Chi Alpha Delta () (also XAD or Chis) is the oldest
Asian-American cultural interest sorority
Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America.
Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. It was founded and chartered at
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California S ...
(UCLA).
Chis are one of the four Asian-American interest sororities and/or fraternities at UCLA, with the others being Theta Kappa Phi, Omega Sigma Tau, and
Lambda Phi Epsilon
Lambda Phi Epsilon (, also known as LPhiE and LFE) is the largest Asian-American-Interest fraternity in North America. Lambda Phi Epsilon is affiliated with the National APIDA Panhellenic Association, and is a former member of the North American ...
.
History
Chi Alpha Delta was founded in 1928 at UCLA by Helen Tomio Mizuhara and Alyce Asahi.
[Lim, p. 13] The sorority originally had 14
Japanese-American
are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 census, they have declined in number to constitute the sixth largest Asi ...
students.
On April 5, 1929, the sorority was officially recognized by UCLA.
[Lim, p. 14] In 2002, the sorority had 65 members, of which less than 10% are Japanese.
The sorority was founded due to
racism
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonis ...
and
segregation Segregation may refer to:
Separation of people
* Geographical segregation, rates of two or more populations which are not homogenous throughout a defined space
* School segregation
* Housing segregation
* Racial segregation, separation of humans ...
.
The 14 Japanese-American students were rejected from a Panhellenic Greek sorority, so they decided to form one for Japanese women and those of other Asian descents.
These women created Chis because they felt the need for "a same-sex, same-race organization in order to feel at home in the university."
Throughout the years Chis have accepted women of all Asian ethnicities into its sisterhood in hopes that its original purpose would not be forgotten but passed on from one generation to the next.
In the 1940s, during the yearly Faculty Tea, members wore
kimono
The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
s and used Japanese styles to fix up their hair. During the 1940s, members were primarily
second-generation Japanese Americans (''
Nisei
is a Japanese-language term used in countries in North America and South America to specify the ethnically Japanese children born in the new country to Japanese-born immigrants (who are called ). The are considered the second generation, ...
'') who conversed in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
.
[Lim, p.11] From 1942 to 1945, the sorority was rendered inactive due to
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. In 1946, after the war, Chi Alpha Delta was reorganized.
Members of the sorority celebrate their Asian-American identity through food and fashion with traditions such as cooking foods from different countries and hosting
fashion show
A fashion show (French ''défilé de mode'') is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fal ...
s to recruit new members.
[Lee, p.106]
Founders
The founders were:
*Lillian Shizuko Ando
*Rosa Ando
* Chieko Goh
* Fumi Iwasaki
* Yone Kawatsu
* Haruyo Komai
* Tomiko Kusayanagi
* Pauline Yuri Masuda
* Mary Aiko Mizue
* Shizue Morey
* Alice (Asahi) Ohama
* Haruko Ruth Saito
* Helen Kiyoko Tomio
* Yone Tomio
Symbols
Chi Alpha Delta's official colors are Lavender for graciousness and Green for thoughtfulness. These colors come from their sorority flower,
Wisteria
''Wisteria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae), that includes ten species of woody twining vines that are native to China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Southern Canada, the Eastern United States, and north ...
.
Philanthropy
The sorority's main philanthropy is with the Center for Pacific Asian Family, a women's shelter that assists women who are affected by domestic violence or sexual assault. By extending the strength of sisterhood, Chis seek to empower other women in the Asian American community.
Notes
References
*
*{{Cite book , title=A Feeling of Belonging: Asian American Women's Public Culture, 1930-1960 , last=Lim , first=Shirley Jennifer , year=2006 , publisher=
New York University Press
New York University Press (or NYU Press) is a university press that is part of New York University.
History
NYU Press was founded in 1916 by the then chancellor of NYU, Elmer Ellsworth Brown.
Directors
* Arthur Huntington Nason, 1916–1 ...
, location=New York , isbn=0-8147-5193-8 , pag
11, url=https://archive.org/details/feelingofbelongi00lims , url-access=registration , accessdate=22 March 2009
External links
Official websiteChi Alpha Delta Alumnae
Asian-American fraternities and sororities
University of California, Los Angeles