"Why Did You Decide to Join ...That?"
 

This is for anyone that is part of an independent BGLO, MCGLO etc.

And if this topic has been discussed, forgive me, but I cannot take the time to dig thru 100s of older posts to pull this up.

On a slight tangent from the "Why do multicultural GLOs/organizations exist?" thread, my comments and question is this:

Within the past 20 plus years, many people have opted to not join the traditional orgs that have have historical roots on collge campuses for many reasons:

Chapters may not have been active or what the person was looking for vs what they saw were incompatible or many other reasons.

Thus for any of a number of reasons, newer GLOs were created.

For those of you here, why did you decide to create or join a new GLO as opposed to what was already in place and be a part of tradition?

My story:

I took a long hard look at fraternities when I was an undergrad at Morgan State Univ. in the early 90's. This was a time when at that point anyone would see the last above ground lines for the NPHC were being pledged on campus because at that point new rules for intake were being set in place. This was also a time where just about all of the BGLOs on the yard were very active in community service and their presence was felt.

My issue was finding something the I liked where I could give and get something back. The problem however was after really researching the two orgs I wanted to join, I wasn't comfortable with what I was getting back.

In one of the orgs, the brothers that I met I wasn't very comfortable around and let's face it, if you and the people that you hope to call 'frat' one day aren't seeing eye to eye on the level, can only get worse after you become a member.

The other org, I felt very comfortable around the members and in fact 3 of them we are all very tight to this very day. However, right when I was about to try to be a part of the intake class, I found out that they were suspended.

Funny thing tho, they still wanted me to go thru the process because my qualifications and recommendations were on point and they made all kinds of guarantees that once the line crossed they would get it straightened out with nationals.....common sense says that guarantees are never that so I decided not to. My room mate continued on and after he was done, he found out it was all for naught. Nationals found out about the line and 4 of the guys involved didn't have the right credentials to be a part, thus a suspension was handed down....so I woulda took part went thru all that madness and for what....?

At that point, I simply decided that it just wasn't meant for me to be a part, until a year or so later, I met a brother from the frat I became a part of. One of the things that I was given to opportunity to do was, not only to become a brother in something new (only 7 years old at that point) but to be a focal point to branching out in MD.

It was a chance to create something new and trust...it's never been easy.
The challenge wasn't going thru intake, but AFTER.

People are not used to seeing something new and I have many first hand accounts...and after some get over the inital shock of seeing something new, they begin to realize there is more to who I am than just my letters.

We have had more than my fair shakes of ribbing, and arguments and funny stares.

We have had more than enough people who have tried to figure out 'just exactly who am I' because I was in a different org.

We have been told 'no' more than enough times that we can't partake in certain events because 'your org isn't part of the older tradition'

We have in many ways have earned respect

We have in many ways have bonded with others in other frats and sororities because they have looked past the colors and letters see that we all are working our way towards the same goals.

People believe that if you join a 'newer GLO' you weren't good enough to join the older more established orgs. That is not the case. A lot of us that have started / joined newer orgs prefer the alternative vs the obvious.

Prefer to create unique traditions rather that be another name in an ever evolving one.

Some of us are just happy to be around like minded folk who are simply looking to making thier corner of world a better place......

So...what is your story?

yup, it has been asked before, no biggy!

my sorority is about 150 strong. it was founded in 2003 in Tennessee. my family consists of a bunch of Zetas, a few Deltas, one AKA, and numerous Ques. my parents always saw it as "following the crowd" and allowing people to degrade you just to say you were in a group. keep in mind, my parents came thru college in the 70's, so their idea of hazing was nowhere near what happens today...:)

i still wanted to be part of a group, specifically because i like to do charity work, etc, and it is hard to do alone. while helping my sister do research for a paper, i ran across Sigma Beta Xi. i was surprised at the fact that it is a motherhood-based sorority. i was intrigued, so i emailed the national president, who PERSONALLY called me and had a lengthy conversation with me about the org. and invited me to come to an interest meeting. the chapter was over an hour away from where i live, but i went anyway, loved them, pledged, and crossed a month ago!

i have never been the type to be like everyone else. i dont judge those who chose d9, most went into it with the right mind and reason, while i know a few who did just because their mother was/liked the colors/thought they were pretty enough, etc. i think by considering one that isnt known/isnt "popular" you get the true effect of a sorority/fraternity. you get to be part of the beginning. i dont fade into the background...

so thats my story. hope thats what you wanted!

Congrats!!!

