

Being in Kappa Delta Chi taught me: The importance of connectivity among women. Being part of our sisterhood is rewarding and has taught me much. The most important for me is having strong women in my life who equally challenge and support me. Having sisters with commonalities and parallel lived experiences has been invaluable. Whether it's been graduate school advise, wedding planning ideas or interviewing tips, I've always relied on sisters.

Paula Arno Martinez

Sisters

As summer comes to a close, I hope that you had an opportunity to take a well-deserved break and create long-lasting memories.

I am proud to be beginning a second term as National President during a time of historical growth and transformation for Kappa Delta Chi. So far this year we have celebrated our 30th Anniversary. We had an amazing National Leadership Conference which included two wonderful service events, the Emerald Gala, and wonderful times bonding with our Founders and sisters from across the nation. We celebrated our incredible sisterhood, recognized chapters, and individuals with well-deserved awards. We honored our past, celebrated our present and embraced our future by passing more than 100 proposals that will launch the Sorority into the next century.

Conference further solidified the pride I have for our sisterhood. The theme of Convention was ‘Be Extraordinary,’ and we had the opportunity to connect with sisters from across the country who demonstrate their extraordinary abilities every day. These inspiring women have and will accomplish much in their lives, chapters and communities.

Our path ahead is bright, and your incoming national leadership team is dedicated to carrying the torch

of those that came before us and ensuring we continue to go strong for the next generation of our sisterhood. We will lead an organization that values and exhibits a culture of communication, transparency, inclusiveness, and relevance. And we will build on the momentum of growth that makes Kappa Delta Chi the premier Latina founded community service organization. We will make decisions with the best interest of you, our valued sisters, always top of mind.

Our sisterhood is about developing leaders and empowering one another. Whether you are early in your collegiate journey or are graduating this fall, I encourage you to take advantage of all the opportunities on and around campus to stay focused, work hard, help one another achieve your academic goals. If you are beginning a new career or sharing your hard earned experiences with others, I encourage you to find ways to continue to grow as a leader in your community and mentor others in doing the same.

I wish you well on your classes, your new career, your new home or family, your recruitment, your programming and events, and all that the coming months have in store. Have a great Fall semester!

In sisterhood,

For me, I was away from my family for the first time and I found community in my chapter (shout out to Chi chapter!). What was it for you? In KDChi, I found a group of women who were committed to serving the community and who accepted me as I was. When I came out to my sisters as a queer woman, I felt nothing but love and support. It is my wish that every member of KDChi have the same acceptance and love. Then and today, there must be no tolerance in our sisterhood for hate or bullying.

This edition of the newsletter will celebrate the rich diversity of our sisterhood. We have sisters from every part of the country with unique perspectives and experiences. We will not always agree on everything, but we must have enough love for one another to respect and listen to each other. After all, something drew each of us to KDChi and keeps us here. The world is harsh enough, we must ensure that our KDChi remains a safe and loving place for all of us. We must value and understand the diversity of our membership.

I would not have grown in the ways I have grown without the different perspectives and insights of my sisters. I would not be the woman I am today without my sisters. Let us treasure the richness of our experiences as we continue to grow and strengthen our sisterhood.

In sisterhood,

Paula Arno Martinez

Alumna-At-Large

Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.

www.kappadeltachi.org

"Leading with Integrity, United through Service"

Fall 2004 - Chi Chapter

Alumna-At-Large

Sisters,

Welcome to the spring edition of The Emerald! With spring comes new growth and rebirth and we have all been reflecting on what this means for KDChi. Reflection is an important piece to process, and at this point, I find taking a step back to remember why we became part of this organization can help us grow.

The Emerald | Winter/Spring 2018