Q
uick Facts
Sorority Flower - Sunflower
Sorority Mascot - Hummingbird
Sorority Colors - Black, Forest Green, and Gold
Sorority Philanthropy - Raising Awareness of Violence Against Women
To live free of intimidation
To freely express her ideas or opinions
To make her own choices
To equal privilege
To receive justice and tell her "story" without prejudice
Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on March 15, 1989 at
the University at Albany, State University of New York. Seventeen
dedicated women of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds came
together to create an outlet for women to initiate change. The
foundation was built to fight against the injustices historically
suffered by our gender. As the first Latina-oriented organization in
the history of the University at Albany, they struggled to establish
our organization, our purpose and most importantly, a precedent.
In 1993, two empowered women at the State University of New York at
Brockport were seeking a sisterhood that uplifted Latina women and
would provide leadership, support, and an outlet for community
outreach. While researching various other organizations, these women
came across Omega Phi Beta and saw that the sisterhood went above and
beyond service to the Latino/a community, but served and educated all
communities. With a desire to expand the Greek Community at SUNY
Brockport, Marianela Gonzalez Brown and Eileen Miranda Paniagua, two
strong and determined women worked with the "Zeta Chapter" at the
State University of New York at Oswego to illuminate the campus with
the Radiance of Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. On December
17th, 1994, the Extraordinary Eta Chapter was born at SUNY Brockport.
Five years later, 4 women at both the University of Rochester and the
Rochester Institute of Technology showed an interest in Greek Life and
were determined to not limit themselves to the sororities on campus
and decided to initiate change. Inspired by the sisterhood shown to
them by various members of Omega Phi Beta, they decided to research
and pursue their interest. On May 1, 1999, Gwendolyn Salas, Lanyn
Perez, Ana Linda Vignoni, and Shonte Floyd reached the radiant light
of Omega Phi Beta and also sought to keep the vision started at SUNY
Brockport alive. Under the guidance of the women at SUNY Brockport,
"Legacy" created history in the sorority by expanding to four schools
and to 2 new areas: Rochester and Buffalo. The Eta Chapter grew to
include the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of
Technology, and the Mu Chapter in Buffalo, NY was created.
Throughout the history of the Eta Chapter, we have upheld the ideals
of our Illustrious Founders and have embraced and celebrated the
diversity of women. Members that have come through our chapter have
come from various backgrounds and ethnicities, namely, Columbian,
Ecuadorian, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Honduran, Mexican, Costa Rican,
Peruvian, Argentine, African American, Panamanian, Jamaican and
Haitian just to name a few.
The purpose of Omega Phi Beta is to Serve and Educate people of
diverse backgrounds through sisterhood, leadership, and guidance. As
positive role models, we promote unity of all cultures, focus on the
empowerment of our gender, and raise the standards of excellence in
our academic, social and personal endeavors.
Omega Phi Beta envisions a world without oppression, where empowered
women celebrate the essence of womanhood and act as resources in the
advancement of their communities.
“Sirviendo y Educando a Través de Nuestra Diversidad”
“Serving and Educating Through Our Diversity”
Women's Empowerment
Cultural AwarenessScholarship
Leadership
Social/Politcal Activism
Environmentalism
Serve as Mentors
As women struggling against the injustices suffered by our gender, the
members of Omega Phi Beta are proactive in various leadership roles in
their campus communities and communities at large. Our members are
involved in an array of student-oriented, business, and volunteer
groups. We play key roles in planning, organizing, and conducting
conferences and seminars as officers on Executive Boards of various
organizations, which include,but is not limited to, cultural and
ethnic based groups. We take pride in voicing our opinions and
exercising our rights as women who advocate for our communities and
ourselves.