In the end we have to not only be true to ourselves...we have to ask WHY DID WE do this and what is this giving ME and be happy with the answer....I know I am....I woouldn't trade this for anything else.

yo true story...i'ma be blunt about this...alot of these newer BGLOs were started by pplz who was online for the D9 orgs and dropped. i'm not sayin all, but a good amount, probably had at least one founder of the org that was online for an NPHC org. I mean, it is what it is, but lets not kid ourselves and say that most of these orgs were started because they couldnt find the ideals they sought in the D9 orgs. even some of the Latin orgs have founders that are pancakes too. same as wit some of these charter members for some of the chapters in the newer orgs. hell thats even happened in the D9...

And while that may be true to some degree, you never know unless you asked...and like u said it's the same for the D9 ...so let me ask you this...what lead u to Sigma? Was it your first choice? I know a lot of people who are in the D9 and thier org wasn't their first choice but came to a decision after doing their homework....we all end up where we are for a reason...do u agree?

In all fairness, if these individuals found the ideals they sought in the D9 orgs, the individuals involved would've been members of whatever NPHC org. But they couldn't find those ideals, so they dropped and started something else. Does this make sense?

What's a pancake? Does this have anything to do with Theta Phi Psi Fraternity (a BGLO founded in 2002 at Denny's) *lol* :p :D

dayum...can't even get an IHOP chapter?

I never went through rush.. I was simply recruited when Sigma Nu first came to our campus. I joined up a semester after they came on.

Why did I join? I don't think any fraternity in this state can boast more prominent members in business/government than Sigma Nu. Also, I guess it was a big deal to me that I could be a big part of starting something which was going to exist for a long time and touch many lives.

I was also philosophically against hazing -- something which at the time I would have rushed was featured in every other organization on campus.

You don't have to dig through old posts, you just have to run a search and it will dig through them for you.

Im lazy @ 8 in the morning...go figger....LOL

that is very tru Blue. i can be safe in saying that wasnt the case with us, one founder is married to a sigma, the other is an sgrho.

our sorority consists mostly of mothers, some single, some married, we even have a few grandmas, but that is our common bond. i have friends who were in d9 orgs and found them less accomodating because they were single parents.

son, you know why some ppl drop. you know exactly what i'm talkin about. and yes it does make sense...cuz i know of a newer org that was started and 2 of their founders was on for a NPHC org.

and a pancake is someone who was online for one org, but dropped and crossed another.


i mean i aint got no beef wit the new orgs...hey if they nphc aint ya cup of tea, no doubt, i aint knockin you...
and another thing...i think that we're almost gettin to the point of saturation. there's so many newer orgs out there, that its hard for them to expand. some orgs been around for near 30 years and they barely got 25 chapters. shit, it took PBS almost 20 years to get to Alpha Alpha...and i think we're just comin up on Beta Gamma Alpha chapter now, as far as undergrad chapters go.

Someone started a similar topic less than a month ago http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=86649

Daemon, you get much respect from me for having the courage to try something new.

I really like your comment about people assuming that if you aren't in the D9, then you must have tried to be and didn't make it. This has certainly not been the case in my experiences (and if I found out someone was seeking us out for this reason they would be shown the door with a quickness!).

For me, it was something I saw in my sorority that I did not see in anything else around me at the time. It was a close-knit, special bond and dedication to service and sisterhood. It was something that I wanted to be a part of and help disseminate in the future. The fact that it was also multicultural was icing on the cake!

It's not always easy being the new kid on the block. Growing up all I ever knew were NPHC orgs, so I understand the confusion. But for me, I enjoy educating people and showing that there are other alternatives out there. And to be honest I've gotten more love than hate for doing it.

So are you saying that when some new orgs history indicates that its founders "didn't find what they were looking for" in an NPHC org, it's merely smoke-and-mirrors for them being on line for an NPHC org and, well you know the deal....is that what you're alluding to? If so, I gotcha', no further explanation required.

About this newer org you know of...what was its name? I ask because I know of a ton of relatively new BGLOs, one of which died out within a year of its founding--Gamma Phi Eta (and its sister sorority, Xi Gamma Phi); it turned out after reading some context clues from its website (which is still up btw), that it was a knockoff of your frat and its founders were "Eternal Crescents".

Gotcha

(at bolded) Phi Eta Psi and Phi Delta Psi Fraternities come to mind. Heck, Beta Phi Pi and Delta Psi Chi fraternities (founded in 1986 and 1985, respecively) come to mind. Speaking of which, I remember when I was at Central State, there was a chapter of Delta Psi Chi on the yard, and I remember this one cat who was a member was trying to get me to join. I politely passed on the offer--I know what's it like to be in an underdog frat and while I got nothing but love for them, I didn't want to be in another org where the FAQ from folk who see my letters ask "What's that?" After a while that gets old and my answers began to have a smart-alecky slant to them. But I digress....

