On October 22, 1989 a group of 19 women gathered at the Chicano Native American Cultural Center to form a Latina based organization at the University of Iowa. These women were assisted by Esther Materon-Arum and Mary Peterson. Ending with only five women,Gloria Cuevas, Julieta Maria Miller, Maria Esther Pineda and Guanalupe Temiquel. April 9, 1990 Sigma Lambda Gamma was recognized by the National Panhellenic Council as a sorority.