Why do multicultural GLOs/organizations exist?

[Tom Earp]

Times, People, and Ideals Change.

If there is an idea, you go with it. If it doesnt work, then you modify to stay Viable.

To keep Your Ideals, do what is necessary to keep the Organization together and in operatation!

absoluteZChi, yes, that is your opinion, but if you have not walked in the shoes?

[Tom Earp]

Times, People, and Ideals Change.

If there is an idea, you go with it. If it doesnt work, then you modify to stay Viable.

To keep Your Ideals, do what is necessary to keep the Organization together and in operatation!

absoluteZChi, yes, that is your opinion, but if you have not walked in the shoes?

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by carol9a
What is the WORLD is wrong with saying 'hey, our founders were hispanic, but hey you know what, you dont need to be hispanic to join'?

I don't believe anyone is saying that ANY org in the Greek realm would intentionally discriminate (on the national level). The original post was regarding the existence of multicultural sororities that were founded strictly on multiculturalism.

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally posted by absoluteZChi
It does bother me when I see a GLO that was founded as a HLGLO change from Hispanic Oriented to MC. My Org has many Hispanics that didn't want to joing a HLGLO simply because they wanted to expand their knowledge of other cultures and teach others about theirs. This is something I think HLGLO were seeing start to happen, so they came up with changing their marketing to MC.

Just wanted to point out that not all LGLOs did/do this!

My organization is a Latina sorority, period. We do not discriminate against non-Latinas, but if they want to pursue membership, they need to do so with the understanding that our focus is on empowering the Latina/o community, and that is not going to change.

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally posted by carol9a
Honestly, guys, so an organization started as a hispanic one is now bound forever to only be as such?

No, not at all.

However, some LGLOs have decided to uphold the original ideals of their founders. Nothing wrong with going either way, as long as the ENTIRE membership of the organization knows what direction they are headed. Like I mentioned earlier, it is really sad when one member will say "We're LGLO," and another will say "We're MCGLO." That just looks like disorder in the family, to me.

[TheEpitome1920]

Originally posted by LatinaAlumna
No, not at all.

However, some LGLOs have decided to uphold the original ideals of their founders. Nothing wrong with going either way, as long as the ENTIRE membership of the organization knows what direction they are headed. Like I mentioned earlier, it is really sad when one member will say "We're LGLO," and another will say "We're MCGLO." That just looks like disorder in the family, to me.

I agree that it can send the wrong message when members aren't clear on the direction of the organization.

[preciousjeni]

carol9a:

I'm very confused about your frustration. It seems that you're misunderstanding what the posts on this thread are saying!! I can't tell which organization you are a member of. (Is it Latina? If so, how have your members dealt with the issues you're bringing up? That might be a good way to educate the rest of us from the inside looking out.)

Regarding changes in the thrusts of organizations, I was thinking about starting a new thread on this, but since this one is active, let's just discuss it here.

Is it really ok for members of an organization to change the mission/purpose/creed/etc.? If an org started as an AGLO/LGLO/BGLO/MCGLO and is now considered "historically" AGLO/LGLO/BGLO/MCGLO, is it ok revamp?

Let's say, for example, an MCGLO has a majority of African-American members in 50 years. Would it be ok to change it from an MCGLO to a non-discriminating BGLO? You'd have to change the purpose, mission statement and other relevant components, wouldn't you?

Or is it better to maintain the org that the founders created, letting new members (regardless of "race") know that the org will focus on the concerns of all people even though the membership is mostly African American.

It's either one or the other - it cannot be both. To clarify, I'm referring strictly to already existing orgs...I suppose if you start a new org, you can say that it has no specific focus at all and will choose philanthropies and other elements based on something else altogether.

Edited because I confused myself!

[33girl]

Originally posted by preciousjeni
Regarding changes in the thrusts of organizations, I was thinking about starting a new thread on this, but since this one is active, let's just discuss it here.

Is it really ok for members of an organization to change the mission/purpose/creed/etc.? If an org started as an AGLO/LGLO/BGLO/MCGLO and is now considered "historically" AGLO/LGLO/BGLO/MCGLO, is it ok revamp?