I think you should be able to join any organization that you choose, if for no other reason than because you want to, but when you try to mimic one of the NPHC orgs exactly, what does that tell everyone? Like the fraternity Kappa Psi Kappa. These guys have the diamond and the cane as their symbols...are you kidding me?????? How reject can you get? How disrespectful can you get?:eek:

I got one better for u..Gamma Phi Eta imitated us....colors and mascot..it took a min for nationals to contact them and get them to make thier necessary changes....

Are these D9 members still active in their organizations because we all took an oath and made a lifetime commitment? Abandoning one org to start/join another isn't cool unless there is a VERY good reason, especially when you can just as easily pitch the idea of starting a new chapter program; one that can incorporate your needs (as long as they somehow align with our National programs). And there are plenty of mothers (married and otherwise) in our graduate chapters so accomodations do have to be made and their needs are taken into consideration. As far as your sorority being founded by a member of sgrho...now I understand why Sigma is your first letter and why there are references to "Sigma Land" on your chapter websites. Do you really think that's a coincidence? You might want to ask your founder about this and I'm not being sarcastic...I really want you to ask her.

I just realized something. Maybe your founder isn't an sgrho at all (although she may have told you so) but rather an eternal Aurora...hmmmm.

What's a pancake? Does this have anything to do with Theta Phi Psi Fraternity (a BGLO founded in 2002 at Denny's) *lol*


lol :p at the above comment.

I'm always interested when people say "you never know until you ask" but when you ask people say "why are you asking/why are you hating/why are you singling us out."

And I'm also humored that Rain Man is still acknowledged as an entity.

my policy has always been ask and I will tell u what I can because you dont learn until u ask...

*wink*

This topic has been discussed on GC ad nauseum (?sp) to the point that the threads got locked and deleted. It can become a very hot topic on GC for the very reason that it does appear that people starting these new BGLOs do so simply because they were either rejected from their D9 of choice or they became disillusioned with the D9 they joined. I have no problem with people wanting to start a new BGLO or any GLO for that matter. My Founders did it along with the others in the D9, NPC, IFC and NIC. It's just that when these new ones copy the established ones so blatantly, then these new guys do seem suspect. If you don't want to be me, then don't copy me.


DaemondSeid - just do a search for Pi Kappa Alpha at Howard U. I think you might find some of the reasons you are looking for.

Diva...I have been in for 13 years....the only reason why I brought this topic up is that I am seeing more and more new orgs popping up than there was when I first crossed way back when and now that I am seeing lots and lots of these new orgs, I am curious about their perspectives for doing something against the grain

One monkey don't stop no show.

Kazo didn't kill my thunda here on GC. I thought 'ya knew :D

My niece is a nursing student at OSU. She considered going the Zeta route for a minute, but decided not to and is contemplating forming her own "sorority" that is for single mothers (I use quotation marks because I don't know if it will be a sorority per se or just a club).

Quite honestly, I couldn't see her joining an NPHC sorority as an undergrad; with a man to tend to and three kids, to say nothing of school and work, she simply would not have had the time. I'll keep you posted as to the progress of the organization.

http://www.siyclone.com/forum//style...spitcoffee.gif
http://www.siyclone.com/forum//style...ault/dead3.gif
So wrong..

lol :p

That's exactly what I was doing! Hey, NinjaPoodle were you spying on me?:p

Where's my kleenex? OMG! I just can't stop laughing! lol.

Glad you and NinjaPoodle liked my post. ;)

Nope (in between uncontrollable giggles and tears):D

btw, there's a K Psi K that just registered on GC that started a thread in the "Fraternity Recruitment" forum. Apparently, they're looking for new members. Check it out.

Like I said, the two most common reasons seem to be they were either rejected from their D9 of choice or they were disillusioned with the D9 they joined. Fine. But, if you (the general you) are going to be all :mad: with the D9 for what ever reason, then don't go start your org and mimic the D9. You do you for the reasons that inspire you. And, if your reasons are so different from the D9 then your true uniqueness will shine through. You won't have to go around looking for reasons to justify your org.

You do realize that every D9 org. was founded to go against the then existing grain?

awww come on now...sweetie I wasnt born yesterday...

