By Alexia Finney | Staff Writer
Baylor’s Pi Mu chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha is a two-time Mosaic Mixer Showcase champion, but this year, they’re not out for another trophy. They’re in pursuit of growing their sisterly bond.
Spring junior Leah Murray, vice president of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Phi Mu, said the chapter seeks to work with integrity and compassion.
“We really make sure that we are holding ourselves to the most ethical standard that we can, so that way we can help our community the best way that we can,” Murray said.
Alpha Kappa Alpha is an international service organization, according to its website. It was the first Greek-lettered organization founded by Black women with a college education, and the legacy continues at Baylor with Pi Mu, Baylor’s Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter.
After two years in first place, Murray said she doesn’t feel pressure to win a third time.
“This time around, our biggest focus in our practices has been less about [having] to win,” Murray said. “We’re gonna put our best foot forward and have fun.”
Established in 1991, Pi Mu has a legacy of Black women who have showcased their dances at Mosaic Mixer, dances that Murray said lean heavily on what she describes as “stepping and strolling.”
Cypress senior Cherish Dailey, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Pi Mu chapter, said the traditional dancing connects her to the sorority’s history.
“The moves and the different stylistic aspects of dance in Alpha Kappa Alpha are passed down through generations,” Dailey said. “Everybody before you has also gotten to participate in the same things, so it carries on a legacy.”
Even though preparation for the showcase involves grueling hours and stressful rehearsals, Murray said the showcase is about spending time with the sisterhood.
“It’s not about the trophy or the win,” Murray said. “It’s about spending time with my sisters, putting in that hard work and seeing it all come to life.”
Additionally, Dailey said the showcase highlights underrepresented groups on campus and helps her feel connected with the Black community.
“I was super nervous because the Black community here is very small,” Dailey said. “[Since] I joined AKA and got my sisters, they have been there for me every step of the way.”
For both members, the Mosaic Mixer serves as a cultural gathering and a reminder of the chapter’s purpose, not as a competition for the Mosaic Mixer Showcase champion title.
“It’s amazing to see that we’re being recognized, not in a prideful way, but in a way that we’re doing what our founders wanted us to do,” Murray said.