Let's say, for example, an MCGLO has a majority of African-American members in 50 years. Would it be ok to change it from an MCGLO to a non-discriminating BGLO? You'd have to change the purpose, mission statement and other relevant components, wouldn't you?

Or is it better to maintain the org that the founders created, letting new members (regardless of "race") know that the org will focus on the concerns of all people even though the membership is mostly African American.

It's either one or the other - it cannot be both. To clarify, I'm referring strictly to already existing orgs...I suppose if you start a new org, you can say that it has no specific focus at all and will choose philanthropies and other elements based on something else altogether.

Edited because I confused myself!

Well, there are some NPC sororities that have changed their "thrusts" over the years. ASA, AST, SSS were all social-educational sororities and if I'm not mistaken, AXO was focused on music. I think that we all found over the years that we felt limited and wanted to expand our membership to everyone, not just those in a particular field of study.

Of course that's not the same thing, but I thought it was an interesting side note.

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by 33girl
Well, there are some NPC sororities that have changed their "thrusts" over the years. ASA, AST, SSS were all social-educational sororities and if I'm not mistaken, AXO was focused on music. I think that we all found over the years that we felt limited and wanted to expand our membership to everyone, not just those in a particular field of study.

Of course that's not the same thing, but I thought it was an interesting side note.

That IS really interesting! When the changes occured, do you know if these organization also changed their official purposes?

[LatinaAlumna]

Carol9a:

Now, don't take this the wrong way, but your comments really are indicative of a person who is not yet in a sorority (LGLO, MCGLO, or otherwise). If you were already a member, I seriously doubt you would be making some of the assertions that you are, and you wouldn't be making some of the assumptions that you are (i.e. that only the sororities who market to a broad range of ethnicities are successful - and to you, successful apparently = many chapters, but hey, everyone is entitled to her opinion!).

What you need to understand (if you are in fact invited to pursue membership in an organization) is that everyone does things differently and each organization is obviously "right" for someone. You also need to understand that if you are invited to pursue membership in an LGLO, you are going to have to serve the community for which you seem to have some disdain for (again, just going off of your own previous comments in this thread). Being in an LGLO is not about partying, strolling, and wearing letters. It is about hard work and being the best person you can be. If you are only in it to have fun, you are going to have a long road ahead. You have indicated which organization you intend to pursue (which was a mistake, in my opinion, because the sisters read these boards). I am very familiar with that organization, and they work REALLY, REALLY hard, all across the country. I hope for your sake and theirs that you are ready for what is to come should they decide to accept you.

As far as comparing my comment about the sadness in members of the same org. not knowing what to call themselves: to compare it to hazing or drinking in letters is irrelevant here. The topic is MCGLOs, not hazing or drinking. I have no idea why you would even bring those things up in the conversation.

My only advice is to do some more research, calm down, and remember that the sisters of the organization that you want to join are likely reading what you write. Good luck!

[33girl]

Originally posted by preciousjeni
That IS really interesting! When the changes occured, do you know if these organization also changed their official purposes?

Well, I can only speak for ASA (and I hope if I get something wrong Miami Alpha corrects me ) but our aims and creed have remained the same throughout the years and throughout our AES and NPC memberships. Our purpose and mission statements are relatively new (as they are for most NPCs).

[LatinaAlumna]

Oops, this must have been the "other" Carol9a, then, because you said you have never once mentioned a particular sorority:

carol9a
Member


Registered: Sep 2004
Location: The heart of Texas
Posts: 84


quote:
Originally posted by audaz49
yes, we do have a creed....... there's the answer to your question.


Thanks for your answer! Im wanting to rush SLG and was wanting to know more about it. I wish more Gammas would post here!
Thanks again



__________________
Some call me delightfully saucy.





I would say SLG is a particular sorority.


Again, you have misunderstood much of what is being said in this thread, and most of what I said to you. You bring up issues that I never implied nor stated, so I'm just going to let it go. Best wishes to you.

