Phi Mu Ending the Use Of Hand Signs

[carnation]

Several black women have pledged NPCs at Auburn since that time but it seems that most prefer NPHCs. The same goes at Arkansas; I'm told that only 2.5% of the undergrad population is black women and that most of those prefer to pledge the NPHCs.

It's very frustrating to be totally open to pledging women of color (and even being pressured to do so by outside sources) when there really aren't that many who are interested, due to their family preferences.

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by carnation

Several black women have pledged NPCs at Auburn since that time but it seems that most prefer NPHCs. The same goes at Arkansas; I'm told that only 2.5% of the undergrad population is black women and that most of those prefer to pledge the NPHCs.

It's very frustrating to be totally open to pledging women of color (and even being pressured to do so by outside sources) when there really aren't that many who are interested, due to their family preferences.

It should not be frustrating at all, it should be the goal. It shouldn’t make a difference if it’s 1,500 Black girls that sign up for recruitment or 25. The goal should be to make those 25 feel comfortable, supported and allow them the same positive experience as any other young lady in the NPC. The statistics aren’t relevant. It’s about making the NPC a safe place for any qualified young woman who actually want to be there.

Most of the 2.5% won’t be joining ANY sorority for a million different reasons. Even if they they wanted to, we will never know, so let’s focus on the many young ladies who DO.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

It should not be frustrating at all, it should be the goal. It shouldn’t make a difference if it’s 1,500 Black girls that sign up for recruitment or 25. The goal should be to make those 25 feel comfortable, supported and allow them the same positive experience as any other young lady in the NPC. The statistics aren’t relevant. It’s about making the NPC a safe place for any qualified young woman who actually want to be there..

I get that and have been working towards that goal for years, as 5 of my daughters are not white (3 did pledge NPCs). The thing is, outside sources (mostly) are haranguing the NPCs to pledge many more black girls, almost suggesting that we should have quotas. If they aren't gonna rush NPC, no one can force them to.

Try to imagine if some outside source felt that your chapter should pledge 25% white girls and you were making an honest effort to do so. (Yes, I doubt that could happen but let's say that it could.) You were getting little response and yet people were on your case, blaming you. This is what's happening to some NPCs and it's not right.

[33girl]

A lot of it comes from outside sources not understanding how rush works for NPC or NPHC and thinking that they both do it in the same way when in reality they’re poles apart. It’s not like everyone is filling out the same job application.

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by carnation

I get that and have been working towards that goal for years, as 5 of my daughters are not white (3 did pledge NPCs). The thing is, outside sources (mostly) are haranguing the NPCs to pledge many more black girls, almost suggesting that we should have quotas. If they aren't gonna rush NPC, no one can force them to.

Try to imagine if some outside source felt that your chapter should pledge 25% white girls and you were making an honest effort to do so. (Yes, I doubt that could happen but let's say that it could.) You were getting little response and yet people were on your case, blaming you. This is what's happening to some NPCs and it's not right.

...and they can keep haranguing. I tend to not worry about people that are not informed about what we are doing. We get plenty of comments about why we don’t “recruit” non-Black people or even let them in our organizations, when we don’t “recruit” Black people either and our numbers of non-Black initiates has grown. The peanut gallery doesn’t make me lose sleep at night. We control what we can control. The more “diverse” young ladies that are seen having positive experiences in the NPC, the more will feel emboldened and safe to participate.

Getting back to the hand-signs topic. I think all of this shows how much we really don’t know about each other. I wonder if our leadership ever even talks to each other.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

I wonder if our leadership ever even talks to each other.

Some NPHC organizations are also members of the NIC, but my impression is that that group is more about the business end of fraternities than it is about the cultural aspects.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

What does gang culture have to do with it?

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

Getting back to the hand-signs topic. I think all of this shows how much we really don’t know about each other. I wonder if our leadership ever even talks to each other.

Total transparency here- from the first time I saw NPC groups "throwing hand signs", I thought they'd gotten it from gang culture. I didn't know NPHC groups had hand signs until I joined Greekchat but, working in adolescent mental health, had a lot of experience with gangs and gang signs. All the high schools had to ban wearing colors and throwing signs so my frame of reference was gang signs and that was back in the early 90s. I really thought that's where the sororities got it from.

I agree there is much we don't know about each other. When I was in leadership, I often said we had much to learn about NPHC because you convey the concept of lifelong membership that we simply cannot get. The number of women who stay active in NPC orgs after graduation is abysmal. We could learn a lot from you on that topic for sure.