The Emerald Newsletter Fall 2012

v The Emerald Penguins in Politics KDChi Alumna Jennifer Lopez attends the White House for a Super Bowl Party

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In This Issue Penguins in Politics When Two Worlds Collide KDChi sisters share their experiences in the political arena. On Penguins & Politics How involved can KDChi sisters be? National Cabinet Why I Switched Sides National President Pi Alumna, Jenn Sanchez writes why she switched from Republican Mary Gonzalez to a Democrat Vice President of Standards Why I’m Voting Republican Rosie Stewart Diana Diaz, Alpha Zeta Alumna, writes how she believes Republicans Vice President of Alumnae can help with immigration Affairs Why I’m Voting “None of the Above” Estee Hernandez Jessica Arellano writes why she’s not voting for either Romney or Vice President of Expansion Obama Veronica Lucena Note: The views expressed in the above articles do not Vice President of Records necessarily represent the views of Kappa Delta Chi Jennifer Murphy Featured Stories Vice President of Collegiate Affairs Adriana Flores School Supplies & Ugly Girl Cries Vice President of Public Omicron Alumna, Megan Huerta, organizes fundraiser to aid a Affairs Gina Garcia south Texas elementary school Vice President of Leadership Preserving Latino Heritage Development Three Alpha Zeta Alumnae, Rocio Ledesma, Karina Herrera, and Melanie Rodriguez Sheila Jasiel Macias, organize second Annual Fiestas Las Vegas Vice President of Fiscal Festival in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month Affairs KDChi Alum Awarded Doctoral students Tiffany Garcia Award Vice President of Information Phi Alumna, Aracely Arellano Lopez, selected to receive Technology Amy Rodriguez California Mental Health Services Act Full-Time Internship Stipend KDChi Wins Visit from Surprise Celebrity Click here to for Conference submit a story After competing with 15 Latino Fraternities and Sororities from across the country KDChi sisters placed the most votes and won! 3

Penguins in Politics When Two Worlds Collide KDChi sisters and their experiences in the political arena by Gina Garcia, Vice President of Public Affairs Working for a Candidate their individual right to stand for what they believe, There's no denying it, when you share their passions, and to look closely at the ladies of Kappa make a difference in their Delta Chi Sorority, our sisters are community and the political passionate. They're passionate arena. For these political about the communities they penguins you are about to serve, the positions they hold in meet, their political path their professional careers, and has not always been a career about the leadership roles they full of confetti and balloon hold on campuses around the drops. country. So there should be no surprise that there are many Alumnae Cynthia Esparza Arts in Political Science and a KDChi ladies who choose to be Bachelors of Arts in Women's civically engaged and choose a of the Alpha Eta Chapter at the studies, she was drawn to a career political career path, whether it University of Nevada, Reno was where she felt voices and votes be working for someone else's drawn to politics as a platform for could truly make a difference in ideas to change their community, change, social justice and the country's future. Esparza or for their own individual equality. Upon graduation in campaign. Their involvement is 2007, and getting a Bachelors of Continued on page 5 Will you be voting in the upcoming election? When asked, 96% of KDChi sisters who responded said they would vote in this year’s presidential election. Gabby Ramirez from Alpha Delta Chapter had this to say: 4

