SPHINX Fall/Winter 2014 | EXCELLENCE
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
The Unwinnable War | How Hazing Changed a Promising Life | Is There a Future for Alpha?
2015 CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA | AUGUST 5-9, 2015 REGISTER TODAY ONLINE | ALPHANET.APA1906.NET PHONE | 800.373.3089 TOLL-FREE
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CONTENTS
features
in this issue
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6
Hazing Will Not Be Tolerated
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The Unwinnable War
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How Hazing Changed a Promising Life
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Is There a Future for Alpha?
Service | Advocacy Hart Nominated for Prestigious Public Service Award
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Leadership | Politics | Social Justice Honoring Those Who Serve and Our Veterans in 2015
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Brutality Was Never Accepted by Alpha’s Founders
Arts | Sports | Entertainment Clint Wilson II Publishes New Book on Black Press
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Stopping Hazing Once and For All The Fight for Black Men: Part 3
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Lifestyle | Education | Wellness Chapter News
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Omega Chapter
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Alpha Leadership Directory
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THE SPHINX
CONTENTS
SPHINX
®
Official Publication of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Fall/Winter 2014 | Volume 100, No. 3 www.apa1906.net EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rick Blalock sphinx@apa1906.net CREATIVE DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bryan J.A. Kelly MANAGING EDITOR Joshua S.D. Harris COPY EDITORS Amy Kopperude, K. Thomas Oglesby
CONTRIBUTORS Ahmad Abuznaid, Joshua Adams, Sean M. Allen, Corey DeAndre Betz, Travonte’ Bodwin, Matthew S. Bradford, Richard Butler, Terry Calhoun, Stephen Carter, Bryan Cotton, Delores Diggs, Joshua Dubois, Eric Ham, Reginald G. Howell, Ajani Husbands, Roy L. Irons, Tremaine Jasper, William Douglass Lyle, David Myers, Darryl Parker, Donald Robertson Jr., Charles Samuels III, Andrew T. Siwo, Michael A. Smith, Ty Sosina, Stanley J. Taylor Jr., Darrell Tiller, Paul Webster, James Webber, Don Weston PHOTOGRAPHER Jeff Lewis COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS Paul Brown, Chairman Malik Bullard, Tyler A. Clifford, Jaquon C. Heath, Christopher N. Hunte, Ed Marshall, Donald L. Ross, Victor K. Smith, Ozell Sutton, Steven Templin II, Rudolph Williams II 2015 SUBMISSION DEADLINES (11:59 P.M. Eastern Time) Spring 2015: January 15, 2015 | Summer: April 15 Fall: August 15 | Winter: October 15 EDITORIAL OFFICES Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 2313 St. Paul Street Baltimore, MD 212I8-5211 (410) 554-0040 www.apa1906.net
ON THE COVER
ADVERTISING AND SALES ads@apa1906.net
On the cover, and inside this magazine, are photos of brothers from the Iota Psi
© 2014 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. | All Rights Reserved
Chapter seated at California State Polytechnic University. Chartered July 05, 1974, Iota Psi continues to talk about hazing prevention. jefflewisphotography.com
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FROM THE GENERAL PRESIDENT
Being the Men We Say We Are
Mark S. Tillman General President Twitter: @alphainvest06
Schools are in full swing. College campuses are filled with all the activities that come this time of year. We see students bustling to class, parties on the weekends, football games, and homecoming celebrations, and yes pledging, rushing, and membership-intake into fraternities and sororities. Unfortunately there is also the downside of that last activity— hazing. Alpha Phi Alpha does not condone hazing. Hazing is not something anyone should condone. It should not be an acceptable rite of passage for anyone, no matter how “prestigious” the organization. Far too many young people suffer, get injured, and some even die when they are willing to do almost anything to “belong.” We cannot allow hazing to be the undoing of our organization or destroy the promising lives of those who wish to be counted in our number. In an effort to be proactive, members of the fraternity’s board of directors and several professional staff members in our headquarters supported one of our key partners by attending The Novak Institute for Hazing Prevention at its annual meeting in Memphis, Tennessee in June. The nationally recognized Institute raises hazing awareness in a unique way that can be utilized by different groups, organizations, and companies. General President Mark Tillman and brothers attend Even as we continue to think about the memorial services of Michael Brown in Ferguhazing prevention, we eventually son, Mo., after the teen was shot by a Ferguson police officer. have to look at ourselves and ask a serious question, “How can we silently accept the brutality of hazing and stand against the realities of violence in our neighborhoods and police brutality?” Brothers, we have not been silent when it comes to saving our black boys and men from ignorance, a dearth of voting rights, sexually transmitted diseases, access to higher education, and the rising militarization of law enforcement. We also can’t be silent about the injustices that might occur on our college campuses and in the streets of our communities. As we continue to “fight on the ice” for our right not to be victimized by a system that seems to support targeting our young men and terrorizing our communities, we must be part of the solution and not the problem. Alpha Phi Alpha does not condone silence. Silence is acceptance, and silence in the face of any form of brutality is unacceptable. Each individual member’s silence will end when we finally stand and be the men we say we are.
4 4 SPHINX THE SPHINX
FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
2014: So far a year of protests, change and farewells It is hard to fathom that 2014 is soon to be in the history books. So much has happened, and so fast. We’ve watched Congress change the hands of power and a president become more resolute as he looks to define his legacy in his last two years in office. From the uprisings after the questionable shooting deaths and chokehold death at the hands of police officers, to the silencing of the voices that made us laugh (like Robin Williams) we’ve watched the 100th anniversary year of The Sphinx unfold. Across colleges and universities this fall, students have flocked to campuses for the daily grind of earning a post-secondary education—and take in all the football one can stand, under a new college-playoff system. Of course, academics should be the priority, for that is why we go to high school, go to college. But activities outside the classroom occur; some good, some not so good. Thus, we have focused on hazing in this issue of our magazine. On the pages within, you will find analysis, personal reflections, and more on the topic. We can never address it enough. One injury is one too many; one death is one too many.
Rick Blalock Editor-in-Chief sphinx@apa1906.net
On a personal note, this fall we lost one who was dear to this magazine. Toni O’Neal Mosley, who served as the art director and coordinated our production management of The Sphinx from 2009 to 2013, died of cancer. She fought a brilliant battle, and she never gave up. We are now left with the memory of how kind she was, how smart she was, and how she could do so much magic with a red pen to make this magazine, among others she worked on, sparkle. It is also a loss to her family in metro Atlanta, and Morehouse College, at which she was the longtime public relations director. Morehouse alumni director and Alpha Rho chapter advisor Brother Henry Goodgame simply said he felt like he had lost a sister. Toni will be missed by so many, but her accomplishments will live on forever, as evidenced by her body of work. Toni, I dedicate to your memory this page, and this issue of The Sphinx.
Toni O’Neal Mosley, former art director of The Sphinx, with Brother Henry Goodgame during the fraternity’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication in Washington, D.C., in August 2011.
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SERVICE | ADVOCACY
Hart Nominated For Prestigious Public Service Award
H
e claims that he is no artist, but Brother Joel Hart [Alpha Epsilon, ‘87] shares a passionate vision for young people who want to become one. For his efforts, Hart was nominated for a 2015 Jefferson Award for Public Service by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). His company recognized him for his tireless work with the Junior Center of Art and Science in Oakland, Calif. Established in 1972 by the American Institute for Public Service, the Jefferson Award represents one of the most prestigious prizes for public service in America.
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Hart is one of three PG&E employees nominated for the 2015 Jefferson Award. Hart, currently a member of Gamma Phi Lambda Chapter in Berkeley, Calif., is the board president at the Junior Center of Art and Science at which he has volunteered since 2007. Founded in 1954, the nonprofit Junior Center provides art and science curriculums as well as after-school and summer courses annually for about 30,000 children in kindergarten through 12th grade.
THE SPHINX
PREVENTING HAZING
is just as important as fighting it. The Novak Institute for Hazing Prevention tackles the challenging problem of hazing in a totally unique way. This four-day interactive experience teaches diverse groups of interdisciplinary participants how to address hazing from a strategic approach that focuses on prevention rather than just response.
June 3-6, 2015
University of Memphis, Memphis, TN Housing at the Holiday Inn Suites next to campus REGISTER: http://hazingprevention.org/the-novak-institute DON’T MISS THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY! | TEAM DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE!
FALL/WINTER 2014
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FEATURE
HAZING
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THE SPHINX
FEATURE
THE HAZING PREVENTION ISSUE BY W. DOUGLASS LYLE AND WAYNE HARVEY
This issue is a brotherly reminder to members and potential Alpha candidates: ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. DOES NOT CONDONE HAZING! Any member found violating the fraternity’s anti-hazing policy would be immediately suspended with recommendation for expulsion. In addition, the fraternity will cooperate with law enforcement to ensure that any person violating the law will be brought to justice. Hazing is Illegal. This issue is meant to shine light on the history of, and concerns the fraternity has historically had, with hazing. If you are participating in or knowingly allow any hazing activity, you do not support the mission, vision or aims of Alpha Phi Alpha and do not deserve the privilege of membership. Hazing is not part of the Alpha man we envision when reciting “The House of Alpha.” By participating in hazing, you erode the foundation of quality, integrity, honor, and standard for excellence that hundreds of thousands of Alpha men have worked tirelessly to erect. Alpha men are expected to make sacrifices and take the lead, but only in areas that are legal and directly support the MISSION of this fraternity. Hazing in any manner does not do this. For those who are interested in continuing to support this social scourge (acts of hazing), we ask you to weave this into your mental rolodex of Alpha quotes:
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If you are found violating our anti-hazing policy, we are cutting you loose. Again, if any MEMBER or CANDIDATE of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is found to engage in conduct inconsistent with our mission, that individual will be dealt with firmly with proper sanctions and possibly legal action. If you are among those found causing harm to the brand, image and positive actions of Alpha Phi Alpha, we cannot and will not be able to call or treat you as our brother. The features in this
“For those who want to be anchors, we are cutting you loose.” – Mark S. Tillman, 34th General President issue are a compilation of stories compiled by brothers to shine light on and work to combat the culture of hazing. To all brothers who have helped to destroy the culture of hazing, we thank you for your continued service.
