African American women in CPC, opinions, please?
 

We have a large number of black ladies signed up for recruitment already. It is still a while away, and many are freshman and might realize it's not nphc and quit, but there are wayyy more than normal signed up. I'm in the south eastern part of the us, so even though it isn't always obvious and people don't always suspect it because it isn't the "deep south," racial tension is here. There are 2 black girls though that i would LOVE to have in my chapter that are already signed up. They would be great assets and would fit in, I think.

A few days ago in meeting, we talked about some girls and there was some tension. A couple girls privately requested that we not take any black members. The don't want to give a bid to a black girl because it will split our chapter, and nothing is worth splitting the chapter over.

It's not really for "racist" reasons, supposedly, but more for a concern of what others will think (which I don't particularly think is an excuse at all, but that's just me). A few members are concerned because no one on campus in NPC has ever done it before, and we lost a huge group of seniors and our reputation is suffering for other things. We have been one of the largest on campus for years, but in the last couple months, are numbers are low and our charter is at risk, and they don't want to do anything that nobody else is doing to risk not making quota. I understand not risking whatever it is we're apparently risking by giving a bid to some random girl we don't really care for, but I think that if we really really love a girl, it's completely racist to cut her just because of her race.

This is really eating away at me and I would love some objective opinions. I love my chapter more than life itself, but the idea that we could be so shallow really hurts me. :( What do you guys think?

An afterthought: I don't know if this is really relevant or not, but our chapter is currently the most diverse on campus. We have Spanish, Mexican, Italian, and Asian ladies now, so I don't really see what the big leap is to take another ethnicity.

Please tell me this is made up drama....

The risk you take is losing them to another chapter that has enough confidence to take the leap. In my experience (yes, I'm a yankee) and for whatever reason, the few black girls who went through NPC recruitment were stellar candidates. I think if there are black girls with the confidence and credentials to go through NPC formal recruitment, they should really be given the benefit of the doubt, at least through the first round or two so some of the members can meet them as opposed to only knowing them as the black girls going through rush. But you do have to deal with the baggage your current sisters carry so tread gently. I'd be interested to hear how it goes, although I understand you can't share exactly what is discussed.

It's very sad that this is an issue in this day and age.

Bullshit. But, if "racist" scares people we can use "discriminatory." It is discriminatory even if it isn't based on prejudice on the part of some of the actives. The actives don't have to be prejudiced (I'm not assuming they are or aren't prejudiced) against Blacks to be concerned with how the chapter will be perceived by others.

Thanks for being honest about what many of us know does happen at some chapters. I recommend talking to the actives about what sisterhood means to you all and challenge them to challenge the status quo. Let them know that these young ladies will be judged just as the other young ladies will be. It will be difficult to change people's minds but try your best to give these young ladies a fair shot. Whether you all view them as suitable or not suitable for membership, for reasons OTHER THAN RACE, there's no need to fret. THOSE PEOPLE will never take over your chapter and override the good old wholesome Southern bred white girlness. :D

But, this doesn't infuriate me because there are larger battles to fight in racial and ethnic inequality. :) Blacks going through recruitment is as rare as whites going through NPHC membership intake, for a number of reasons. All of our organizations will remain predominantly (insert race and ethnicity) because our society will never stop being racially segregated. No need to grapple with this issue too much. Cheers. :)

Why? What has changed in "this day and age" that would make it not an issue and sad that it is?

And, for the record, this would be an issue all over the country and not just in the South.

I stopped reading at 'black ladies'.

as dr. phil said, remind your sisters of the qualities you are seeking in your new members as you go thru recruitment. gpa, activities in high school or college, friendly, a young woman who presents herself well. if you use the criteria that your chapter and nationals use to determine if a young woman is worthy of membership in your org., then race should be a moot point.

but please, pledge the women you pledge because you like them and want them to be your sisters, not to regain your position as one of the largest chapters on campus. you all are doing noone a "favor" if they are just a number.

What do your advisers think of this? I know our recruitment/membership advisers in school would NEVER allow this to even be an issue. We looked for certain qualities in PNMs regardless of race, religion, disability, etc.

QFP
Stay on the ball people!

I agree with what Dr. Phil said.

But I do have to wonder how your sisters would feel about having this aired here -- it is membership selection, after all. You've given your name (in another thread) and you seem to have identified the school in your user name.

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The only thing that has changed is that people hide their prejudices from the public eye more than they did in the past.

I don't exactly agree.

People try to sugarcoat it and apologize for it and minimalize it but I don't think they try to hide it.

Some people would like to test 'the line' to see how far they can go before someone calls them on it.

My collegiate Greek system went through this in the late 1990's. One year we had a PNM go through recruitment who wrote that she was a NPHC legacy on her application. During recruitment we learned that she was a white PNM who's step-mother was African-American. Before we learned that though, it started dialogue. The interesting thing I found was that we, the active sisters, were open so long as she was a good fit with the chapter. Her race didn't matter. It was the alumnae who made their opinion known. My chapter was less than 20 years old at the time so these were younger alumnae. I was really surprised and quite honestly still think of those alumnae differently. They lost my respect by their comments.

A couple years later, an African American PNM did go through recruitment. Our chapter LOVED this PNM and wanted to give her a bid, but she wasn't anywhere near our grade requirement and we had to release her. Sisters were in tears. She went through recruitment successfully and received a bid to another chapter were she was a pretty incredible sister. I will say this also, my chapter was the low one on the totem pole back then and had she had grades, they would have accepted her regardless of her race. My chapter is no longer on the bottom of the totem pole and they have a number of African-American women in their chapter.

Don't be afraid of change on your campus, embrace it. If the women are smart, good quality women and the gel with your chapter, then offer them sisterhood.

Hmmm. The "afraid of how other people will think of us" reasoning in south Mississippi is a nice code phrase for "I don't want a black sister." Your sister is racist even if she doesn't want to admit it to herself. That's what racism is. "We're better than ____ so we can't have them in our group." If these girls are up to your sororities standards and combating this thought process is important to you, make an issue about it. If you think the opinion is wider spread than just one sister, don't bother, it will tear your chapter apart, and you may end up with an eyeopening experience.