Sororities fight stereotypes at San Francisco State

By Perng-chih Huang

SF State student Bella Gallego is tired of stereotypes on campus and of her sorority.

Gallego, active member of Lambda Chi Mu, and two other girls display their booth with colorful signs and loud music at the quad, to attract new members to join their sorority and fight  stereotypes.

“We have a lot of stereotypes, like we only party but we actually help the community a lot,” Gallego said.

Lambda Chi Mu a sorority made to create a safe space for women, was founded in 2008 Gallego said. She said each spring semester the numbers within her sorority go down, and only four sisters have pledged this semester.

Students pledge each semester to be part of the Greek System on campus in hopes of helping their community and network.

According to SF State’s website, there are 45 recognized Greek organizations under SF State’s Fraternity and Sorority Council. Greek organizations display information on their fraternity or sorority purpose based on their three pillars, their main priority is to help communities Gallego said.

Gallego’s sorority is not the only greek organization that face stereotypes each semester at SF state.

Phi Gamma Chi, is a business oriented and philanthropic sorority  helping the community, said student Melissa Lastra.

Lastra said her family did not understand the meaning of joining a sorority, but through community services, projects and networking workshops the sorority offers, her family finally understood.

“Many sister have obtained jobs, and internships by just being a part Phi Gamma Chi,” Lastra said.

By having different students within our sorority it makes it easier for us to network said Lastra.

“Our sorority attracts over 350 students in the spring semester and 500 in fall semester,” said Lastra.

Throughout the years Phi Gamma Chi has had over MORE THAN 130 ethnicities in their sorority she said.

“We value culture and our sisters ethnicities and backgrounds,” Lastra said.

Although other students like Nasira Johnson said sororities have never attracted her

especially by seeing how her friends changed while being in one.

“Sororities change people they give you no sense of identity,” Johnson said.

Lastra said each semester sororities will be out in the quad to try to motivate students to help the community.

“Even if movies have given sororities a false portrayal of what we really stand for,” Lastra said.