Latino Greek Letter Organizations

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by soul_anna4

Maybe someone from MSU can elighten us because I also question the Latino fraternity ties they have, their Spanish motto, and their Spanish founding mothers. In fact, I also see that "multicultural sorority" is not in their official name (Lambda Tau Omega is guilty of this as well), although some local chapters tend to say it does.

Just to add my 4 cents...I believe that national recognition of multicultural status is EXTREMELY important. To me, a true multicultural organization must be deemed so by their national board and not have any affiliations (currently or in the past) to any specific cultures. Programming, membership, and all other efforts must focus on some aspect of multiculturalism, whether it be education of cultures, breaking stereotypes, etc.

I believe that Mu Sigma Upsilon is multicultural without being overbearingly so.

I know many members and I'm familiar with their programming. I think of a Spanish motto for a multicultural sorority is tantamount to a Latin or Greek motto for a more traditional sorority. Why use a foreign language at all? Perhaps the founders (or whoever coined the motto) wanted to look at sorority life with a different lens. Perhaps it could have been Swahili or Chinese instead. To me, it still would have worked because it is a multicultural organization.

I don't know, it just seems like folks are going another direction with this....

[Ch2tf]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I believe that Mu Sigma Upsilon is multicultural without being overbearingly so. I don't know, it just seems like folks are going another direction with this....

I don't want to make any assumptions about what you're saying, so can you elaborate for me?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by Ch2tf

I don't want to make any assumptions about what you're saying, so can you elaborate for me?

An organization doesn't have to have "multicultural" in the title for it to be multicultural enough..... It just sounds like people are getting into a pissing match about which orgs are "multicultural enough." A while back I thought there was a concensus on what an MCGLO was -- a GLO that is multicultural by design and not just by circumstance.

MSU, for example has multicultural programming, traditions, and history -- and they happen to have a bond with a Latino fraternity. I don't see what the big deal is.

You don't have to put the MULTICULTURAL rubber stamp on every single thing you do to be legitimate. Alpha doesn't put a black stamp on everything and we're no less a black fraternity.

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

You don't have to put the MULTICULTURAL rubber stamp on every single thing you do to be legitimate. Alpha doesn't put a black stamp on everything and we're no less a black fraternity.

But your organization also doesn't "flip/flop" between calling itself an African American fraternity and a Multicultural fraternity. I think this is where the controversy lies within the LGLO and MCGLO community.

Perhaps some of the LGLOs and MCGLOs are experiencing an "identity crisis" as they grow (not saying this in a sarcastic way, that's just the best way I can describe it). It's really unfair to aspirants who are searching for the organization they wish to pursue, and unfair to members who joined under a focus that may be completely different now.

[Senusret I]

I understand.

[ZChi4Life]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

But your organization also doesn't "flip/flop" between calling itself an African American fraternity and a Multicultural fraternity. I think this is where the controversy lies within the LGLO and MCGLO community. Exactly!

Perhaps some of the LGLOs and MCGLOs are experiencing an "identity crisis" as they grow (not saying this in a sarcastic way, that's just the best way I can describe it). It's really unfair to aspirants who are searching for the organization they wish to pursue, and unfair to members who joined under a focus that may be completely different now.

I totally understand what you're saying here. And I can see it as an identity crisis, but I can also see some are trying to figure out their niche on their campuses. In the latter case, this issue seems to stem from individual chapters, rather than from the national governing body. I suspect that some orgs' national boards don't even know about the flip-flopping (one org in particular has 50+ chapters, so I'm sure they can't keep track of how each chapter presents itself at every given moment).

I don't have a problem with an org changing from being LGLO, AGLO, etc to being MCGLO (by design), but it should be done from a national scope. Like LatinaAlumna stated, it can be unfair to interests and members in the long run.

[Ch2tf]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

An organization doesn't have to have "multicultural" in the title for it to be multicultural enough..... It just sounds like people are getting into a pissing match about which orgs are "multicultural enough." A while back I thought there was a concensus on what an MCGLO was -- a GLO that is multicultural by design and not just by circumstance.

MSU, for example has multicultural programming, traditions, and history -- and they happen to have a bond with a Latino fraternity. I don't see what the big deal is.

You don't have to put the MULTICULTURAL rubber stamp on every single thing you do to be legitimate. Alpha doesn't put a black stamp on everything and we're no less a black fraternity.

I see where you're coming from. With Mu Sigma Upsilon I think the intrigue/doubt/suspect,or whatever you want to call it, about their MC "by design" status comes from the "spanish" motto and formal ties with a Latino fraternity.

[MSU3CelticSpr06]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

An organization doesn't have to have "multicultural" in the title for it to be multicultural enough..... It just sounds like people are getting into a pissing match about which orgs are "multicultural enough." A while back I thought there was a concensus on what an MCGLO was -- a GLO that is multicultural by design and not just by circumstance.

MSU, for example has multicultural programming, traditions, and history -- and they happen to have a bond with a Latino fraternity. I don't see what the big deal is.