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by 33girl
Well, I can only speak for ASA (and I hope if I get something wrong Miami Alpha corrects me ) but our aims and creed have remained the same throughout the years and throughout our AES and NPC memberships. Our purpose and mission statements are relatively new (as they are for most NPCs).

This does lead me to believe that the aims and creeds were made to be general. If, however, they were more specific (e.g. to advance South-Asian women) it might be more difficult to make adjustments. You've brought up a great point.

[absoluteZChi]

After reading all the discussion, I think a few of us here understand what others are trying to say and a few seem to not.

When I said that it bothered me to see a few LGLOs make a switch on who they were marketing to, I was trying to get across that a few orgs I know HAVE kept with the values/reason/principles/creed, etc that their founders started with and have just accepted non-Hispanics into their sisterhood/brotherhood because that non-Hispanic saw something in the LGLO that was a fit for them. THis iis one of the main reaons someone who join a MCGLO.

However, there are also those GLO that have tried to test the MC waters because they've seen the success that MCGLO have been having (ex. having Hispanic membership along with other ethnic groups). These are the groups that bother me.

I agree with LatinaAlumna, it looks like disorder in an org. when one members says the org is this and another member is saying the org. is that. I've witnessed this myself with an org that many I know consider HLGLO.....both members at the same time said (in an open forum) "We are a Latina/MC org"

This is like a few members of the same org going around saying they belong to an "Honor Society" and the others saying they belong to a "Social" org. The org could be both, but marketing should be unified.

I didn't mean to get people heated, but when you hear older members of orgs I'm giving examples of say that they aren't pleased with the new route their orgs are going, I only think its fair to bring all sides of the issue out.

[jubilance1922]

Originally posted by PhDiva
Jocelyn,

You make excellent points throughout your post. I offer a different bit of perspective as I am a college professor in Black and Women's Studies and not a memeber of any GLO.

I encounter students on a regular basis who are bi-racial, multi-racial or as jeni puts it "multiculturally-minded" and often b/c of the college administration's and/or the existing GLO's resistance to change, these students often don't have a place for them to feel accepted. I've witnessed several of these students become disgusted with the whole idea of Greek Life b/c no one wants to move beyond the black-white binary paradigm (I know, I'm a professor... in layperson's terms: American society's willful inability to deal with Asians, Latino/as and people of mixed race ancestry). NPC and NPHC organizations are both guilty of this.

I've seen NPHC (Black GLO's) assume that they should have a monopoly on Black students wanting to join their organizations...thus someone like Jocelyn is viewed as a "sellout" b/c she opted to go with a NPC organization. Likewise, I've seen white students who are Black Studies majors (at my institutition) who wanted to participate in NPHC organizations (1) are seen as "wiggers" by NPC groups and (2) hazed beyond belief by NPHC organizations they are trying to join.

The point to all of this is that no one should have a say in how you define yourself and the choices you make. Therefore, MCGLO's can provide viable options for someone who's looking for a different experience. This is not to say that MCGLO's are without their faults but if they provide a means for a student to feel more connected and improves their quality of life, by all means they shouldn't have to face this "old guard" mentality of NPC, NPHC or the highway. People are going to gravitate to that with which they feel most comfortable so why not offer a smorgasborg of options and let people make up their own minds (and live with those choices).

Our world is becoming more diverse everyday and Americans have some of the least globally and multi-culturally minded people in the world b/c we cluster in ethnic enclaves and never leave our comfort zones. If we don't start taking the time to learn about one another without using our lens to judge someone else's experience negatively, we are going have many more Iraq's (your generation's Vietnam).

PhDiva

You make several great points PhDiva. I have seen all the things you've mentioned happen on my campus. Even though my sorority is historically black, I have met many sorors who are not African American. In my chapter alone, I have a soror who is a Nigerian/Dutch citizen, and another soror that is Indian and Portuguese. I say this to make the point that prospectives shouldn't join a group because it's historically whatever. They should choose the group that fits their goals, ideals, and morals.