William Douglass Lyle [Xi, ‘97], executive director and COO of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, was given HazingPrevention.org’s 2013 Hank Nuwer Anti-Hazing Hero Award and served as a facilitator at the Novak institute for hazing prevention. Wayne C. Harvey [Alpha Eta, ‘65], Alpha Phi Alpha’s general counsel, is a champion for Alpha’s hazing prevention programs and leads the fraternity’s risk mitigation efforts
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FEATURE
BY WALTER M. KIMBROUGH
The Unwinnable War
T
This past February I received news about an alleged hazing incident at my undergraduate alma mater, the University of Georgia (UGA). Eleven members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity (also known as the Nupes) were arrested for hazing, and this news rocked the campus. Naturally, there was a heightened sensitivity in the black community, as these young men’s mug shots appeared in the local media. Discussion of the situation came up on the e-mail listserv of my college chapter, Zeta Pi. We maintain it not only as a vehicle for information dissemination, bantering about which line was the best, and various shout-outs, but also as a platform for vigorous debate. Think of it as a virtual barber shop. One of the current college brothers, troubled
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by the arrests, made a plea for brothers to give to the defendant Kappa brothers’ legaldefense fund. He prefaced his plea by asking that no brother respond directly to or debate his request. He went on to say that the guys impacted were good men, great students, involved in the community, and should not have their futures impacted by this case. On many levels this was a phenomenal act in and of itself. I can safely bet that 25 years ago no one from Zeta Pi would have advocated for any of the UGA Nupes. In fact, when one of their brothers was arrested for attempted robbery of a hotel, back then, we clowned him during our step show! So, I admire this new relationship between the chapters. But I was also concerned that this brother, a state officer within the fraternity, advocated any involvement in this case when he did not have all the facts. In an effort to help the current chapter think about the ramifications of any action, I THE SPHINX
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responded with a list of items I felt they should discuss. This included any possible impact to Alpha Phi Alpha if the chapter or officer of the chapter advocated for students who quite possibly broke university rules, fraternity rules, and the law. I was careful not to debate the request, but as a 28-year member of the fraternity, a past regional assistant vice president, student affairs practitioner with published research on hazing, and the person who has been an expert witness for more hazing cases than anyone in the nation, I had no choice but to at least raise questions so that the brothers could make an informed decision. To my surprise, a fairly recent graduate of the chapter vented about how this was an act of disrespect since we were asked not to respond or debate. That was a shock for me because we had heated debates all the time; but this obviously was a kinder, gentler Zeta Pi. He made it a point that it does not matter whether you are a current college brother or a university FALL/WINTER 2014
president, everyone was equal so no one had a right to violate the request of the brother. It’s been said that Alphas have egos. However, I have been fortunate to possess a level of expertise that very few have, let alone a current undergraduate student or a recent graduate, with little experience in fraternity leadership beyond the chapter level. But in his mind, none of that seemed to matter. None of my credentials or experience meant anything, or the fact that I have been a member of the fraternity longer than either of them have been alive. He was an Alpha just like me. We were equals. This latest incident is part of a series of epiphanies I have had about the state of and future of black fraternalism. I pledged as a freshman in 1986 and served as southern region assistant vice president from 1988 to 1989. My eyes were opened being on the Alpha Board of Directors. In the ’80s the issues of hazing became much more prominent in the media. My tenure on the board began months after 11
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Spike Lee’s ‘School Daze’ film, with its hazing scenes, was released. I clearly remember in 1989, then General Counsel Milton Davis at the General Convention state that at that time the fraternity had no lawsuits. That euphoria lasted until October, when Joel Harris died at Morehouse College in Atlanta. While not physically harmed, the emotional stress being in proximity to physical hazing caused his death. I have always contended that this death was the seminal event that led to the 1990 meeting of the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Council of Presidents at which the leaders made a pact to end pledging in each organization. I started graduate school in January of 1990, and that’s when I really began to look at our challenges from a scholarly perspective. So, I have been studying the changes as they have occurred. The first decade of the membershipintake era saw lots of trial and error. New programs were followed by moratoriums, as college brothers tried to find ways around the new processes to continue the tradition of pledging. A tradition, that based on my study, few really understood and for which no empirical data existed to suggest it worked. In 2003, my book Black Greek 101 was published. Part history, part new empirical research, it was an attempt to define where black fraternalism was and how it got there. I felt that it made sense to offer suggestions about a way forward, and one of those ways was to develop a structured pledge program. I didn’t feel that pledging was a bad thing, and that if we had a process that focused on learning the history and traditions as well as how to operate a chapter and overall leadership development, this could be beneficial. I went on a book-signing tour during the first half of 2004. During the tour I had an additional epiphany. While at the Black Greek Leadership Conference in February of 2004, I led a session about developing a process that would eliminate hazing. Some fraternity men from a school in North Carolina told me it
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was a good idea, but there would be things that they do that are unique to them, and would have to be added. It was at this point I had to acknowledge that no one would follow one process. I began to look at our organizations not as international groups, but a loose connection of groups. We were not able to franchise fraternity, because every chapter would make the product differently. Throughout the rest of that spring I tested my new theory and came to the same conclusion. In fact, I openly asked, through an editorial, if black fraternities and sororities should simply abolish college chapters, as it appeared there was no way they would follow the rules. I became a college president in 2004, and while my active research subsided I still kept up with the major trends and annually worked a hazing case as an expert witness (although most of my cases involved predominantly white fraternities and alcohol-use). The hazing news stories during that decade and today revealed a new twist. As law enforcement became more engaged, and more people were arrested, the news revealed a trend: older people had become key players in perpetuating hazing. I developed a term for this group: extended adolescents. These people, normally male (using that word intentionally) were in their mid-20s to early 30s; left school with a degree or not; usually unemployed or underemployed; and obviously unable to establish themselves in the world of adults so they sought to fill a need for importance by influencing gullible undergraduates. For many college brothers, these are the most important voices they hear. They could care less about the chapter advisor, the campus advisor, the regional vice president or the fraternity’s national general president. They laugh at university presidents, and other experts on the subject, such as Brother Lawrence Ross, and scholars like Brother Gregory Parks. They listen almost exclusively to the extended adolescents, and the results have been disastrous. This brings me to my final epiphany. In 1998, I assisted Brother Ralph Johnson in establishing the College Brothers Academy. Alpha was the
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first of the NPHC groups to provide some kind of intensive leadership training for its college members, modeled similarly to some of the programs of members of the North American Interfraternity Conference.
trumps what is best for the organization, and even themselves.
This five-day academy showed a lot of promise for Alpha. From 1998 until 2013, I probably attended all but two or three of the academies. I shared with the brothers in 2013, that it would be my last one. Framed as my seven last words, I suggested (1) hazing isn’t getting any better, (2) everyone is an expert, (3) we refuse to let go of myths that make us feel good, (4) every case will result in a lawsuit, (5) Robert Champion (the Florida A&M band member who died after being hazed) proved it–we are lunatics, (6) we are hedonistic social clubs, and (7) while we debate and intellectualize pledging, black America becomes worse.
It is a 600-year-old disease that we can only manage, but never cure. We must continue our education efforts to keep our insurance coverage, and to limit the liability when we are sued because some of our members constantly violate the rules they took an oath to uphold. The only way to remove hazing from Alpha is not to exist, and the way to greatly reduce hazing is to remove the aspects of the organization most susceptible to the disease–undergraduate chapters.
I had come to my final epiphany: hazing is the unwinnable war. I wrestled with penning this article. I was commissioned to make it scholarly; with a history of hazing and solutions. The fraternity’s General Office even offered to help conduct surveys of the membership if it would add to the final product. All I could think about was the recent graduate of Zeta Pi who reiterated what I have heard time and time again: everyone is an expert, and we are all equals. It does not matter that several years ago former executive director Brother Zollie Stevenson shared a powerful slide, proving that active membership of brothers joining before membership intake and after it is essentially the same. That is the empirical fact based on real data. And that is the point. Our insistence on continuing to haze is not based on proof that it has measurable benefits, but that it fills some need we have which we try to articulate to avoid the painful fact that hazing is insanity. Every day, despite lots of education, real-life examples, people decide to haze because that is what they want to do, and what they want
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So let me offer this bold declaration: there is no solution to hazing.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders said America does not have a health care system but a sick-care system. In Alpha (and all Greek organizations), we do not have a hazing-prevention program; we have a hazingmanagement program. I was contacted by the University of Georgia to speak this fall to the Greek students, as well as be featured in the alumni magazine. I’m sure my “equal” has not been contacted about either. My passion lies with helping young men and women complete college and achieve successful, healthy lives. That happens easiest outside of the fraternal context when someone is open to advice from an elder, understanding that they are not equals. Because as long as the most inexperienced in our ranks decides that their way trumps that of the experienced, and then act on this belief, we can only manage hazing. They ensure that hazing will always be the unwinnable war.
Brother Walter M. Kimbrough [Zeta Pi, ’86] is the president of Dillard University in New Orleans and the author of Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities.