Continued from page 4 strictly conservative and often aligns herself with the Democratic times constituents were firm in Party, and in addition to their beliefs to support an volunteering for Obama for opposing, Republican candidate. America and for Senator Harry On the other hand, if people were Reid (D-Nevada), she learned a open to a conversation, I felt lot from working on the financial campaigning was imperative in team for Democratic presenting my candidate's Congressional Candidate Jill platform to possibly gain Derby in the second district of support.\" Her political Nevada. As a Call Time Manager experience has led her to keep an for the campaign, her daily duties open mind in politics to all current events and politics entailed working with the schools of thought. She also shares alongside her father. “I used to candidate in managing and that working for a campaign is so think politics was really boring documenting voter outreach calls, different than reading about it in but in my sophomore year of high college, \"working for the school, I took a debate class and it campaign taught me about balance really sparked my interest.” She’s and how to be quick on my feet at proud to be a registered I worked seven all times. I was most surprised by Republican who will vote for the level of commitment from the Romney this November and days a week, over volunteers and constituents! Our believes the GOP has a lot in office had a group of volunteers common with the Latino culture 10 hours a day travel on their own dime from with strong family values and a northern California to live in fiscally conservative mindset. “My Reno for two weeks to canvass parents both come from humble and perform voter outreach on backgrounds where they have had keeping logs of conversations and the phone and door to door. The to work hard to earn what they walking door to door to share the human commitment built on pure have. The idea of conserving the message of her boss and to passion was wonderful to money they earn and being able to development awareness about her experience in person, by the use it as they see fit is a major platform. Esparza said her people for the people.\" Despite aspect of being a conservative, as personal life was on hold for the her candidate losing the race, well as the importance of family year she spent working for the Esparza is forever grateful for the values that they have instilled in campaign. \"I worked seven days a experience and encourages others me.” Her brush with politics came week over 10 hours a day and I to get involved in a campaign, during an internship with Texas had to quickly learn how to \"it's a lifetime opportunity and State Senator Brian Birdwell's of transition into various roles was rewarding regardless of the Waco. Her daily duties consisted depending on what the day results. It also provides of answered phones, listened to brought.\" She lived for the phenomenal networking constituents comments and excitement that no two days were opportunities that can open doors concerns and relaying that the same and always thought in and out of the political world.\" information to upper-level staff. getting the experience of grass She also did phone banking for roots involvement and meeting Gabriela Teresa Garrett of Governor Rick Perry who was the constituents was a thrill. Her KDChi’s Alpha Epsilon chapter at running for re-election. Garrett door-to-door experience was a Baylor University is an undergrad says something that surprised her mixture of support, opposition studying Psychology with an about politics was that the staff and indifference. \"The district I emphasis in Pre-Law. Growing up took what the constituents said to worked in, was known to be in a conservative household, she hear and they tried to help in any found herself following the latest Continued on page 6 5

Continued from page 5 way they could. “Many times the politicians so that they were less campaign. She handily beat her help that people are asking for is focused on re-election and more opponent, and at age 27, she out of a state politician's hands, focused on the people.” Gabriela for example a person's utilities also wants to encourage others to were being cut off because they think about serving the couldn't afford them. But the community in a political sense I’m not an alien. staffers took the time to do because what happens in the I’m not a problem whatever they could to help,” capitols across the nation affects dispelling the myth that each and everyone. “So often, that must be politicians are self-serving and low-income families don't have focused on their own re-election. their voices heard because they handled. I’m a When asked about what part of don't know how to get in touch human. the Republican Party makes her with the right people and I would the most proud she shares that her love to see that change.” party is about motivating KDChi’s State individuals to reach the next level Representatives in their lives. “The Republican started representing Houston’s Party encourages people to District 143, a working-class, achieve greater things in their predominantly Hispanic education and career so that they neighborhood. On May 9, 2011, don't have to depend on the Hernandez Luna started reading a government. I find it aligns with prepared statement she’d written, our Latino culture in that her eyes focused on the shaking conservatism is built on the paper in her hands. “Immigration foundation of hard-work and and all that it encompasses is very family values. It’s about educating personal for me because I was an people so that they can become undocumented immigrant,” anything that they want to, work Hernandez Luna, said in a anywhere they want to, and make shocking and teary speech. “You their family proud.” If there were may prefer to use the word illegal one thing she could change in the In addition to sisters who've alien, but I'm not an alien. I am political system, Garrett would worked to support a candidate, not a problem that must be “put more term limits on national we also have four KDChi sisters handled. I'm a human — a person who've chosen to embark on standing before you now as a campaigns of their own. Current representative for the Texas It’s about Texas State Representative Ana House.” With her roughly five- minute speech, she tried to put a Hernandez Luna, 33 and a educating people so Democrat, spent two years human face — her own — on the working at the Texas State capitol illegal immigration issue. “I that they can before enrolling in the University believe they have a perception of become anything of Texas, School of Law. Not what an undocumented immigrant should be, and I don't long after starting her first job as a that they want to, lawyer, one of the legislators she fit in that mold,” she said. Some worked for, Rep. Joe Moreno of her colleagues across the aisle work anywhere they died in a car accident. His staffers were unmoved, at least from a want to, and make and supporters asked her to run in policy perspective. a special election for his seat, she their family proud said, and she took an eight- month, unpaid leave of absence to Continued on page 7 6