Quote:
Originally posted by lovelyivy84
Even if you are NOT active, being in a BGLO means something. THere are so many IFC and NPC orgs that even keeping the names straight can be difficult (Chi O, A Chi O? Alpha Sig, ASA?) but we have nine (major), and EVERYONE in the black community knows them. Any African-American watching the Cosby show (for good example) knows this one's an AKA, this one's a Delta, he's an Omega, etc. because it's a part of the organization of our communities, at social and at community service levels and has been for years. NPHC orgs are a big part of black history. Damn near ALL prominent Black Americans (except for Clarence THomas and Condoleeza Rice) are members.
I am not trying to minimize the impact of your orgs at all, my perspective is probably a result of my community, but I grew up in a mostly white school, with a lot of white friends and never saw fraternity or sorority life as much of a part of their culture as it is of ours.
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I think there IS more of an impact felt by the NPHC groups on the Black community, simply because the Black community is more of a community. (I feel like that's a huge oversimplification but I don't know how else to put it.)
It is true...some places in the country you can go and say "I'm an ASA"* and people are like, oh wow cool...if you go to California or Oregon and say you are an ASA, the response will probably be, "Is that a local?" Whereas you can go anywhere in the country and a lot of places around the world and say you are an AKA and everyone knows what you're talking about.
Would the NPC and NIC have a similar alum structure if we had fewer orgs? I don't know...it's kind of a which came first the chicken or the egg question.
*ASA = Alpha Sig. I am one.
