The sisters of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta found a unique way to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their joining the sorority at Florida A&M University in the spring of 2007: a beach photo shoot dubbed “Melanin Illustrated” designed to celebrate and honor black beauty.
The tight-knit group of 56 women, ranging in age from 29 to 35, took a three-day trip to Costa Rica, organized by LaToya Owens, who was one of the first members of the sorority’s chapter at A&M, Yahoo Style reports.
Owens told Yahoo Style, “Being in a sisterhood means having a support system and someone always there to count on.”
“We spent three days bonding and doing fun activities, and then we rented out a catamaran that took us to a private beach where we took the photos,” Owens added.
She said the women coordinated their look by wearing nude-colored bathing suits, with the aim of empowering one another and celebrating black beauty.
The sisters shared their photos on Instagram, using the hashtags #MelaninIllustrated and #TITEtakescostarica.
The beautiful photos have since gone viral.
Owens said that black women are often overlooked in beauty, and the photo shoot was a way to shine a light on all types of black beauty.
“Our sorority is all about black excellence, ”Owens said. “We want to serve as an example and [show] appreciation of black women. Our commitment is to scholarship and service, and this was to honor the sisterhood.”