Sigma Pi Phi and then Alpha Phi Alpha was created out of that very reason...the Prince Hall Masons...one of the very reasons why frats and sororities also exists was created because whites found ways to keep black lodge members out

just like I know that 22 of the AKAs seceeded because they couldn't see eye to eye on the direction of the sorority at that time and thus your sorority was created...please don't try to insult my intelligence....just because I am in a younger org doesn't mean I am not knowledgable about the 9.

I have to agree with this. I can understand wanting to start your own organization but I don't understand why anyone would want to mimic those that they are trying so hard NOT to be like, unless they are going to add something unique.

Um, first of all I am not your sweetie and second, compared to me you were born yesterday. Lastly, I was responding to your post, so if my response insulted your intelligence that speaks more to your post than mine.

Interesting topic. I wonder what things will be like in 50 years?

With the Latino, Asian, and Black populations all increasing more than the White population, I wonder whats going to happen?

Could be some interesting things happening in Greek Life.

if you are going to ask the questions of mimicing...then u have to then ask your orginal founders WHY they created their orgs...as another question i am so commonly asked....and I am SURE somewhere along the line ..WHY on GOD'S green earth would a BLACK person join a GREEK LETTERED organization and not an African one.....and yet...it's a valid and fair question. It's not like the 9 did anything different than newer GLO's are doing...they got grief for wanting to do something and for various reasons they didn't find it among what was already present and made the decision to branch out and carve thier own niche....it's like trying to tell someone that there are only 9 things in life you can ever hope to be and out of those 9 you can only truly choose one without giving that person the benefit of saying....well I know that there is more to this world than 9 choices.....just like your founders made the choice to start soemthing of thier own and no matter 'how unique' they are supposed to be, they / we all serve the same purpose....THAT is the bottom line.


The only thing that divides us are our colors and our symbols....take that away and what else are we.....

Bottom Line: Most of us joined our respective organization to in some capacity serve the communites in which we live right?

Last time I checked...I did

And truthfully? Bottom Line?

I could just as easily do without and did it either on my own or as an individual..but as just another gardener out here...nothing gets cultivated without extra hands...questio is...who else's hands do you trust to help you?

Read my quote at the bottom of this page please....define that for yourself because when it comes right dfonw to it, that is how I feel about Greekdom.

Well, actually, it has been my understanding that Greek life really had its founding in the Free Masons and Phi Beta Kappa.

It terms of mimicing I am referring to the fact that many of these newer groups take all the characteristics that are commonly associated with the D9 like stepping/strolling, hand signs, calls, line names/numbers, symbols, colors - then say, well we are different. I don't mention rituals because I don't know the rituals of these orgs, nor of the others, but it would not surprise me if some of these newer groups 'borrowed' aspects of established groups. I'm just sayin';)

I have no problem that these new orgs exist. Great. Maybe we do need more choice. But, at the same time I get the feeling that you feel compelled to explain why your org exists. As long as you do you, then you won't find yourself on a message board asking why you and others made the choice (other than the D9) that you did.

^^ And from the sites that I perused yesterday, because of reading some of these threads, it seems like a lot of these orgs are mimicking the most superficial qualities. It seems like the focus is having a call, symbols, and colors. So in that way, these groups are merely a shade of the D9 orgs they imitate, because of how peripheral those elements really are to our organizations.

Oh and I would have to disagree with the statement that the D9 orgs are all fundamentally the same. We do have one purpose in common, but that purpose is not our only purpose. Also, our approaches as to how best achieve that purpose, basically the philosophies of our organizations, are very different as is evidenced by the type of programming that the different organizations offer. Again, to make such a statement suggests only a superficial understanding of the D9.

kewl...I can deal with that... let me hit you with this too...it's been a min since I really deep checked in and really saw that there are a lot of newer orgs popping up and at such high rates too...thus that was why I asked the question. You may know like I do, that once u really get out of school some of that really doens't concern you because you barely have enough time to keep up with what your own,(Work, Family yadda yadda) Thus when I foun dthis board along with some of the info one of my frat sent me, I was like ....WWWWOOOOOOOWWW...there are a lot of other folks who are going in other directions than whats already available... this was kind of apparent when I went up to Morgan a few years ago and peeped the handbook and saw the list of non NPHC orgs....so I wonder like some of you wonder and you don't learn anything without asking. And yeah you got some that are so non creative that the best they could do was slap a new coat of paint on thier org and calling a GLO...and you have some others that saw a void and filled it.

I am simply curious about anything that is new..but I sometimes find it easier to explain who I am first and set the table so that others can feel at ease joining in

No one can ever understand where ya going if they can't see where ya coming from....ya dig?