Gloria Dulan-Wilson Blog/ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS: DELTAVERSARY

By Gloria DULAN-Wilson

Hello All!

I am so happy to be celebrating my 41st DELTAVERSARY

APRIL 18, 1983!

YAAAAY ME - SO PROUD TO BE DST!

AND YAAAY TO MY LINE SISTERS IN THE PASADENA ALUMNAE CHAPTER

Talk about a dream and a wish come true! My being part of DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY was one of my fondest dreams - but one that I thought was out of my reach.

When I attended Lincoln University, in Pennsylvania, it was just making its transition from an all male University to Co-ed - primarily because of financial considerations.

Needless to say, Black then there were no sororities on the campus - of course there were the Fine Black Men of the Divine Nine: OMEGA, KAPPA, ALPHA and SIGMA. And three of my classmates: Carol Black, Sandra McGruder (deceased) and Maxine Stewart (deceased) commuted from Lincoln's Campus in Pennsylvania to Delaware State Campus to pledge DELTA and bring the chapter onto Lincoln's Campus. And it was Chartered in 1969 - Two years after I had graduated.

So I was living under one of those unfulfilled wishes that I thought I'd never realize.

But GOD knew my heart's desire and put me on a community development panel with the then president of Pasadena's Alumnae Chapter. I was an elected official at the time - Town Council Representative of Altadena, CA. Just a week prior the the panel, one of my staff had taken a personal day. She was my right hand staffer. Imagine my surprise (and dismay) when she came back to work emblazoned in Pink and Green! YIKES! I remember being somewhat shocked - and expressed my surprise that she was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. When she told me she had pledged through graduate chapter - something I was not familiar with at the time, I immediately set out to find out whether there was a Graduate Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta. None in my circle knew. But God had my back and set me right next to the President of the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter. After the panel had disbanded, I immediately let her know that I was interested in Pledging Graduate Chapter. She indicated they were not having a line for some time, but would contact me when they had set a date.

Two months later she called me for and interview! I was totally over the moon! My husband knew how much I loved the Sorors and painted our kitchen Red. My daughters, who were 16 and 4 at the time, were fascinated. My son, who was 11 was respectfully curious - it didn't hit him until he entered college the real significance of the Divine Nine.

I CELEBRATE EVERY DAY THAT I'M A DELTA and Celebrate all the amazing things my Sorors accomplish on a regular basis. I am, of course, proud of all those who are members of the Divine Nine, and our undying dedication to our chapters and our people. But as a member of the Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter, I am HAPPY TO BE DST!