Leadership Academy

The first Epsilon Xi Omega debutante ball was held in 1955 and founded by sorority member Barbara Anderson, under the leadership of Anna Smith as chapter president. The initial purpose of the debutante ball was to enrich cultural opportunities for Negro girls in San Diego.

Over the years that original vision has developed into a purpose of helping enrich, empower, and motivate the lives of African American young ladies in the San Diego community. The Debutante Ball has also evolved into a community service project and scholarship opportunity for all those involved.

In 2005, fifty years after the initial debutante ball, 22 exceptional young women “Ebony Pearls: Our Golden Legacy”, made their debut into society. During that golden year, the ball had over 800 attendees and, at the time, was the largest and grandest ball hosted by the chapter.

Over those first 50 years, EXO had mentored over 1,000 future scholars and community leaders in its debutante programs.