True Sisterhood crossing the color lines

Enjoy the latest edition to the True Sisterhood Chronicles on the NER Sophisticate. I was able to have a great interview with two very good friends from two very different Greek lettered organizations. I inquired about their friendship, their challenges, and most of all their bond. Here's what they told me...

NERS: How did you meet each other? Were you already Greek at that point?

SORHOR: Yes. We were already Greeks at the time we met. We actually met on a sorority Greek listserv. I’ll never forget the day Malaika called me, just to laugh hysterically at something I typed. We’ve been friends ever since!

NERS: What challenges if any do you experience being in two different organizations ?

SORHOR:There are no huge challenges. The only thing that I don’t like is when I get [a look] when a member realizes I am not their soror, but their sister in greekdom. This only happened once and Malaika is great at introducing me to members of her organization.

NERS: Do you support each other's philanthropic initiatives? If yes, in what ways?

Boyce: Whenever possible, I will attend a DST event simply because we’re both Spring 2001! But seriously, I tend to support because I understand the importance of supporting one another’s events/fundraisers. As Greeks, we all appreciate having one another’s faces at our events.

NERS: Do you fall victim to sorority stereotypes? If yes, does that affect the relationship?

SORHOR:Fortunately, I’ve never experienced this. Additionally, I’ve become great friends with many women from Delta Sigma Theta.

NERS: What have you learned from each other?

SORHOR: I learned that no matter the colors, the letters or the history, we’re still women first. I can look at something that Malaika may be going through (in a very personal matter only) and see myself in the same situation. I always want her to be strong, so it’s helped me to be strong as well when it comes to being a better member in my organization.

NERS: Do you hang out with each other's sorors as well? What is that experience like?

SORHOR: Yes. Malaika is from an intake class of 25, and I’m proud to say I’ve gotten to know a few of her sisters as well. In fact, I would say Deidre, is a good friend of mine, too, and that I care for her just as much as I do Malaika.

NERS: What are the advantages of your friendship?

BOTH: A major advantage in our friendship is the show of diversity and unity when we’re out and about. We can show other Greeks, especially neos, that you can make friends in other organizations and to put aside any differences.


NERS: What positive notion did you learn about your friend's organization that you wouldn't have known if it weren't for the relationship?

SORHOR: I went to a gospel brunch with Maliaka which was chaired by Deidre earlier this year. I had the privilege of being inspired by their National President and her speech. Though she kept circling back to the sisterhood in DST, I got the message and felt it was a universal message that could be used in any group.


NERS: Any lasting comments? Short stories about each other? Please share.
BOTH: We have a ton of very private and funny stories…but not to share! Sorry!


The message is clear. True Sisterhood has no boundaries!