You don't have to put the MULTICULTURAL rubber stamp on every single thing you do to be legitimate. Alpha doesn't put a black stamp on everything and we're no less a black fraternity.

Amen...I don't see the big deal with us being tied to a Latino-based fraternity. LSU is just as diverse as my organization. Hell, in my semester alone spring 2006 I had line brothers from just about every ethnicity: from Indian to Irish to Italian to Vietnamese and black as well...just to name a few.

[jubilance1922]

Originally Posted by MSU3CelticSpr06

Amen...I don't see the big deal with us being tied to a Latino-based fraternity. LSU is just as diverse as my organization. Hell, in my semester alone spring 2006 I had line brothers from just about every ethnicity: from Indian to Irish to Italian to Vietnamese and black as well...just to name a few.

I totally see your point. In general however, there are organizations that may have started out "Latino-based" and now that they have a more multicultural membership, now claimed to be "multicultural based".

My ls's and I are as diverse as they come. I know sorors of every ethnicity. But their membership does not change the focus of Sigma's programming and community service. And I think that's where the discrepancy is, orgs are seen to be "flip flopping" on the core ideals of their organization.

[MSU3CelticSpr06]

Originally Posted by jubilance1922

I totally see your point. In general however, there are organizations that may have started out "Latino-based" and now that they have a more multicultural membership, now claimed to be "multicultural based".

My ls's and I are as diverse as they come. I know sorors of every ethnicity. But their membership does not change the focus of Sigma's programming and community service. And I think that's where the discrepancy is, orgs are seen to be "flip flopping" on the core ideals of their organization.

Yeah I see what you are saying. I don't think that LSU (and I haven't seen this yet) is promoting themselves as a multicultural frat. but somehow they've been attracting men from many different cultures for a while now. Most of the programs that I've seen have something to do with the Latino culture.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by MSU3CelticSpr06

Yeah I see what you are saying. I don't think that LSU (and I haven't seen this yet) is promoting themselves as a multicultural frat. but somehow they've been attracting men from many different cultures for a while now.

And it's because they're all freaking HOTTTT.

I'm sorry, but it's true.

[MSU3CelticSpr06]

The founding mothers of Mu Sigma Upsilon decided on "Mujeres Siempre Unidas" because they wanted to stress unity among all women while sticking to the acronym "MSU".

And what's wrong with having 5 founding mothers of Latina descent? They happened to be multiculturally minded. Even though we have many Latina sisters in my organization, we have sisters from many other cultures around the world in my sorority as well.

As far as the ties to Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity, Inc. yes they are our brothers and yes the organization is Latino-based and not Latino exclusive. And as far as telling you how we have ties to that org. I can't tell you that b/c that was something that I learned during my process.

[Ch2tf]

Originally Posted by MSU3CelticSpr06

As far as the ties to Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity, Inc. yes they are our brothers and yes the organization is Latino-based and Latino exclusive. And as far as telling you how we have ties to that org. I can't tell you that b/c that was something that I learned during my process.

I don't want to know ties to LSU, nor did I ever expect to get a response telling me the ties between the two organizations as it is pretty well assumed that is information for members of the two organizations only. My response to Senusret was simply stating what I've heard from other people about the topic.

Question though, when you called LSU latino exclusive, what exactly do you mean?

[MSU3CelticSpr06]

Originally Posted by Ch2tf

I don't want to know ties to LSU, nor did I ever expect to get a response telling me the ties between the two organizations as it is pretty well assumed that is information for members of the two organizations only. My response to Senusret was simply stating what I've heard from other people about the topic.

Question though, when you called LSU latino exclusive, what exactly do you mean?

whoops i forgot the NOT in there...major mistake I'm so worried about getting rid of this spam @ the end of my messages at work that i didn't check my responses...

[Amanuet3]

I personally think it’s great to see many organizations (Black, Latino and Multicultural) embracing different cultures, through their programming, community service and membership. And I feel that the main concern is not that we are accepting different members within these orgs, but how we are presenting it.
There are many non-African American members in many of the D9 organization… However, they don’t claim to be a Black-multicultural org…WHY? ---Because they will never change the identity or the vision that their founders set for their organization. This is the problem I find---What does Latino-multicultural mean? Multicultural means EVERYONE!---without emphasizing any culture, or shadowing the others.
For some of the “TRUE” multicultural organization, they were founded because there was a need to embrace everyone and a thirst for knowledge about different cultures, religions and backgrounds. This was at a time that there were not many others that were offering this type of sisterhood. The founders for “SOME” of our multicultural organizations didn’t just want to provide service and support to one ethnicity, but to EVERYONE.
The hard work our founders struggled to provide is diminished, when other Non-Multicultural orgs, want to “STAMP” the acceptance of diversity. My Founders knew there was a need and envisioned it…If the vision of your founders was not to embrace all cultures, then to ME…Your not multicultural. And if the majority of your members want to change the vision set out by your founders, then to ME…Your in the WRONG org.