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FEATURE
By Joshua Harris
HAZING CHANGED MY LIFE:
AN INSIDE LOOK
“I
lost the ability to serve, I lost the ability to live up to the oath of allegiance I made to the fraternity,” explained Brother Eatman. “I lost the opportunity to continue my education, I lost my job and since I was working for the residence hall I even lost “I lost the ability my place to live. Without to serve, I lost the question it was a life altering situation for me.” ability to live up to
the oath of
When I have attended general conventions and hear allegiance I made the words “I hereby move to adopt the report of the grievto the fraternity.” ance and discipline committee” I always wondered the details of those recommendations. Sometimes hundreds of brothers are suspended and or expelled from the fraternity with a single motion to the brotherhood. What did those brothers do? How will this decision impact their lives? Just a few questions that cross my mind as I sit on the convention floor. 14
The letter that he received began: “The investigation into the allegations of HAZING and Membership Intake violations during the Fall of 2008 involving the Alpha Psi chapter, seated at Lincoln University, and Beta Zeta Lambda chapter, Jefferson City, MO, the following findings and disciplinary rulings are hereby set forth.” Some of you may have gone through an underground un-sanctioned pledge process. Some have your own definition of hazing. Some believe pledging is different from hazing. In Alpha there was once an above ground pledge process. The pledge process was officially banned in 1990 and the Membership Intake Process was designed. Yet the “pledge” process has not been eliminated but rather driven underground. Many would argue that the banning of the above ground pledge process may have actually worsened the incidents of hazing and made them more brutal in nature. This is not to dispute any personal definition of hazing but rather to take a look at how hazing can impact a brother’s life.
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findings, you are placed on SUSPENSION.” Brothers rarely hear of the consequences for those who are suspended or even expelled from the fraternity for hazing, allegations of hazing or participating in unsanctioned membership intake activities. If lucky enough to attend a convention you hear a summarized report and hear the motion to accept recommendations of the Grievance and Discipline committee. Aside from fraternal consequences there are usually personal and sometimes legal consequences that occur as well. Brother Eatman had plans to work in higher education, possibly in student affairs or campus life. With this instance on his record it called for a re-evaluation and possible limited options in student affairs. He recognizes that mistakes were made and plans to appeal his suspension and get back financially active with the fraternity. Brother Eatman plans to continue to live as a reflection of what it means to be an Alpha Man even if his appeal is denied. “We had an underground process”, explains James Eatman. “The few times I stepped away from participating I felt it got worse.” He recalls wanting to ensure that the pledge process was about learning the information, becoming a better Alpha Man and not about performing physical tasks alone. Brother James Eatman was a 1996 initiate of the fraternity. Twelve years after his initiation, he was at the time working for the university and had recently enrolled in classes. When the allegations came forward he was fired from the university and forced to withdraw from his courses. Lincoln University has a zero tolerance policy for allegations of hazing. The letter from the grievance & discipline committee continued, “It has been determined that you had physical contact with aspirants, which included slapping on chest and forehead and paddling, during the Fall 2008 Intake Cluster. For your role in the above FALL/WINTER 2014
“It has been one of the most disappointing times in my life, a part of me died. However, I am an Alpha man until the day I die and will continue to serve and empower my communities.” The reinstatement process can be a long confusing process. Brother Eatman will ultimately have to go before the grievance and discipline committee and appeal for reinstatement. The true deciding factor will be if the brothers at the next convention vote to support his reinstatement. Currently Brother Eatman is a manager at Unigaurd security company and a personal trainer. He still would like to work in higher education/campus life should the opportunity ever present itself.
Joshua S.D. Harris [Mu Chapter, ‘06] is a graduate of the Augsburg College, and managing editor of The Sphinx. Follow him on Twitter @ RealJoshHarris.
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IS THERE A FUTURE FOR ALPHA? REAL TALK ABOUT HAZING By Gregory S. Parks
S
enator J. William Fulbright once noted: “To criticize one’s country is to do it a service and pay it a compliment. It is a service because it may spur the country to do better than it is doing; it is a compliment because it evidences a belief that the country can do better than it is doing.... In a democracy dissent is an act of faith.” The great tragedy of black Greek-letter organizations (BGLOs), Alpha included, is that to be critical of such entities—even if such critique is well-founded on scholarship—is seen by many as heresy. I am not a pessimist. I am a lawyer, a social scientist, a researcher; I am a life member of this fraternity, a national and regional committee chair. I see this brotherhood from both the outside in and the inside out. I am an informed realist.
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Organizational longevity should never be assumed. Some organizations exist for centuries and exist on a trajectory into perpetuity. Other organizations exist for a period and then die on the vine. Collegiate literary societies once towered on the university landscape, but their failure to adapt to the social and cultural changes around them lead to their ultimate demise. Secret societies were dominant American institutions through the middle of the 20th century but no more. These findings are no surprise. As Robert Putnam stated in his book, Bowling Alone, “Americans are right that the bonds of our communities have withered, and we are right to fear that this transformation has very real costs.” THE SPHINX
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Leaders and members of BGLOs have a deep and abiding emotional commitment to their respective groups. Such commitment is generally a positive thing. However, such affective commitment may lead many—too many—BGLO leaders and members to cast a subjective eye on the challenges that these groups face. It is not uncommon for emotionally charged concepts to have motivational and even deceptive influences on an individual’s thinking. A person who, for example, desires to see his or her organization cast in the most positive light may minimize or even ignore organizational blemishes. They may reject data, facts, and information that forces them to take a cold, hard look at the organization that they love. Indeed, in the face of potentially negative information, organization leaders and members may simply put their head in the sand in an effort to ignore inconvenient truths. But time is not on the side of BGLOs; Alpha is included in this number. In the past 10 years, there has been an explosion of research on BGLOs. In just the past couple of years, that research has turned to understanding the nature and scope of challenges that BGLOs face; this is especially so vis-à-vis membership. One line of empirical research highlights the persistent issues that BGLOs have with hazing. These studies find the following: Prospective BGLO members may be aware of the hazing risks they face once they begin the unsanctioned, underground pledge process, but that does not necessarily mean that they consent given the range of
ties than in BGLO sororities. In fact, BGLO fraternity hazing has become more violent, at least since the 1950s. This should be no surprise given research showing that men who have their masculinity challenged tend to act more hyper-masculine, and this may particularly be the case among groups known for having constrained notions of masculinity and anxieties about homosexuality. In too many quarters, among BGLO members, the specter of violence is extolled in the line names and chapter monikers. Other work suggests that BGLO members lack an adequate awareness of the consequences that flow from hazing activities, and thus there is a limited deterrent to hazing among BGLO members. Even more, BGLOs may be defined by a broad organizational culture of rule and law violation, where people in positions of power fail to check such violations, and there is a demonizing of whistleblowers. Numerous recent court cases underscore that this may be an issue among BGLO national leaders; thus, it should be no surprise that it is also an issue among collegiate rank-and-file members. Although these findings are not earth shattering in and of themselves, they are deeply problematic given the increasingly litigious landscape in which BGLOs find themselves. Since BGLO fraternity hazing has become more violent, it is no surprise if more injuries and, ergo, more lawsuits result therefrom. Even more, the legal landscape for BGLOs—while this is maybe an unpopular statement—is one in which millen-
Leaders and members of BGLOs (black Greek-letter organizations) have a deep and abiding emotional commitment to their respective groups. psychological pressures that come to bear on them before and during the pledge process. In addition, hazing is more physically violent within BGLOs than in North-American Interfraternity Conference and National PanHellenic Conference organizations. Hazing is more physically violent in BGLO fraterniFALL/WINTER 2014
nials may feel entitled to membership and may sue over the least of slights (like two women who sued one group, alleging that they should have been initiated because their mothers were members), not to mention being physically brutalized. Cast against this backdrop, courts must decide whether there 17
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is an agency relationship between BGLOs and their chapters such that the harms that befall hazing victims should be imputed to the national bodies. Moreover and more importantly, the limited number of insurance carriers who cover BGLOs must ask whether it is profitable to cover these organizations given the volume of litigation against them. With no insurance coverage, which is a real possibility in the coming years, NPHC organizations’ limited assets will be ripe for the picking. And once they are plucked clean, these organizations will go bankrupt. A second line of empirical research has begun to highlight the other crisis that BGLOs face—i.e., a dwindling membership, especially alumni membership. As a general proposition, and related to the broader issue of hazing, is that many BGLO members—at least undergraduates—believe that “pledging” is a crucial ingredient to members’ organiza-
have less physical, intellectual, and monetary capital than they had in the past. I think BGLOs’ best days are behind them, and their demise is almost inevitable and fairly imminent. The good that they do in the community lacks any true metrics and may lack any profound and lasting impact. Their greatness is too often predicated on what they or their individual members “did” and not what these organizations are doing. That dynamic cannot sustain these groups. Even more problematic is a paucity of visionary leadership within these organizations. There are few men and women who seek to transform the elements of these groups that handicap and even undermine these organizations. The irony is that within Alpha, by the time this article is printed, we will have embarked on another contest for the general presidency.
We live in an age in which the challenges that face our beloved fraternity are probably more complex, ever-shifting, and more impactful than in decades past.
tional commitment. Research suggests that this is true, which should not be surprising given decades of social psychological research on concepts such as severity of initiation and liking for an organization. However, these organizations have not figured out, and arguably have not sufficiently tried to, find a way to create a membership intake process that deeply commits members to the respective organizations and their ideals but also strips away the harm to aspirants and significantly reduces liability. In the meantime, BGLOs are losing potential members to other student organizations, and while these groups have relied on the lifelong engagement of alumni members, that is no longer a sure bet. Accordingly, BGLOs no longer have the number and maybe even quality of membership that they used to have. As a consequence, they may
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The question that I, and maybe a handful of other brothers, will have is: “Will any of these candidates be bold, visionary, out-of-the box in their approach to ensuring Alpha’s longevity and standing in the world?” We live in an age in which the challenges that face our beloved fraternity are probably more complex, evershifting, and more impactful than in decades past. We need a robust vision! I have spent a good part of the past 5 years researching and writing about these issues. Much of what I have had to say has been focused on getting a better understanding and deeper grasp of the problem. The truth is, without understanding the root causes of hazing and its implications, no remedy will present a real solution. We will simply be tilting at windmills. Alpha, like other BGLOs, is at a crossroads.
