It was a tragic way to spend Founder’s day for some of the reality television stars on VH1’s show ‘Sorority Sisters’. Alabama State alumna’s Priyanka Banks and Lydia Mitchell, who were initiated through the Beta Eta chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., have now been expelled from the organization.
According to the sorority’s website on January 13, which is also the founding date of Delta Sigma Theta, Banks and Mitchell will no longer have rights or privileges as members, and the two are prohibited from representing the organization in any capacity, attending any Greek or National Pan-Hellenic Council events as Deltas and from wearing paraphernalia with insignia related to the sorority.
During their collegiate years attending Alabama State University, Banks served as Miss ASU 2009 and she studied theatre, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. Mitchell was a member of the Stingettes dance team, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications.
Sorority Sisters was a constant topic of controversy and was held in contempt from each member of the “Divine Nine”. Airing earlier this year, the series was based on sorority women of various backgrounds and professions, depicting the women’s lives, but also highlighted drama, cat-fights, petty banters and childish insults.
The VH1 production faced a number of petitions all encouraging the network and producer Mona Scott-Young to cease spreading of ‘ignorance’ and stereotypes of Black Greek-lettered organizations. Later, commercial sponsors was forced to pull their advertising funds from the network in slots to be aired during the show after one petition reached 78,000 individual supporters, all signing to express their anger toward the show
Now VH1 is announcing that the show being cancelled.
The last few shows of the series were aired back to back on Jan. 16.