By Micah Jordan, Communications Assistant for Student Affairs
In the world of Greek life, strolling is more than just synchronized movement — It's a powerful display of unity, tradition and pride. For Nona Goffney-Brown and her sisters of the Iota Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., their recent victory in the stroll competition was the result of months of dedication, creativity and sisterhood.
UNC Charlotte's 2024 Stroll Competition brought together the University's Divine 9 fraternities and sororities for a showcase of unity, creativity and tradition. This event annually celebrates the rich history and culture of Black Greek organizations with a competition that includes performances with stepping and rhythmic strolling. It also fosters community spirit and highlights the legacy of leadership, service and excellence within the Divine 9 at UNC Charlotte.
Student AffairsIn spoke with Goffney-Brown to discuss the journey to their big win, the unwavering bond that made it all possible and the significance of the sorority’s Founder’s Day, which they celebrated in January.
From grueling practices to unforgettable memories, Goffney-Brown gives an inside look at what it took to bring home the trophy, and why this victory goes far beyond the competition stage.
Founder’s Day is such a significant moment, what does it personally mean to you?
"Personally, for me, Founder’s Day is a reminder of all the great things the women before me did, not only to create Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., but also as a reminder of why our organization was founded in the first place: To serve the Black community while connecting with like-minded individuals with the same purpose.
"To me, Founder’s Day is one of those special days of the year when I can explicitly feel the love and care my Sorors, sisters and I have for the community and each other. It reminds me that I’ll always have a support system and family, no matter where I am. It's a time dedicated to giving gratitude to the trailblazing Founders who made it possible for me to be where I am today."
The stroll competition was a huge success for you, what was the process like in preparing for it?
"You know what they say, 'No pain, no gain.' It took months of hard work, consistency and dedication for my sisters (Taylor Harris, Kaitlyn Bradley, Amber Wilkins, Leah Thompson, Christen Smalley and Sania Williamson) and me to take home this win. We all learned new skills — from flipping to dancing and stunting. We constantly pushed each other to overcome fears we didn’t know we had and stuck with challenges that felt too hard to conquer as individuals.
"During this process, we bonded in ways we never could have imagined. We all agreed we wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world because, yes, even though we only took home a trophy, the memories we created will last a lifetime."
How were you personally involved in making it all happen?
"Personally, I was mainly involved in remixing our music for each round and helping to create the choreography. But most of all, I brought the jokes and lively energy to practice. I feel it’s important to have that 'comedic relief character' when the going gets tough. Being able to turn a tension-filled practice into one filled with laughs and giggles is what I specialize in. I just played my part in the whole, in the most authentic way that I could."
What did winning this competition mean to you and the Deltas?
"To me, this win symbolized that hard work and the power of community pay off. Before stepping onto the stage for the first time, I knew the trophy would be ours. I believed no one else could have worked harder than my sisters and I. This win symbolized the meaning of faith to me: 'The belief that something will happen, even though it’s not yet seen or demonstrated.' In my mind, we had already won, and once my mind is made up, what will be... will be.
"But this win would have been hard to achieve without the undying support of the rest of my sisters and alumni who graduated from Iota Rho. The things we, as the performance team, didn’t have time to do, the rest of my sisters stepped in to handle. When we had no more energy to give, the rest of my sisters picked us up and pushed us forward. When our chins were down, the sound of their loving and kind words of affirmation lifted us back up. We gave it our all on that stage, but we couldn’t have done it without their cheers and unwavering support. This was a win for all of us, a symbol of the fruit of true community and sisterhood when it’s genuine."
Are there any standout moments or challenges that made the victory even sweeter?
"My sisters and I didn’t just throw the show together at the last minute. We thoroughly planned every aspect of our performance, from the storyline and outfits to remixing our own music. We put our heart and soul into making everything make sense.
"When it came to choosing the theme for our rounds, we would pick a theme, get halfway done with the choreography and then realize the theme didn’t feel right. It wasn’t us, so we started over. We repeated this process for each round about five times, which caused the bulk of our frustrations. This picky process also went into determining outfits, props, acting parts, storylines, placement of individuals, placement of actors etc.
"As Deltas, we strive to be great and exemplary, and this showed in every aspect of our show. We reworked everything multiple times until it felt just right. Reflecting on how much attention we paid to detail, it feels great to know that all our hard work wasn’t in vain."
More information on Greek Life at UNC Charlotte can be found on the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life website.