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Are brothers—top to bottom, officers to rankand-file—prepared for hard truths? My personal hope is that over the next couple of years, I can complete my work on BGLOs by focusing on solutions to the problems they face. In a nutshell, some things that Alpha can do to better address the issue of hazing are the following. First, embrace and internalize the information—“scholarship”—on BGLO hazing. Not every brother will read the growing body of research on these issues, but some will, and those brothers will be in an ideal position to be informed change-agents within Alpha around the issue of hazing. Knowledge is power, and it is transformative. Second, integrate more information about the problem of hazing into IMDP; I would say at least half a day should be spent on this. Prospective members need a better understanding of the history of incidents as well as the health, legal, and economic stakes associated with hazing. The truth is, research shows that the more BGLO members are aware of the risks associated with hazing, the less likely they are to be engaged in it. The irony is that Alphas—me, especially—produce much of that scholarship. With that said—third, leadership has to find a way around the politics of supporting the dissemination of such scholarship. Politics within Alpha is, from my vantage point, one of the main obstacles to our organizational progress and longevity. Fourth, the fraternity should support research that has gone undone. For example, instead of meeting out sanctions, we should first discern whether what we do actually works. Effectiveness, as opposed to the illusion of effectiveness, should be the goal. Similarly, there are numerous brothers within the fraternity, like organizational behavior professors, whose own work and expertise should be drawn upon to lead us out of our hazing morass. Fifth, the fraternity has
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to be willing to explore and facilitate open dialogue on issues that may underlie hazing, like notions of masculinity and homophobia within the fraternity. Sixth, from an economic standpoint, the fraternity must hold brothers accountable. If a brother’s actions result in the initiation of a lawsuit against the fraternity, and the fraternity has to pay a deductible to its insurance carrier or a settlement or damages, the fraternity should sue and recoup that money from the brother or brothers responsible. As I wrote in my recent law review article, Midnight in the Moral Order, within BGLOs, from top to bottom, too often what you see is rule/law violation, failure of people in analogous positions of power to stop the violation, and demonizing of whistleblowers. In essence, I contend that leadership embezzlement and undergraduate hazing form part of the same organizational culture. It is, I suspect, a powerful argument to make against BGLOs in litigation. Accordingly, Alpha’s leaders need to be held to a strict ethical standard. Seventh, and lastly, Alpha needs a comprehensive hazing litigation strategy. The challenge is that our litigation efforts are largely controlled by our insurance carrier, and assigned counsel is usually white and lacking any specific knowledge about BGLOs, generally, and Alpha in particular. We rarely, if ever, use expert witnesses to strengthen our case. And we are not guided by the research, which may dictate best practices.
This article was published, in part, as “I Hate to Tell You This: NPHC Organizations Won’t Survive,” AFA Perspectives (Summer 2014). Gregory S. Parks [Mu Lambda, ’97], HazingPrevention.org board member, has published scholarly books on topics ranging from black Greek-letter organizations to race in America.
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FEATURE
Brutality Was
Never Accepted by Alpha’s Founders By Donald Ross
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ll too often, Alpha brothers exclaim that there is a good reason for engaging in acts that cause physical harm to candidates for membership. Their reason—or excuse—is usually the recollection of their experience coming into Alpha Phi Alpha. It seems that many believe this behavior is as old as the fraternity. It is true that bad behavior has been around longer than the fraternity, but it took a few years before anyone in the fraternity thought that engaging in it was a good idea. What many do not know is that acts which cause physical harm, particularly when a weapon is involved, have never been supported by Alpha’s founders or its leadership. Hazing is a popular word used to describe actions which cause mental and physical abuse. It is also to describe those acts that include the use of a weapon, usually a paddle. “Giving wood” or “wood is good” have been popular phrases for decades in fraternal organizations. However, these acts have resulted in injuries, deaths and lawsuits. Additionally, even without the acts being deemed a hazing violation, they are considered criminal acts because use of a
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weapon to physically injure another is known as aggravated assault. History shows us that none of the first initiates, Lemuel Eugene Graves, Eugene Kinckle Jones or Gordon Homes Jones, were paddled or subjected to a physically harmful act in order to become members of Alpha. That was also true for General Presidents Moses Alvin Morrison, Roscoe Conkling Giles, Frederick Harris Miller, Charles Herbert Garvin, Henry Lake Dickason, Howard Hale Long, William Augustus Pollard, Daniel David Fowler and Lucius Lee McGee. In 1934, the living founders, then known as the “Jewels,” became concerned enough about negative activities and gathered to decide how the fraternity should address it. They crafted a document containing a proposal for the General Convention, but near the end of that year, the death of one resulted in a decision to delay presentation for a year. Then-General President Charles H. Wesley, reprinted the proposal in his 1977 biography Henry Arthur Callis Life and Legacy. The words that follow were taken directly from Wesley’s text: THE SPHINX
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HAZING FEATURE
In 1935, the six living founders had joined in recommendations with Henry Arthur Callis heading the list, others following Charles H. Chapman, George B. Kelley, Nathaniel A. Murray, Robert H. Ogle, and Vertner W. Tandy. After each name, there was placed the word “Founder.” It was the first such document in the history of the fraternity against hazing in initiation. The Recommendations were: We the founders of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity have taken just, yet modest pride, in the growth and development during a quarter of a century. In a less personal way we have watched with satisfaction the successful establishment of other collegiate fraternities and sororities. We have recognized that their work and progress have been a stimulus to Alpha Phi Alpha. Since the reception into the fraternities of the first initiates, we have taken no undue advantage of our position as founders and have recognized the essential requisite of the democratic principle in our brotherhood and the wisdom of local traditions built upon local customs. This conception of democratic integration became a foundation stone of the General Organization, when the mother chapter foreswore its peculiar rights and privileges at the First General Convention in 1908. Since the close of the first convention, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has been remarkably faithful to the purposes and ideals of the founders. The Alpha spirit is a tradition among Negro college men that is destined to influence the position of Negroes for generations. We, the founders, are jealous that that influence shall remain unsullied. From time to time through many generations of college men there have come to our ears complaints of brutality and physical violence in our initiations. Graduate, as well as undergraduate chapters, have indicated their local autonomy. General Conventions and general officers have cautioned moderation to no avail. The establishment of the initiatory ceremonies by the Founders was and still is intended to be a solemn, impressive rite. On this account, we, the living and active founders, do submit the following recommendations and pray that they may be properly referred for immediate consideration: • That the General Convention exercising its constitutional powers prohibit immediately the use of physical violence in any degree whatever, not in consonance with section 12 of our ritual in any and every Alpha Phi Alpha initiatory ceremony or any procedure contrary thereto. • That the names of the members of each ritual committee be forwarded to the general secretary at the time when the names of candidates are submitted. • That each initiation ceremony exclusive of the reading of the constitution shall be completed in one night. • That no part of such ceremony shall occur outside the house, ballroom, or building provided for that purpose. • That all pre-initiatory ceremonies, such as “Hell Week,” “Stunt Week,” etc., shall be abolished. • That the penalty for any violation of these orders shall be suspension of the offending chapter by the General Convention. Upon the presentation of evidence to the council of any initiation above referred to, the offending chapter shall have its charter, seal, rights, and privileges withdrawn until such time as a succeeding General Convention, by a two-third vote, may restore such chapter to good and active standing. • That within thirty days after the adoption of these recommendations by the General Convention, the general president and general secretary shall transmit same over their respective signatures to the proper officer of each chapter and that the editor of The Sphinx shall publish said orders in the next ensuing issue of The Sphinx. Respectfully submitted, HENRY ARTHUR CALLIS, Founder CHARLES H. CHAPMAN, Founder GEORGE B. KELLEY, Founder NATHANIEL A. MURRAY, Founder VERTNER W. TANDY, Founder
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FEATURE
STOPPING HAZING
ONCE AND FOR ALL By Julian Jackson
“Do you trust me?” “Yes.” “Do you trust the brothers?” “Yes.”
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hose are only words an anonymous pledge could recall after being admitted to the hospital and undergoing surgery to replace the skin missing from his buttocks after being brutally abused by a “whistle” paddle. It is incidents like that which keep fraternities and sororities in the headlines for all the wrong reasons—with hazing allegations. But the bad behavior lies not just with Greeklettered societies. The trial of four members of Florida A&M University’s marching band on charges of felony hazing and manslaughter got underway in October, nearly three years after drum major Robert Champion died from being beaten. In 2013, the NFL’s Miami Dolphins football team had to confront the issue of offensive lineman Richie Incognito’s reportedly hazing and bullying teammate Jonathan Martin. In 2011, 19-year-old U.S. Army private Danny Chen shot and killed himself—just two months into his deployment in Afghanistan, after reportedly being abused by his fellow soldiers.
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There is no justification for anyone’s committing hazing. However, both the hazer and the hazed need to ask themselves: Why do they feel the need to haze, and why do so many subject themselves to this abuse, just to join an organization or to feel accepted? Has it become a masculinity/femininity complex, or truly envisioned as a glorified rite of passage? You often hear: “It was done to me so I have to do it to them.” For the more “tenured” hazers they may equate a process or action to a style of learning that equips their new members or initiates with the tools they say they need to become better brothers, sisters, or members of the organization, and to become an overall better person in life. Those replies do little to comfort the parents and family members of victims like Chen and Champion. So where do we go from here? How do we approach the “$64,000 question” of what can we do to stop hazing? THE SPHINX
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Brother Jackson (second from left) takes a short break with Eastern Region Vice President R. Anthony Mills [Mu Upsilon, ’87], Executive Director W. Douglass Lyle [Xi, ’97], Eastern Region Associate Counsel Maurice Houston [Pi Rho, ’87], and Eastern Region Counsel Alex Bailey [Gamma Iota, ’87] in front of the University Center on the campus of the University of Memphis where the 2014 Novak Institute for Hazing Prevention was held.
