I tell ya this much...what got my attention was DST's response to Don Imus awhile ago....I was like...dayum that was swift....if more groups and orgs could get that kind of press (and this is not to say that no one didn't say anything!!) when standing up for what's wrong in the world then others could see that we all are watching what happens to us and our communities

It comes down to utilizing your resources because our resources, like any organization, are limited. Therefore, we need to focus on those activities that are most inline with our founding and still relevant mission.

Your analogy is flawed. A better analogy would be watering your garden. Lets say that you are watering your flowers which need fertilizer, plant food, and the like. Since your garden is surrounded by grass, inevitably, some of your grass will get the benefits of this care. However, your focus is on your azaleas and daisies, etc because they need specialized care unlike grass that does just fine with rainwater and little else. While you don't intend to neglect your grass, it does not need as much care as flowers, it is hardier and there is an abundance of grass everywhere. Even though you have to step on your grass to get to the flowers, it is not because you like your grass any less. :cool:

Yeah, many of us came together on this one. See the following: http://www.sgrho1922.org/pdf/BWA_07_...ent_final2.pdf

That's what's up......I likes!

http://www.sigmaaepi.com/pages/chapters.html
School Location Chapter Year Initiated
University of California, Davis Davis, CA Charter 1998
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ Chapter closed 2003
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Beta 2003
University of California, Riverside Riverside, CA Chapter Closed 2003
University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Delta 2005
University of Oregon Eugene, OR Chapter closed 2005
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA Zeta 2005
Eta Colony Baltimore, MD Eta Colony In Progress

I have a few thoughts but I will hold my tongue

Speak soror!...Speak! or PM me or something!

I just want to state for the record that I don't personally have a problem with anyone joining the org of their choice...no matter what it is. What bothers me is when someone says that they didn't feel that the NPHC orgs fit them when they did very little research (if any) regarding our orgs. Some people will come to this conclusion after their encounter with only one of our orgs or possibly because of hearsay, rumor, or bad press. If you are truly interested in gaining knowledge about us, then do some "real" research...on your own. I would respect a person more if they just said I chose ABC because I liked it...or because I wanted to...period...no explanation needed. There is no need to act like you did any extensive research that would lead you to conclude that the NPHC orgs were not for you. I'm one of those people who likes what I like and I don't feel a need to justify anything to anyone. But there are those that THINK they know what we're all about today because they've observed an undergrad chapter or two that didn't align with our missions or they heard this or that through the grapes. All I have to say to that is...we have a lot of undergrad and graduate chapters and a whole lot of members and I truly believe that MOST of us are doing great things in our communities, things that don't end up in the press and that people don't spread rumors about. If you want to do the research, then really do it and if you don't care to, that's okay to.

Hmm. All interesting points.

I'm gonna have to agree with whoever said the resources thingie. With the way our country is (ie lack of good public schools, bad support for the poor, etc.) I think if you take the NPHC orgs away, it would be a major blow to the Black community.

I'm not saying that that would happen by focusing on serving other communities as well, but it would split resources.

Now, there are other ways to help. As far as social programs and developing strong non-profits, the Black community is light years ahead of the Latino/a and Asian American communities.

One thing I would like to see is things like the NAACP, NPHC, etc helping solidfy things like NCLR, OCA, NALFO, NAPA, etc. because their advice would be crucial to helping build up those organizations and allowing them to strengthen their own communites. However, right now, there just isn't enoug communication between organizations to really build effective coalitions that truly address the hearts of the issues.

I mean, it's kind of a Catch 22. You need to help your own community because no one else will focus on it, yet when all the various communities focus on their own issues, it makes it harder to see the big picture at times and create coalitions that could possibly help one's own community and the communities of others.

Hahahaha, I could go on for HOURS about this topic, but I'm sure people are bored of my post by now! :D

I'm sorry, but I really don't follow where you are coming from. Not to be smart or anything...I'm just confused. What's wrong with saying that NPHC orgs don't fit you? I mean...there were only two facets through which to see any of those organizations as an outsider and that's 1) The National website, or press, etc. and 2) the local chapter...if there was one. I went to a school were there was only Zeta Phi Beta and Delta Sigma Theta (AKA was there...but inactive or not allowed to rush...something like that). DST was sort of familiar to me because some of my friends from HS pledged...but the DST chapter was not too visable at my school. I only saw them at general NPHC events...not with their own events. ZPB was more so....but still...it was only a few girls...maybe 7 active sorors. Being that the NPHC wasn't really jumping at my school...I would need to turn to the national history to see what they were all about...because I would feel I would be pledging something much bigger than what I see in front of me. But the history of NPHCs don't really feel like something I can align myself into. Besides, as a collegian, don't you have to pledge your school's chapter? So why research other chapters...unless you want to pledge as a alumna....or you're thinking about transferring? Even so, I think it would be tough if you truly desire to be in such-and-such org one day, but you decide to sit out 4 years because you aren't feeling your local chapter. I don't know...that's just me. Maybe it happens more often than I think.

Also, who researches anything if at first they don't find it interesting or befitting? That's sort of like calling out someone for not buying a certain car...because although it's fast and popular...your head bumps the ceiling when you sit in it.

I understand what you're saying but undergrad is only part of it. The real work begins after college, when you join a grad chapter. For most people, this will be their chapter for the rest of their lives and grad chapter is on a different level entirely. Some people have researched our orgs and fell in love with not only our history, but with what we are doing right now from a National perspective so they decided to charter a chapter if there wasn't one or wait and go grad. And like I said before...you don't have to do any research if you don't want to but don't act like you have...and I'm not talking to you specifically.

I joined AKA because of what I saw in AKA, not because of what I did not see in other organizations, and that is the only way that I would talk about my reasons for choosing my sorority. I would not frame my choice as a rejection of what I saw in other organizations, but as an embracing of what I saw in AKA.

I totally agree with you on this. That is exactly why I chose SGRho.

This still boggles my mind.

I could never imagine joining a "White Cultural Interest" fraternity (and no Sigma Nu is not always a "whitey frat", we're the minority at my chapter).

I honestly had thought that the Sesame Street Generation had gotten past all this stuff.

Whites tend not to express their interests as "white interests" because many whites don't think they have a race or ethnicity. "Whiteness" is invisible so they see their interests as "people interests" or "mainstream interests." When, in fact, their interests translate to "white cultural interest." This is why I go beyond the race-neutral jargon to get to what (white) people are really conveying.

I find the term "whitey frat" offensive. Was it used in this thread? Being the minority at a chapter doesn't mean anything.

Got past what stuff?

Wanting to be around people with the same interests who tend to look like them? Why would humans ever get past that? There's nothing inherently bad about it as long as it isn't based on inequality or perpetuates inequality.

Even people in multicultural organizations want to be around people with the same interests who tend to look like them. That's why most of them have friends, family, and acquaintances of the same race once they leave their multicultural chapter meetings and events.

This SHOULD be why someone chooses their org. We don't have to tear others down to lift ourselves (or our org of choice) up; doing so demonstrates lack of character.