Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the overall Ball scene. Do not use these opinions as a rule of thumb; edit them as you see fit for your experience. Thank you.Recently, I was asked to write a blog about mothers and what their role and success for a house should be.
I guess I should explain hierarchy in a house (according to my beliefs) in order to better explain my opinion.
Top Rank is Overall Parent. This person is in charge of the overall movement of the entire house. They consult with the regional/chapter parents to ensure that the focus of the house is being met.
Next is Regional Parent. They are told what to execute by the Overall Parents and make sure that the Chapter Parents are doing their job in each chapter.
Next is Chapter Parent. They deal with the everyday running of the house. They are the backbone of the house dealing with the needs and wants of the kids in their chapter.
Some houses have executive boards or “royal courts”. These people have “royalty” ranks such as queen, king, prince, princess, empress, dutchess and duke. They are brought in to execute non-ball related matters. They consult with Regional and Overall Parents to ensure that the house brand is being properly used and uplifted.
Chapter Mothers are the ones who hold the heaviest crown. They are the ones you call when you need ball effects, rehearsals and training. They organize chapter meetings, collect dues, arrange community service, gather the kids for important outings and maintain local buzz about the house. They recruit new members, act as a liaison between other houses and keep the morale up.
Regional Parents should be the ones making sure Chapter Parents have a woo-sah moment every once in a while. Much like the Chapter Parent for the kids, the Regional Parents should be ensuring that the Chapter Parents are running things smoothly. They should be removing members, updating rosters, keeping tabs on house wins and house history.
Overall Parents are not as “involved” in the day to day functions. They are the spokespersons for the house. They make sure that the house or its members are not being taken advantage of. They ensure that the legacy of the house is being fulfilled. They are the brand ambassadors and should be the ones who promote parents or recruit new free agents. They are the face of the house.
The ranks I’ve held were Queen, Regional Mother & Chapter Mother and in much of my former house life, I held all three titles simultaneously. Regardless of the rank, the terms of success range differently. Chapter Parents should be aiming toward ensuring their kids are polished in their category and storming and earning “star” or “statement” status. Regional Parents should be aiming towards getting “as a house” statement status. Overall Parents should be focused on how they can earn “house of the year” and how they can get their statements to become Legends. Not every house or even every house parent has that goal in mind. You would need to consult your parents to find out their thought process and execution plan.
With that being said, why aren’t more houses pushing towards this?Don’t always blame house parents because the ones who have much to prove and run the show are always
the kids! If you have a house of 50 and only 3 walk clearly Regional & Overall Parents can’t focus on their goals. The kids must push to earn their own status in order help the parents to do their jobs.
Now don’t get me wrong, Parents hold a ton of weight in promoting unity within the house. They enforce rules, standards and traditions and their presence, support and encouragement help keep kids motivated, focused and excited to do better on the runway.
Long story short, kids are the blue collar workers and Parents are the white collar bosses… Everyone’s aim should be longevity and until that holds true for every member of the house… It won’t happen.
Any questions?
Xoxo
Roxi
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