Make no mistake, it is beyond difficult, and some might say it is borderline-impossible to stop the practice. Remember, though not necessarily on the official books of organizations, hazing is embedded in the fabric of the culture of groups that have been around for decades, veiled with secrecy. We must educate the masses on this culture and find ways to mitigate the abuse and violence. We must take a step back and be intellectuals about this. Is the “century club” really going to make someone a better brother, a better man? Is forcing someone to drink until they puke really what fraternity and sorority founders had in mind upon talking about developing world leaders? I think not. It has to be a cultural shift, beginning on the local level. A national organization can release white papers, documents, and statement after statement preaching non-hazing, but the culture can only be mitigated by person-toperson encounters. An individual should not FALL/WINTER 2014
perceive being hazed as a rite of passage, or that experiencing such abuse makes him or her “more of a member” of a group of which they aspire to belong. Clearly, in fraternal organizations with their secret rites and rituals, the “how” we implement tactics of change will be different from organization to organization, but the goal is universally the same: ending hazing. Until we all act, the epidemic of hazing will continue. As opponents of hazing, of violating the law, we have to adapt and change our approach. We must make our university and college communities positive and safe learning environments. Our talents and abilities should be for the betterment of our organizations and our schools, not for their detriment.
Julian Jackson [Iota Beta, ‘12] is a member of the 2014-15 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity board of directors and is assistant vice president of the fraternity’s Eastern Region.
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FEATURE | PART 3 OF A 4 PART SERIES
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hy not fight for black men? The reasons are as complicated as the difficult history, and simple debates about government spending versus personal responsibility are woefully insufficient. Part three of this series continues from the summer 2014 issue, the conversation on personal financial responsibility. John Hope Bryant is concerned with black men’s wallets. Bryant is a nationally acclaimed entrepreneur who promotes financial literacy. “I believe that 99 percent of black leaders are digging in the wrong hole,” Bryant said. “If you’re poor, your health care’s going to suck, your housing is going to suck, your infrastructure is going to suck … if you’re poor, everything sucks.”
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Bryant has been convinced that the way out for black men is through a burgeoning bank account, not a social service program. “The whole world pivots on economic issues. If you don’t solve that, you can’t solve anything else,” Bryant said. “But if you do solve that, you have a chance at solving everything else.” Bryant has put his money—and substantial energy—where his mouth is. He runs the largest network of financial literacy centers in the country—HOPE Financial Dignity Centers—which help low-income Americans access credit for small businesses, manage their budgets, open bank accounts, and purchase homes. He says financial literacy is the new civil rights issue. Like Michelle Alexander (see parts one and two) and others, Bryant is concerned with the THE SPHINX
FEATURE
mass incarceration of young black men but from a slightly different angle. “There’s a very good chance that we are actually locking up the only potential we have that can revitalize inner-city neighborhoods in America,” Bryant said. “Drug dealers, gang organizers— they’re all natural entrepreneurs. They get up early, they work late, they hustle—but they have misplaced values and terrible role models.” Bryant created the HOPE Business in a Box program to help troubled youth start, fund, and operate small businesses. He also thinks that black businessmen should help young black boys ditch the “rappers and ball players” that they currently hold up as role models, and look in a different direction for examples of success. “These young men are the best chance we have to create jobs and GDP in our neighborhoods,” Bryant said, “if we can just get them back on the right track.” FALL/WINTER 2014
Bryant’s effort is just one of a growing number of innovative private and public programs that are making real inroads on this issue. Many of these initiatives are taking place under the umbrella of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations. That group has created a Campaign for Black Male Achievement as well as the Leadership and Sustainability Institute to knit together previously disparate programs for black men and boys. The effort is led by Shawn Dove, a burly man who speaks with a thick New York accent that has hints of all five boroughs at once. In fact, he has lived in all of them, but he cut his teeth mostly at 80th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. It was on that corner that Dove sold loose joints as a teenager, teetering between a strict Jamaican household, where his single mother ruled with an iron fist, and the warm glow of New York 25
FEATURE
evenings and the allure that hustling brings. One day some friends invited Shawn to a basketball game on the Upper West Side, and he met a guy named John Simon, who ran a youth program called DOME (Developing Opportunities for Meaningful Education). Simon told Shawn that he had the potential for greatness if he would only focus. He took up Simon’s offer. From there, it was a fast track to Wesleyan University, a stint in the garment industry, and a career as a shining star among nonprofit executives in New York. But several years ago, Shawn received a call that would change his life. It was from the Open Society Institute—now Open Society Foundations. They were looking for someone to start a project on low-income black men, and wondered if Shawn would be interested in the job. Shawn said yes, and six years later he has helped create an entire field of “black male achievement.” It is an ecosystem of organizations, programs, and leaders with one straightforward if daunting goal: give low-income African-American men and boys an opportunity to succeed, a pathway to the American dream.
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with Casey Family Programs and the National League of Cities. Dove has also convened other major funders— including William Bell of Casey and Robert Ross at the California Endowment—into a new Black Male Achievement Funders coalition, each with a different approach to a previously intractable problem. Ross, the California Endowment’s president and a pediatrician from the South Bronx who took a three-month sabbatical to study the issue of young black men in America, focuses on behavioral health and education. The California Endowment is funding programs to close the achievement gap in third-grade reading scores and develop alternative approaches to suspension when dealing with troubled boys. “Overly harsh discipline and suspension marginalizes, stigmatizes, and criminalizes these boys,” Ross said. “When an African-American male in the eighth grade has defiant behavior in the classroom, it is like seeing a burn on their body; we need to treat their behavior as evidence of a problem to be solved rather than a kid to lock up.”
Under this umbrella is a Black Male Achievement Fellows Program, which supports social entrepreneurs in urban communities in partnership with the Echoing Green Foundation. Then there is “BMe,” a collection of thousands of video testimonials that allow black men to tell their story in their own voices. Dove’s institute has also partnered with the New York mayor’s office on the Young Men’s Initiative, a citywide effort to redirect black and Latino boys bound for prison to another path. The initiative is about building a “continuum of services,” including job training, mentoring, and malefriendly health care to give troubled young men the best chance to succeed.
There is powerful work happening outside of Dove’s network as well. For example, Michael Curtin, the CEO of D.C. Central Kitchen, believes the food industry can help to empower black men and women. Since 1989, the Central Kitchen has served more than 25 million meals to low-income people in the Washington, D.C. area—but don’t call it a food bank. Instead, Curtin, a former restaurateur, runs a rigorous culinary job-training program, using the process of meal preparation to help formerly homeless, addicted, and incarcerated men and women learn culinary skills and then find employment in the hospitality industry.
In less than two years of its operation, officials said New York has seen a dramatic reduction in the number of young men who are serving time, as well as a reduction in re-arrests. The program has sparked a similar effort in other cities, including New Orleans and Philadelphia. It has also gained partnerships
I visited D.C. Central Kitchen and saw lines of men and women who were previously on the streets chopping vegetables, barking orders, and managing a full-scale industrial operation. Curtin said at the time, “When I look back on my personal experience, I recognized that I was incredibly fortunate—I had a phenomenal THE SPHINX
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family, I grew up in safe communities, and went to good schools.” “I made reckless decisions but always had someone there to put me back on track. Many of the men and women who come to us grew up in very different circumstances—when they messed up, they didn’t have someone to help get them back on track. What we’re trying to do at D.C. Central Kitchen is provide people with that opportunity,” Curtain said. The fight for black men is being waged through policy and programs, as the work of Shawn Dove, John Hope Bryant, and others like them shows. But there is also a concurrent fight going on for their culture and soul. In that battle, Ta-Nehisi Coates is at the forefront. Coates, a senior editor at The Atlantic, is a reluctant spokesman. He has shut down his Twitter account more than once. After penning several landmark columns for The New York Times, he declined the Times’ offer of a permanent weekly column. And he does not write solely, or even primarily, about race. His recent topics of interest range from the conflict in Syria to Kurt Vonnegut. He speaks fluent French and analyzes the hit TV show ‘Mad Men’ with gusto. “Those triumphs over southern segregation now seem suddenly pale against the shadows of poverty and despair in the ghetto,” Newsweek wrote in its 1967 story “Which Way for the Negro Now?” But try as he might, Coates cannot escape the mantle of leading cultural envoy. He writes in a way that is inherently viral, moving fast from black hands to white, and then around the world. What Henry Louis Gates said about race painstakingly, like an intricate symphony, and Cornel West declared elliptically, like a Pentecostal preacher or alto saxophonist, Coates offered straight up, with just a splash of hip-hop as a chaser.
ing to get off their chests for the last 30 years. Through personal stories, he cast racism in America as “invisible violence,” perpetrated by well-meaning folks all around. Or, his landmark piece for The Atlantic, “Fear of a Black President,” about what he calls the “false promise and double standard of integration” in the era of President Obama. Coates is at the fulcrum of a resurgent cultural conversation about black men, one that is advancing in a number of sectors. There is the painter Kehinde Wiley, who mixes classical techniques with contemporary subjects to create stunning portraits of blacks in America. There are rappers like Lupe Fiasco and Kendrick Lamar, who are using their lyrics to put new spins on old truths. In sports, Miami Heat great Dwyane Wade has teamed up with a cast of unlikely characters—including Grammy Award–winning artist Lecrae and conservative funder Foster Friess—to launch the “This Is Fatherhood” challenge, which encourages young people around the country, and particularly black men, to tell stories of what fatherhood means to them. In film, the talent agent Tamara Houston has launched a new organization, ICON MANN, to create a space for Hollywood’s leading black male actors to learn from one another and project their values to the world. But Coates is in many ways this movement’s biographer. In an interview, he said that the goal of his writing is not to “fix” race relations in America. “I have folks who write me and want me to help with their racist uncle; I don’t want any part of that,” he said with light-hearted sarcasm. But when pushed, he admitted that he does see himself as “an agent in pursuit of the truth of this country, of which I’m a citizen, in which I was raised, which I love. I want to understand it, I want to explore it and make that exploration as honest as I can.”
