Louisiana Alpha L.T. Niosi Brady graciously hosted my visit with the Charlotte, North Carolina, Alumnae Club in April. As the night concluded and there were only a few guests left, I was immediately drawn to the fun and laughter L.T. shared with Ohio Alpha Jessica Lawrence Vicknair. The two can finish each other’s sentences and are quick to praise one another. I knew I had to get to know them better!
These two career women — Jessica in sales and L.T. an entrepreneur — individually moved to the Charlotte area, neither knowing anyone at all. Both contacted the alumnae club independently in hopes of meeting women in the area.
In recalling her first club event, L.T. remembers meeting Jessica and they “just hit it off.” Through Pi Phi, the duo felt as though they had a shared history even though they did not know each other until they joined the alumnae club. Their instant bond blossomed into the strong friendship they share today.
L.T. did not believe it was possible to make a true friend as an adult, until she met Jessica. But now, she recommends we all stay connected to Pi Phi, because we will meet other women, which could lead to an immediate connection you could never predict. L.T. says because the two women are very similar, it is easy for them to admire each other and how they live their lives. “Our friendship is based on mutual respect,” she says. After meeting one another, their lives have grown in parallel to: Engagements, marriages and many other huge life events.
At her wedding, Jessica’s father asked during his speech: “How many Pi Phis are in the room?” As women from her undergraduate chapter, friends from home in other chapters and, of course, her good friend from the alumnae club, L.T., all raised their hands. Jessica’s father remarked on all the joys Pi Phi has brought his daughter. He also shared how proud her grandmother, Ohio Beta Nadine “Dee” Schneider Lawrence, would be if she knew of these Pi Phi connections. Jessica even wore her grandmother’s arrow badge inside her wedding dress that day.
One other particular story from the wedding gets to me. According to Jessica, L.T. graciously assisted her through the rollercoaster of wedding planning. Jessica struggled to find the perfect pair of earrings to wear on her wedding day, so she sent ideas to L.T. in hopes she could assist in finding a pair for her. L.T. suggested, “Why don’t you wear the earrings I wore?” Jessica was initially hesitant because the beautiful jade earrings were a gift from L.T.’s mom for L.T. to wear at her wedding. After a little back and forth, Jessica proudly wore the earrings at her wedding as her something borrowed.
The earrings looked amazing on both brides and their dresses, even with such different weddings: L.T.’s warm- weather versus Jessica’s New Year’s Eve wedding. “In every photo, I only see each other wearing the earrings,” Jessica says.