CREATORS OF THEIR OWN DEFINITION...
FOUNDING MONARCHS
#1 Geeta "Kenyan Massala" Kapur
#2 Natalie "Dreamcatcher" Barker
#3 Peggy "24 Karat" Long
#4 Melissa "Solaar" Murchinson-Blake
#5 Brenda "Miss Cheex" Eribo
#6 Katherine "Miss Linx" Stanley
#7 Janelle "Absolut Hershe" Poe
NATIONAL HISTORY
In the Spring of 1996, Founding Monarch Melissa Jo Murchison-Blake was in search of sisterhood.
She wanted to be part of a family that openly embraced all women and crossed cultural boundaries.
As a bi-racial woman, she did not want to choose between historically Caucasian or African-American sororities.
Founding Monarch Murchison-Blake felt that if she did choose one, she would be denying half of her heritage.
Still wanting to be part of a strong sisterhood, Founding Monarch Murchison-Blake recruited six other women to join hands in her quest to found Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. At first, the Founding Monarchs were discouraged from fulfilling their vision. The Director of Greek Affairs advised them to consider joining an existing organization, expressing his concern that a new Greek organization, based on the principle of multiculturalism, would not survive at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
However, the Founding Monarchs believed there was a need for such a sisterhood. Their efforts set the stage for Theta Nu Xi's presence in the Greek, non-Greek, and surrounding communities. After much work and dedication, the Founding Monarchs built the foundation for Theta Nu Xi. Finally, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill officially recognized Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority as the Alpha Chapter on April 11, 1997.
With the collaborative efforts of the Founding Monarchs and the Sisters of Spring 1998, the organization grew beyond our expectations. The Sorority incorporated on April 29, 1999, and with the participation of the Alpha Chapter and Beta and Gamma Colonies, the National Organization was founded at the first annual National Convention on August 21, 1999.
OUR FOUNDATION
In the Fall of 2005, Lambda Chapter Alumnae, Jamonique Holt, and Beta Chapter Alumnae, LaToya Eaves, began having conversations concerning the addition of a Graduate, Alumnae, and Professional (GAP) Chapter serving in North Florida with its anchor being in Tallahassee, FL. Over the next several months they sought out other sisters in the area. Lambda Chapter Alumnae, Jo-Anna Nieves, Olga "Guita" Grullon-Herrera, and Siria Serrano came together to complete the work in establishing the foundation for the GAP Chapter. On August 21, 2006, the Xi Lambda GAP Chapter of Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. was founded in Tallahassee, FL. In the Spring of 2018, alumnae members expressed mutual wishes to start a GAP chapter in South Florida, and on April 29, 2018, the Xi Lambda GAP Chapter was re-established and anchored in Miami, FL becoming the only GAP chapter in South Florida.
FOUNDING MEMBERS
#9 Dr. Jamonique "Hot Like Fire" Holt Harrison - Lambda Chapter, Spring 2003
#3 LaToya "The Source" Eaves - Beta Chapter, Spring 2004
#5 Jo-Anna "Hypnotik" Nieves, Esq. - Lambda Chapter, Spring 2003
#2 Guita "Care Bear" Grullon Herrera - Lambda Chapter Founder, Summer 2001
#6 Siria "Mona Lisa" Serrano - Lambda Chapter, Summer 2005
ΞLAMBDA MADE
OUR LEGACY
In the Spring of 1996, Founding Monarch Melissa Jo Murchison-Blake was in search of sisterhood. She wanted to be part of a family that openly embraced all women and crossed cultural boundaries. As a bi-racial woman, she did not want to choose between historically Caucasian or African-American sororities. Founding Monarch Murchison-Blake felt that if she did choose one, she would be denying half of her heritage.
Still wanting to be part of a strong sisterhood, Founding Monarch Murchison-Blake recruited six other women to join hands in her quest to found Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. At first, the Founding Monarchs were discouraged from fulfilling their vision. The Director of Greek Affairs advised them to consider joining an existing organization, expressing his concern that a new Greek organization, based on the principle of multiculturalism, would not survive at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
However, the Founding Monarchs believed there was a need for such a sisterhood. Their efforts set the stage for Theta Nu Xi's presence in the Greek, non-Greek, and surrounding communities. After much work and dedication, the Founding Monarchs built the foundation for Theta Nu Xi. Finally, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill officially recognized Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority as the Alpha Chapter on April 11, 1997.
With the collaborative efforts of the Founding Monarchs and the Sisters of Spring 1998, the organization grew beyond our expectations. The Sorority incorporated on April 29, 1999, and with the participation of the Alpha Chapter and Beta and Gamma Colonies, the National Organization was founded at the first annual National Convention on August 21, 1999.
Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. holds firm to the mission and values on which we were founded, with an eye to our continued growth and success in the future. Our chapters are thriving on campuses and in communities across the country, and they often receive recognition for outstanding members, programs, and service to their communities. Each year, our chapters grant thousands of dollars in scholarships and philanthropic giving and provide thousands of more hours of service to causes as diverse as our membership. Leadership continues to be a way of life for our members, who can be found in professions ranging from law, medicine, and education, to entertainment, theology, and technology. Today, Theta Nu Xi has more than 18,000 initiated members, with over 36 undergraduate chapters and more than 24 graduate, alumnae, and professional chapters across the United States.
OUR MISSION
To promote leadership, multiculturalism, and self-improvement through academic excellence involvement in and service to the campus and community as well as being living examples of sisterhood across different races, cultures, religions, backgrounds, and lifestyles.
OUR OBJECTIVES
-
To incorporate separate cultures into one life.
-
To build self-esteem through sisterhood.
-
To participate in service activities, especially those concerning diversity in the community.
-
To encourage academic excellence and overall self-improvement.
-
To promote unity among Greek organizations.
THE THETA WOMAN
Loyal to the cocoon
From where she comes
The Theta Woman rises out of a lavender dawn
To proudly bridge the gaps in her world
With her butterfly wings
With honesty and courage
She lives and loves without conditions
Surrendering to her beauty and power
She gives and receives freely
Remembering her vision, her purpose, her heart
Creator of her own definition
She inspires those around her
To be proud and selfless
To give unselfishly over and over again
Loving herself as she loves others
The butterfly transcends
Taking others with her in her flight
- Soror Ayodele Carroo, Alpha Chapter, Spring 1998
OFFICIAL COLORS
Black, Lavender, Carolina Blue
SYMBOL
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
FLOWER
Sterling Silver Rose
TENETS
Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood, Leadership, Multiculturalism
WHAT MULTICULTURALISM MEANS TO US
Multiculturalism is the belief that there is inherent value in discovering, understanding, and appreciating all the ways in which people are different from each other.
While part of the Founders’ vision was to create a sisterhood that physically transcended societal boundaries such as race, religion, culture, and class, their primary goal was to bring together womxn who believe in the ideal of multiculturalism and want to promote multiculturalism in their everyday lives.
While Greek organizations are and continue to grow more diverse, our Sorority explicitly seeks members with multicultural ideals and interests; we seek to use our Sorority as a vehicle to educate the surrounding campus and community on issues of diversity. We recognize that diversity is not limited to race, and we are proud to have achieved a sisterhood that is not only diverse with respect to race, but ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, and political ideology as well.