Joshua DuBois [Eta Lambda, ‘11], author of The President’s Devotional,
Consider his New York Times essay “The Good, Racist People,” which summed up in nine paragraphs what black men have been tryFALL/WINTER 2014
is former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. 27
LEADERSHIP | POLITICS | SOCIAL JUSTICE
HONORING THOSE WHO SERVE AND OUR VETERANS IN 2015 BY MELVIN “SHAWN FOGLE
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s the fraternity marches into 2015 and the coming General Convention in Charlotte, N.C., it is important for the brotherhood to be fully updated on the affairs and activities of the Tandy-Kelley Military Affairs Committee. While August may seem off in the distance, it will be here before you know it. The committee’s goal is to have a robust showing of military brothers, as well
as a tribute to those who serve both our country and our fraternity. The history of Alpha Phi Alpha has been steeped in military tradition since Jewel Vertner Woodson Tandy served as a first lieutenant in the 15th Infantry of the New York State National Guard. Jewel George Biddle Kelley also strengthened the fraternity’s ties to the military, as he attended Troy Military Academy. Today, brothers serve in every segment of the U.S. armed forces, from enlisted ranks to the highest levels of leadership. The committee is hard at work on many outstanding programs like various “Salute to the Military” events that will pay homage to those who
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protect us. The goal is for this to be a premier event at the General Convention. This will give all brothers an opportunity to acknowledge the brave sacrifices of Alpha brothers who have served their country. With the assistance of some stalwart brothers such as Daryl Sharp Sr., Langston Smith and E. Sean Lanier, the committee has worked hard to develop a clear vision and some lofty but achievable goals. The Military Committee is focused on four goals: • Recognition of Alphas who serve and have served in the military • Establishment of a military presence at all regional and General Conventions • Establishment of active and functional regional Military Affairs Committees • Establishment of a line of communication and support with brothers deployed overseas The current regional Military Affairs Committee chairmen, who are assisting the national committee, include: Darryl W. Sharp Sr. [Beta Gamma, ‘86] of the Eastern Region; Marion Wimberly [Beta Gamma, ‘67] of the Midwestern Region; Rich Stoglin [Beta Tau Lambda, ‘03] of the Southwestern Region, and Michael Files [Omicron Epsilon Lambda, ‘03] of the Western Region. It is quite fulfilling to find Alpha men in every corner of the world, “holding up the light of Alpha.” Brothers are on every continent and serving in places like Afghanistan, Kuwait, Korea, and more. No matter where you go, an Alpha man is not far away.
Melvin “Shawn” Fogle [Theta Theta Lambda, ’05] is a chief master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and chairman of the fraternity’s Tandy-Kelley Military Affairs Committee.
THE SPHINX
LEADERSHIP | POLITICS | SOCIAL JUSTICE
Zeta Psi Lambda Chapter President Brian Roberson (left) presents award to Brother Johnnie A. Mouton.
Brother Brian K. Roberson II (left) accepts his Brother of the Year award as Louisiana District Director Charles E. Stokes looks on.
ROBERSON NAMED BROTHER OF THE YEAR IN SOUTHWEST Brian K. Roberson II was recently honored as the top alumni brother in the Southwestern Region for 2014 at the 68th Regional Convention in Tulsa, Okla. Roberson was initiated in 2012 at Zeta Psi Lambda Chapter in Lake Charles, La. He serves in several roles for Alpha: chapter vice president, Louisiana District chairman of elections/nominations, and deputy executive director of the Southwestern Region. Roberson has won his chapter’s Alpha Man of the Year honor and the Louisiana Outstanding Alumni Brother of the Year award each year since his initiation.
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50-YEAR BROTHER HONORED IN LOUISIANA Brother Johnnie A. Mouton was given the Zeta Psi Lambda Chapter’s Distinguished Leadership Award for his service and dedication to the fraternity. The award was presented at the chapter’s recent Founders’ Day Banquet in Lake Charles, La. Mouton was initiated in 1964 at Delta Sigma Chapter at Grambling State University in Grambling, La. This year marks his 50th anniversary as a member of Alpha. Mouton serves as parliamentarian and public relations chairman for the chapter.
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LEADERSHIP | POLITICS | SOCIAL JUSTICE
BY MAURICE GIPSON
Supreme Court Ends Affirmative Action as We Knew It
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n 2013, the Supreme Court dealt a deadly blow to Affirmative Action, with the University of Texas at Austin case. Now, with its decision in April of this year, the Court in effect has driven a nail in the coffin of Affirmative Action with its recent ruling upholding a state constitutional amendment banning Affirmative Action in college admissions in Michigan.
In Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan had a 10 percent black enrollment in 1995, then again in 2001. But after the 2008 ban on Affirmative Action, the enrollment dropped to five percent in 2011—even though the eligible population of black students rose from 15 percent to 19 percent from 2001 to 2011. Talk about fighting on the ice! Get ready.
The Circuit Court of Appeals, along party lines, had previously voted to toss out the amendment, saying it violated the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. But the Supreme Court, by a 6-to-2 ruling, reversed that decision. This means, it is now open season on Affirmative Action across the country. Michigan now joins several other states, like Florida, California and Washington, which have implemented bans on Affirmative Action. With this decision, which grew out of a complaint at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, now every legislature, theoretically, can pass a law outlawing Affirmative Action in state institutions—in hiring, college admissions and more. For those who say this is fair, they should look at the numbers. The numbers do not lie. Michigan has—like several other states that have outlawed Affirmative Action in college admissions—has taken a dive in enrollment of minorities, even while the population of those groups has risen. According to the National Center for Education Statistics: Hispanic and black enrollment at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Los Angeles dropped sharply after voters approved a statewide ban on Affirmative Action. Those numbers have not recovered—even as the state’s Latino population has grown. In 1990, at UC Berkeley, Latinos comprised more than 20 percent of enrollment with an eligible Latino student population of 40 percent. In 2011, only 11 percent of the freshman class was Latino, though the population of eligible Latino students had grown to 49 percent. 30
Alpha men across the country must now redouble efforts to fight for those who often are squeezed out of the chance at higher education. We must, in the words of our 26th General President Ozell Sutton, look out for those who are not given the “opportunity to be equal.” Brothers must do more than hang signs on doorknobs, asking people to vote. We must become the beacons that show the light of what can be if all people exercise the right of voting. We also need to remind them of what lies ahead if we do not participate. We must engage, and we must have real impact. We have to explain to those who don’t understand how their vote does make a difference between eating and going hungry; between living and dying. It’s that real, brothers. We must no longer just talk the talk; we must now walk the walk. All of those we are privileged to serve as men of Alpha are counting on us to help ensure that we are, as President Abraham Lincoln said in 1863, a “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” That idea, that dream of equality will die if we do not take up the good fight and take it up now.
Maurice Gipson [Nu Psi, ‘03] earned his juris doctorate at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. He is Southwestern regional vice president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. THE SPHINX
ARTS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT
Clint Wilson II Publishes New Book on Black Press Explores development, contributions of African-American newspapers in U.S.
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hose who have wondered whatever happened to the black press will find answers in Whither the Black Press? Glorious Past, Uncertain Future. The new book by Brother Clint Wilson II, is an informative and entertaining read that traces the historical roots of the medium and examines whether new media platforms of the 21st century can fill the void left by a segment of the declining newspaper industry. Wilson, a notable journalist and professor at Howard University, explores the historic development of AfricanAmerican newspapers from their African roots to the founding of their first weekly journal and into the glory years—as the communication foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. In the process, the author reveals little known facts about the ways in which the black press wove itself into the fabric of American culture among the white and black populations. Wilson, initiated in 1964 at Alpha Delta at the University of Southern California, is a
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life member of Alpha Phi Alpha. His latest book brings to life interesting historical facts including the early development of literary and publishing endeavors among black people in colonial America and what Thomas Jefferson wrote about them, the ironic consequences that visited white publications following the U.S. Supreme Court’s racial segregation decision in Plessy v. Ferguson; the roles played by aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright in the launch of a black newspaper published by the Wright brothers childhood friend Paul Laurence Dunbar, and more. Whither the Black Press? provides historians, students, and readers with trends and overviews of key contributors to the development of the black press in the United States. Furthermore, it provides a historical framework for assessing today’s AfricanAmerican press in the changing technological world of media. Wilson’s book is available in hardcover, paperback, and as an e-book. For more information, visit: www.Xlibris. com.
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ARTS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT
Celebrating an Alpha maestro in Central Ohio, pictured from left: Brothers James Jackson Jr., Corey Posey, Bill Butler, Huey White, Ted McDaniel, and James Jackson Sr.
