Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha,Inc. provided by Bravenet.com

About Hermandad de

Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. (SIA):

SIA was founded in New York on September 29, 1990 by thirteen Latina women with the purpose of creating an organization that would help their communities, unite women, promote the Latino culture and uphold a set of distinct goals. Our dedication to scholarship, service and professional development within the Latino community has grown beyond New York, with chapters in several states including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida.

We are more than a sorority; we are a family and network of professional, strong and dedicated women leaders. We are also a 501(c)7 tax-exempt organization and we work in conjunction with the Solidaridad Inspiración Amistad Community Foundation, Inc.- a 501(c)3 Community Foundation committed to scholarship, service and professional development within Latino communities nationally. Together, we administer a national scholarship fund for incoming college freshmen who demonstrate academic merit, service to communities in need and exemplary leadership capabilities. For more information, please visit www.hermandad-sia.org.

The Gamma Gamma Chapter is the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan Graduate/Alumnae Chapter. Its members consist of (but are not limited to) Hermanas who live or work in New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, & the Bronx), Westchester County, and New Jersey. It is the goal of Gamma Gamma to maintain the goals of our precious & rare organization, service as mentors to our local undergraduate chapters, and service the needs of our alumnae and graduate members.

For additional information on any of our press releases,

please contact the executive board:

Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc.,

Gamma Gamma Chapter

sia_gammagamma@yahoo.com

www.gammagammasias.bravehost.com

Press Releases

SupportIng the Arts: SIA Songstress in the Spotlight

New York, NY - September 25, 2008

The Gamma Gamma Chapter of Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. (SIA) would like to congratulate Jalene Mojica, Hermana I’tanama on her outstanding performance at her debut showcase in New York City on September 24. The chapter attended the debut as part of our Supporting the Arts initiative.

Born and raised in the South Bronx, Jalene had to overcome many adversities, but thanks to the support and guidance of her family, she always remained dedicated to her education. A straight-A student, she attended the Professional Performing Arts High School as a Vocal major and graduated Class Valedictorian in 2000. She went on to attend Long Island University’s CW Post Campus, where she earned a B.A in Political Science. In the Spring semester of 2002 at LIU, Jalene became an Hermana of Sigma Iota Alpha and went on to hold numerous executive board positions, including Chapter President. A model of excellence in education, Jalene is currently attending LIU’s Brooklyn Campus pursuing a Master's Degree in English. Aside from her educational pursuits, Jalene has been working diligently on her craft. A singer/songwriter, Jalene finally had the opportunity to perform one of her original pieces at the event last night. Although, even with heels, Jalene is barely 5 feet tall her stage presence was enormous. She not only received a standing ovation after her performance, she was prompted to perform a cappella as an encore.

Jalene has said, “Singing is my passion and the endeavor that I truly hope to be successful in. I am currently working on my album and developing myself as an artist, which is exhausting. Between late writing sessions, studio sessions, and vocal lessons things can become hectic, but I love doing it.”

This was not only a great experience for the up and coming Latina songstress, it was a great opportunity for the chapter to support artistic expression.

SIA takes over Beauty Bar NYC & raises over $600

in support of Lee National Denim Day®, one of the largest single-day fundraisers

in the fight against breast cancer

New York, NY - October 1, 2008

The ladies of Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc., Gamma Gamma Chapter put their own twist to Lee National Denim Day by hosting a manicure party to boost fundraising efforts and further the message of the importance of early detection. In our second year of participating, our Denim Day team, lead by Belén Yánez, raised a total of $600.

As Lee National Denim Day moves into its thirteenth year, Sigma Iota Alpha is gearing up to participate in this grassroots program, which has raised more than $70 million for breast cancer research. Participants are encouraged to wear denim on October 3, 2008 in exchange for a $5 donation to the Women’s Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). Funds raised support some of the most promising treatment and early detection research in the country, as well as the grassroots advocacy work of the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer death among Latina women. The chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman's life is about 1 in 8 (12%). In 2008, an estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the United States.

Last night, the ladies of the Gamma Gamma Chapter hosted “Martinis & Manicures” at Beauty Bar (www.beautybar.com) in New York City. For $13, attendees not only received a Marti & a Mani, but also helped support the fight against breast cancer. Even with the rainy weather, over 40 participants came out to support our efforts. “The turnout for last night’s event was fantastic. It was great to see so many people; Hermanas, Co-workers, friends, family, and other Greeks; come together in support of our efforts for Denim Day,” noted Jeanette Spataro, who co-coordinated the event with Joanne Ramirez. “The staff at Beauty Bar was as excited and supportive of the event as the attendees. They did a great job of promoting our cause and helping us to raise money for Lee Denim Day.”

About Lee Jeans

Lee® Jeans is a division of VF Corporation. (NYSE: VFC). Headquartered in Merriam, Kan., Lee manufactures and markets brand denim, casual pants, shirts, fleece and knit apparel. A brand committed to the community, Lee Jeans founded Lee National Denim Day®, one of the largest single-day fundraisers for breast cancer. For more information about Lee, visit www.lee.com.

The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), as a leading charitable organization for the entertainment industry, has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support charitable initiatives addressing critical health, education and social issues. Through its Women’s Cancer Programs, EIF is funding some of the most promising breast cancer research, including Lee Laboratories nationwide focused on developing less toxic, more effective treatments and the Biomarker Discovery Project, a blood test for earlier detection of breast cancer. For questions about EIF’s Women’s Cancer Programs and information about breast cancer, visit eifoundation.org or call 800-426-0010.