Last week, National Pan-Hellenic Council organization Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. hosted several events in honor of their founding date. 

The local chapter was founded on April 26, 2003. Over the years, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. has shown much improvement.

“Our communication has improved,” said Sigma Gamma Rho President Britney Bell. “We have been very open to new ideas, challenges and push each other to achieve greater things.”

Events for this year included: Operation BigBookBag, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) awareness tabling, Block Party, Ice Cream Social, Jambalaya fundraiser and National Selfie Day table.

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. has been hosting a week of events for over 10 years. This year, the ladies decided to put a fun twist on things.

“The National Selfie Day table was a new event,” said Bell. “We wanted to show people that we know how to have fun, just give them a chance to know us and enjoy free candy.”

While the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. do enjoy having fun, they also know how to be serious, especially when it comes to HIV awareness.

“HIV is dear to our hearts because it is the base of a number of our sorority’s national projects,” said Bell.

As college students, Bell feels it is important for everyone to understand the virus.

“It affects college students because the age range of college students has the highest cases of HIV/AIDS in the United States, and with Baton Rouge being number one in the state, it is great to educate our campus with facts on how to avoid the disease,” said Bell. “We like to take the opportunity to make our fellow peers aware of the dangers of unprotected sex and/or how to live with HIV/AIDS.”

According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2014, one in five new HIV diagnoses were found in ages 13-24. Also, at the end of 2012, 44 percent of youth with HIV did not know they had the virus.

It is very common for youth to not be aware they are carrying the virus. Organizations like the CDC and Sigma Gamma Rho work to warn, inform and help students who are in danger of the disease and to guide those who are already affected by HIV.

The CDC states many possible causes of HIV including “having sex or sharing syringes and other injection equipment with someone who is infected with HIV.”

The chapter does not plan to stop here. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. hopes to continue to raise awareness of the virus.

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. will be planning fall events throughout the summer. For updates, check the Southeastern website or their Facebook page.