OSU PROFESSOR TED MCDANIEL NAMED COMPOSER OF THE YEAR Brother Ted McDaniel (Alpha Rho, ’66) was recently honored by the Columbus, Ohio chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women as its Composer of the Year. McDaniel was honored for his service to the Central Ohio community and musical accomplishments. McDaniel has been professor of African-American Music at the Ohio State University since 1981, and is a specialist in AfricanAmerican music, jazz history, and jazz performance. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and a master’s degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music Education from the University of Iowa. Most recently, McDaniel was the music consultant, supervisor, and arranger for the documentary “Building the Dream,” recounting the journey of the idea for a national memorial honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
CHICAGO WILL HOST BROTHERS FIRST SOLO ART EXHIBIT Brother Faheem Majeed [Beta, ‘99], a celebrated artist, is about to get his first solo exhibition, coming to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Majeed is associate director and faculty member at the School of Art and Art History at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and was previously the executive director of the South Side Community Arts Center. Majeed often looks to the material makeup of his neighborhood and surrounding areas as an entry point into larger questions around civic-mindedness, community activism, and institutional racism. As part of his studio practice, he transforms materials such as particle board, scrap metal, wood, and discarded signs and billboard remnants, breathing new life into these often overlooked and devalued materials. His broader engagement with the arts also involves arts administration, curation, and community facilitation, all of which feed into his larger practice. Majeed’s work goes on display March 10, 2015 through July 7, 2015.
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THE SPHINX
LIFESTYLE | EDUCATION | WELLNESS
MANNING LAUNCHES NEW UNIT AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY Brother Lawrence Manning [Pi Upsilon, ‘04] is the new associate director at the Transfer Student Success Center at Wayne State University in Detroit.
Brother Joshua Igeleke Jr.
The Transfer Student Success Center is a new office on campus that is dedicated to serving students transferring to the urban university from their initial interest up through graduation. As the launching associate director, Manning has the opportunity to create a new level of comprehensive service not usually seen at many large universities for this population. In addition to the student service, he is also working with other university departments and local community colleges on policies and other services that impact transfer students.
BROTHER EARNS J.D. AND MBA FROM UNLV
Established by the Office of Educational Outreach, the center made its debut in February during an open house highlighting services at which Manning and the director Michele Grimm were formally introduced to the university community.
Brother Joshua Igeleke Jr. [Eta Psi ’00] can proudly add the title of “J.D.” behind his name now. In May, he graduated with both his Juris Doctorate and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV).
For more information, send an e-mail to: transfer@wayne.edu.
An active member of Theta Pi Lambda in Las Vegas, Igeleke has achieved several honors as of late including winning first place in the UNLV William Boyd School of Law In-House Negotiation Competition, receiving the Dean’s Award, receiving the Alumni Award for Leadership and Community Service, and being a fellow at the Eighth Annual Colloquium on Current Scholarship in Labor and Employment Law. Brother Igeleke completed both academic programs on a part-time basis in the evenings while working full time during the day—to support his wife and two daughters—all while remaining in good standing with the fraternity and maintaining his commitment to the Theta Pi Lambda Chapter’s youth group, Alpha Men and Divas of Tomorrow.
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TWO ALPHA DISTRICT DIRECTORS EARN PH.D.s TOGETHER In 2008, Brothers Sean Rogers and Mark Barnes barely knew each other, but they had so much in common. Barnes was a former district director from Pennsylvania, and Rogers served in the Western Region as a district director for Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. They both enrolled in graduate programs at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, N.J. And in May, they both became doctors of philosophy. Rogers pursued a degree in business while Barnes traveled the path toward geography. Like the Seven Jewels decades before them at Cornell, these two brothers bonded immediately after orientation as a result of their shared experience and common career drive.
Brothers Sean Rogers (left) and Mark Barnes (right) celebrate at commencement ceremonies after receiving their doctorates from Rutgers in May.
With wives and children, both of the brothers persevered and triumphed over the rigors of their respective programs. They attribute heavily to their success the support of their families. Both have secured tenuretrack faculty positions. Rogers is an assistant professor at New Mexico State University’s College of Business. Barnes secured an assistant professorship at Morgan State University in the College of Liberal Arts. Brother Rogers is a charter member (1997) of Tau Gamma Chapter at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. Barnes was initiated in 1990 at Zeta Psi Chapter at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Both are now life members of Alpha. 33
LIFESTYLE | EDUCATION | WELLNESS
FLETCHER NAMED TRAILBLAZER BY NATIONAL BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION America’s leading organization of African-American nurses has made an Alpha man its most recent trailblazer honoree. Brother Audwin Fletcher [Alpha Epsilon Lambda, ’98] won the honor at the National Black Nurses Association’s (NBNA) Annual Institute and Conference in August. The award recognizes an individual whose character places him in a position of leadership, who has taken risks to lead their community, state, and nation in nursing, business, philanthropy, communications, government, education, or the arts. Fletcher has a varied and rich nursing background. He is a tenured professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in the School of Nursing in Jackson. He is director of the Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks; director of multicultural affairs, and coordinator of the graduate clinical practice. As the principal investigator for numerous research grant projects, Fletcher is regarded as a champion of improving the quality of life for African Americans. Currently, he also is the principal investigator for the NBNA Obesity Initiative. Fletcher earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree, two master’s degrees and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from UMMC. His first undergraduate degree is a bachelor’s in psychology and biology earned at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss.
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THE SPHINX
CHAPTER NEWS
PI CHAPTER MARKS CENTURY OF SERVICE IN CLEVELAND One hundred years of “manly deeds, scholarship and love for all mankind” was celebrated in Cleveland on May 15. Brothers from Pi and Delta Alpha Lambda Chapters gathered in the Holiday Inn Rockside Grand Ballroom in suburban Cleveland to participate in the Pi Chapter Centennial Celebration and Scholarship Gala.
Brothers from throughout the Midwestern Region attended the event, including Regional Vice President Elgie Sims [Eta Tau, ‘90] and Ohio District Director Brandon Tucker [Epsilon Alpha, ‘07].
Pictured from left: Brother Eric Johnson [Pi, ’86] of Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter, and Brother Robert Madison [Beta, ‘41].
Photo by Rinaldo Allen Sr.
Originally chartered at what was then known as Western Reserve College 1914, Pi Chapter has grown into a citywide chapter encompassing several universities in the Cleveland area. Brother Romahn Graham [Pi, ‘12], president of Pi Chapter, said the event honored the legacy of the brothers who overcame great obstacles to make Alpha Phi Alpha a reality in Cleveland.
“The collection of brothers from Delta Alpha Lambda, Pi Chapter, and Pi Chapter alumni here today shows that in the city of Cleveland, we are still first of all and servants of all,” said Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter President Clarence McElrath [Omicron Epsilon, ‘82]. The City of Cleveland recognized the accomplishments of Alpha Phi Alpha with a proclamation to Pi Chapter from the city council.
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Delta Alpha Lambda President Clarence McElrath addresses the audience during the Pi Chapter Centennial Celebration Scholarship Gala.
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Photo by Rinaldo Allen Sr.
The Centennial celebration featured a video presentation of the history of Pi Chapter and a musical performance. During the celebration, brothers of Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter awarded college scholarships to nine graduating male high school seniors as well as recognized its corporate partners and sponsors who funded chapter community activities during the past year.
CHAPTER NEWS
Photo by Charles Harper.
Brother Jared Deane engages students at Miles Davis Math and Science Academy, in Chicago, during the Real Mean Read program.
CHICAGO ALPHAS SHOW THAT ‘REAL MEN READ’ BY ROYCE STRAHAN
Real Men Read has become a signature program of which Xi Lambda Chapter brothers participate. The local initiative, coordinated by Brother Jared Deane [Xi Lambda, ‘13], is a national program providing young students an opportunity to spend time with a positive male figures in their community. Xi Lambda has formed a partnership with Miles Davis Magnet Academy in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago to provide students with resources and be a positive influence in their lives. “This program has not only been beneficial to the kids, it has also been a fulfilling experience for me and the brothers,” Deane said. “Kids are reaching out for attention and if we are not the ones who listen to them, the streets will. This program goes deeper than reading to students; it’s a partnership to mold more productive young men.”
Phi Lambda Chapter recently held its 2014 Annual National Black Scholars Signing Day. The event, hosted by the educational enrichment ministry of Baptist Grove Church, brought together students who are off to college to pursue their academic dreams at a postsecondary institution. Brothers asked themselves, “Why should young men and women on athletic scholarships get all the attention?” To answer that, brothers at Phi Lambda Participants pose for a group photo at Phi Lambda created a signing event (similar to events at which high Chapter’s Annual National Black Scholars Signing Day. school athletes sign with college athletic teams) to recognize, honor, and celebrate young students who have earned academic scholarships to college. The initiative works closely with schools, churches, and community organizations to identify young men and women who will attend college.
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THE SPHINX
Photo by George Vertreese.
RALEIGH BROTHERS HOLD “SIGNING DAY” FOR SCHOLARS
CHAPTER NEWS
Central Ohio brothers from Alpha Rho Lambda, Kappa, and Omicron Rho Chapters and local radio personalities gather for their voterregistration drive barbecue.
OHIO ALPHAS, LOCAL RADIO TEAM UP TO PUSH VOTER REGISTRATION ALPHA BETA LAMBDA LEXINGTON, KY. Members of Alpha Beta Lambda Chapter look to celebrate their 21st Unity breakfast in January 2015. Sponsored by the chapter’s education foundation, the members conducted a milestone 20th anniversary event with assistance from Epsilon Chi Chapter and Xi Alpha Chapter last January.
The brothers of Alpha Rho Lambda Chapter in Columbus, Ohio recently teamed up with local radio stations Power 107.5 FM and Magic 106.3 FM, any Given Sunday Crew, The Ohio Black Caucus, and the Count Me In Campaign to educate a new generation on voters’ rights. The setting was a classic family barbecue event for the “Voteless People Is A Hopeless People” project. More than 150 people attended. Members of the city council and judges were among those who participated.
The 2014 theme was “Unity: Commemorating 20 Years of Advancing the Dream.” The purpose of the Unity Breakfast is to commemorate the life and work of Brother Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his ideal for peace and unity. Each year the event brings together a diverse host of speakers and participants. The last program featured 34th General President Mark S. Tillman along with students from the local school system and brothers from the surrounding area. Alpha Beta Lambda Chapter Education Foundation also presents cash prizes to student winners of its annual Unity Breakfast Essay Contest.
