Nearly 350 members of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. convened at the Hilton Austin on July 22-24, 2022, for its annual National Convention. The three days included opportunities for members from all over the country to engage in sisterhood bonding, learn more about our sorority’s history, attend educational and motivational sessions, and celebrate each other and the sorority’s accomplishments.
After a challenging two years due to the pandemic, members gathered back in person hence this year’s theme, “Stronger Together through Action and Resilience.” Alumnae members came together at The Eleanor, an elegant event venue with a classic touch located in the heart of downtown Austin’s historic Warehouse District, for our Alumnae Reception featuring female DJ Melissa Bellz.
This year’s National Convention community service initiative was assembling snack care kits to be donated to Caritas of Austin, whose mission is to end homelessness in the city. These kits will help individuals experiencing homelessness by providing access to healthy snacks. Some items that were included in the snack care kits included water bottles, granola bars, crackers, and more. Collectively, convention attendees created 1,975 care kits for this organization.
To kick off the weekend on Friday, our members attended a welcome reception and heard from local alumna, Judge Sara Martinez, who spoke about activism and the importance of engaging with our local communities. On Saturday, our National President was joined by the Board of Directors to present the sorority’s annual report and State of the Sisterhood. Founding Mothers, First Line, and other notable members shared insightful moments of Lambda Theta Alpha’s history during the HERstory, and Our Story Continues sessions. Followed by a series of professional development workshops, the National Awards Ceremony highlighted outstanding chapters and members who have exceeded expectations through scholarship, service, political activism, and sisterhood. The recipients of the 2022 National Awards were:
| Philanthropic Member of the Year Adlen Lopez Delta Beta Chapter | Philanthropic Chapter of the Year Alpha Alpha Gamma Alumnae Chapter Camden, New Jersey |
| Outstanding Service Award (Chapter) Alpha Kappa Alumnae Chapter Madison, Wisconsin | Outstanding Service Award (Area) Maryland Area One |
| Political Activist Member of the Year Lily Nunez Alpha Alpha Beta Alumnae Chapter | Principles Award Tina Onikoyi Tau Chapter |
| Area Officer of the Year Olivia Andrade CAA3 Area Coordinator | Area of the Year Illinois Area Two |
| Regional Officer of the Year Stella Segal Northeast Regional Finance Supervisor | Region of the Year South Central Region |
| Lourdes Cortes Scholarship for Academic Excellence Mayra Morales Delta Beta Chapter | Campus Leader of the Year Jocelyn Aranda-Ortiz Epsilon Gamma Chapter |
| New Member of the Year Litzy Campuzano Gamma Sigma Chapter | Undergraduate of the Year Cristina Rodriguez Chi Chapter |
| Universal Mother Award Jennifer Benitez Alcaraz Epsilon Chapter | Alumna Entrepreneur Award Cristina J. Torres Beta Sigma Chapter |
| New Professional of the Year Breanna J. Reyes Alpha Alpha Beta Alumnae Chapter | Professional of the Year Peggi C. Villacis Epsilon Chapter |
| Alumna of the Year Paola Morantes-Villalobos Gamma Mu Chapter | New Chapter of the Year Eta Eta Chapter The George Washington University |
| Undergraduate Chapter of the Year – Luna Upsilon Chapter University of Maryland, College Park | Undergraduate Chapter of the Year – Concha Delta Beta Chapter Georgia State University |
| Undergraduate Chapter of the Year – Palma Chi Chapter University of Florida | Alumnae Chapter of the Year Alpha Delta Alumnae Chapter Silver Spring, Maryland |
The Lambda Theta Alpha Foundation continued to play an integral part during the National Convention. 17 scholarships were awarded to high school and college students, on all degree levels, for the amount of $1,000 each at the National Awards Ceremony held Saturday afternoon. It was also announced that the sorority raised $29,744 for the LTA Foundation for the 2021-2022 sorority year.
Sunday speaker highlights included alumna Dr. Vanessa Marie Bustamante, who led a session to empower, motivate and propel members to act in their own journeys as leaders in their communities, and alumna Elvia Rodriguez who provided a workshop to discover ways to re-align oneself to the goals one wishes to accomplish. A check was then presented by the Board of Directors to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, reflecting the total amount raised of $41,520 during the 2021-2022 sorority year, which brings the total funds raised to more than $600K since the partnership began in 2010.
To conclude the weekend, the Board of Directors praised the outgoing area and regional leaders for their hard work and dedication throughout the year, thanked the National Advisors for their ongoing support, and welcomed the incoming 2022-2023 leadership at all levels, including the incoming officers to the Board of Directors:
| National President Cristina T. Naranjo, Beta Theta Chapter | Vice President of External Affairs Myrna Ruiz, Epsilon Sigma Chapter |
| Vice President of Administration Jamie Vega, Kappa Chapter | Director of Undergraduate Affairs Dr. Cecilia E. Suarez, Beta Sigma Chapter |
| Director of Orientation Irasema Garcia-Rosales, Delta Beta Chapter |
The Board of Directors would like to thank all who helped make this event a success, including the National Events Committee, photographer, DJ, speakers, vendors, volunteers, and staff at the Hilton Austin. We look forward to our 2023 National Convention in Baltimore, MD, to commemorate 48 years of sisterhood!
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About Lambda Theta Alpha
Lambda Theta Alpha was founded at Kean University in 1975 as the first Latina sorority in the nation. Lambda Theta Alpha strives to develop strong leaders that produce and engage in political, social, and cultural activities. Based on the principles of Unity, Love and Respect, the Sorority was established for the unification of women through charitable and educational programs. Although Lambda Theta Alpha is Latin by tradition, the Sorority is inclusive to all women regardless of race, color, creed, sexual identity, gender expression, or religious beliefs.