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CHAPTER NEWS
“STEMULATING” ZETA PSI LAMBDA
Pictured from left are: Yahve Alcinay [Gamma Iota Lambda, ‘02], Pedro Vega [Gamma Iota Lambda, ‘10], Frank Wilkinson [Alpha, ‘80], Stephen Edwards-Mortley [Gamma Iota Lambda, ‘02], Lawrence Scott III [Theta Chi, ‘94] and Lucien Allen [Gamma Iota Lambda, ‘04].
GAMMA IOTA LAMBDA BROOKLYN-LONG ISLAND, NY The brothers of Gamma Iota Lambda Chapter recently donated time and energy to City Harvest, a not-for-profit organization serving New York City for more than 30 years. City Harvest is one of the world’s first food-rescue organizations, dedicated to feeding hungry New Yorkers. Coordinated by Brother Lawrence Scott III [Theta Chi, ‘94], the GIL community service chairman, the brothers supported the organization’s Mobile Market by packaging and distributing fresh produce to more than 300 residents of the Tompkins Houses in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community. The houses are under the auspices of the New York City Housing Authority.
“STEMulating” minds toward careers and education in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. The members of Zeta Psi Lambda Chapter in Lake Charles, La., recently joined Zeta Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Lake Charles Black Heritage Festival to host a teen summit. Titled “Empowering Leaders for Excellence,” Brother Brian K. Roberson II was the program’s keynote speaker, introduced by Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach. He presented a powerful message to a group of Lake Charles area students ranging from grades six to nine. The summit concluded with a panel discussion by professionals in STEM fields. Members from the fraternity, sorority and community considered the event such a success that they’ve begun planning for future events co-sponsored in Lake Charles to positively promote student success.
DELTA PHI CHAPTER JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY Delta Phi Chapter returned to the campus of Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., in February with thunderous applause from administrators, faculty and the student body. Supported by the District of Mississippi, 19 tenacious brothers became members of the fraternity. Immediately thereafter, the brothers enthusiastically embraced the national programs of the fraternity. The “A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People” program has become the signature program for the chapter. Brothers engaged more than 10,000 students at the university in the mayoral election. Shortly thereafter, brothers facilitated the Go-toHigh School, Go-to-College program with pupils from Kirksey Middle School (named in honor of Brother Henry J. Kirksey) and guided them through a collegepreparation tour on the Jackson State campus. Near the conclusion of the spring semester, chapter members were recognized for their academic excellence by compiling an exceptional 3.39 cumulative grade point average. Several members Brothers of Delta Phi Chapter pose for a 2014 group photo received high academic achievement awards and in Jackson, Miss. were inducted into various national honor societies. In addition, members were elected to campuswide positions for the 2014–2015 academic year, including senior class president and taking the vice presidency of the Jackson State University Student Government Association. The chapter is advised by longtime Jackson, Miss., alumni Brother Floyd Williams Jr. 38
THE SPHINX
CHAPTER NEWS
ETA SIGMA LAMBDA SAN JOSE, CALIF. ETA SIGMA LAMBDA BROTHERS DEVELOP YOUNG LEADERS IN SILICON VALLEY Brothers in the northern California recently conducted their annual Rites of Passage program for teenage boys. Each fall and winter, for 16 weeks, the brothers of Eta Sigma Lambda Chapter in San Jose, Calif., conduct the long-running mentoring and selfmaturation program for teenage African-American boys living in Silicon Valley. The program, operated in partnership with the Oriki Theater of Mountain View, takes the boys through a comprehensive and intensive journey from “boys to men.” Each session ends with an authentic African-inspired passage ceremony during which the boys are “returned to the village” (i.e., their families and loved ones) ready to begin to assume the responsibilities of manhood.
IPL HOSTS RELAY FOR LIFE IN RICHMOND HEIGHTS, FLA.
Chapter brothers serve as directors on the program’s board and as mentoring staff and session facilitators. Adding to the program’s success is Eta Sigma Lambda’s collaboration with college brothers from Epsilon Mu Chapter at San Jose State University and Nu Sigma Chapter at Stanford University. Together, they have executed the Project Alpha and Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College national programs during the sessions. Four boys completed the program this year, and over the 10-year history of the program, the chapter has facilitated the rites of passage of more than 90 boys.
In May, fifteen teams gathered at Sweet Home Baptist Church for the site’s first Relay for Life event. The event, organized by Iota Pi Lambda Chapter, hosted more than 100 participants that took part in the 18-hour walk-a-thon, to raise awareness and generate funds for cancer research. Each team tent posted signage information on a different form of cancer. IPL brothers raised nearly $800. Collectively, participants raised more than $7,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Brothers from Eta Sigma Lambda and Omicron Theta Lambda Chapters, in Oakland, Calif., stand with young men who participated in the Rites of Passage program in April.
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CHAPTER NEWS
TAU PHI PROVES BIG THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES The saying “there is power in numbers” does not pertain to the men of the Tau Phi Chapter at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn. Chartered in 2009, the men of Alpha there have made an impactful presence on this predominantly white campus. Tau Phi could be described as one of Alpha’s smallest chapters (in numbers), but one of its largest in dedication to the work of Alpha. From 2009 to 2011, there were three initiation classes to join Alpha; and another line in spring 2013. Prior to the fourth line, there was only one brother on Brothers from Tau Phi Chapter strike campus, so he did a pose at Austin Peay State University all of the necessary in Clarksville, Tenn. From bottom left ground work to make to top left: Kyle Donald, Trevor Brand, sure Alpha’s presence Javontae Allen and Todd Johnson; in did not die. The four middle: Andrew Montgomery; from bottom right to top right: Tikehe spring 2013 initiates Peoples, Artrice Pray, Chris Emeagwai were immediately and James Fields faced with adversity after one of their brothers left the university leaving only three on campus. These three brothers were
dedicated to the task at hand providing Austin Peay with over 15 events from leadership forums, debates, a Miss Black and Gold Pageant and student-faculty luncheons. The brothers were also extremely prominent in their community, including serving as talent show judges, helping with elementary school fairs and philanthropic events. These three brothers with the burning desire to make a lasting legacy in Alpha, as well as at Austin Peay exemplify that it is not necessary to have a large chapter to get the work of Alpha done. They also hosted a District Convention, with the help of the local alumni chapter, Kappa Zeta Lambda. Success and achievement is in the classroom too. After their first semester, the chapter led all three Greek councils by having the highest semester GPA. Fraternally, the chapter president, Brother Andrew Montgomery, rose to Tennessee assistant district director. In the recruitment and retention department, the brothers’ example of leadership inspired eight young men to continue carrying the torch of Alpha by joining the fraternity this past spring. Tau Phi’s service to the community and campus life has not gone unrecognized; the chapter has recently won six awards on campus. Especially noted is the chapter becoming the first black Greek organization to win the campuswide Greek Organization of the Year honor.
MU PHI LAMBDA SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
As America bolsters its defense of South Korea it continues to rely on members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to lead the way. Indicative of this was the honoring of brothers at change-of-command ceremonies in Dongducheon last year. Lt. Col. Brother Eric Jackson [Eta Gamma, ‘91] was honored for his two years of service as battalion commander for the 70th Brigade Support Battalion and Lt. Col. Brother Mark Danner [Beta Delta, ‘96], as incoming battalion commander for the First Brigade Special Troops Battalion of the First Armored Brigade Combat Team. Additionally, Col. Brother Tyrone Clifton [Delta Nu, ‘89] assumed command of the 2503rd Digital Liaison Detachment at Yongsan Army Base. 40
THE SPHINX
OMEGA CHAPTER CHAPTER NEWS
BY RON PETERS
A. Charles Haston was Renaissance Man of Alpha [Beta Kappa, ‘34]
A
mos Charles Haston (“A.C.”) [Beta Kappa, ‘34] was born April 29, 1914, to Tilmon and Mary Haston in Denison, Texas. Tragedy struck early when his dad was murdered in his presence in 1919. His
short-lived assignment before he moved from Texas back to Oklahoma to teach math and become a head football and basketball coach. Christmas day in 1941 he married his wife Doris, a union that lasted 73 years. The country called in August 1942, and Brother Haston answered the call by serving in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Although his service began as a buck private, he was separated from service as a second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers. After his military service, Haston took several jobs in the education field and remained a leader in educational circles throughout the remainder of his career.
mother subsequently moved to Wewoka, Okla., and worked as a domestic. It was in Wewoka that Brother Haston completed his high school education, graduating in 1934 as salutatorian and achieving the status of all-state halfback for his football team. Haston worked while putting himself through college at Langston University in Langston, Okla. He also played on the varsity football team and sang in the college’s traveling a capella choir. He graduated in 1937, with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in science and math. After post-graduate studies at the University of Colorado, he earned a master’s degree in education at Texas Southern University in Houston. In 1937, his first job came in a one-room schoolhouse, teaching students from first to eighth grade. It was a
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Fraternally, Brother Haston was well known for his commitment to not only the communities outside the House of Alpha but also to inside the fraternity. On Nov. 7, 1999, Haston spoke out at his chapter meeting to the brothers of Alpha Eta Lambda Chapter in Houston. He strongly expressed concern with the manner in which senior Alpha brothers were treated. His determination led to the creation of the Brother’s Keeper Program. Brother’s Keeper is a national program in which brothers—at all levels of the organization—provide service to senior Alphas and their spouses to help make their sunset years bright. In 2010, at the fraternity’s General Convention in Las Vegas, the delegates not only formally established Brother’s Keeper as a national program but also named it in honor of Brother Haston. He entered Omega Chapter on August 25 at the age of 100. Ron Peters [Theta Rho, ‘87] was mentored by A. Charles Haston. He is an associate professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.
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OMEGA CHAPTER
BY MICHAEL W. BELL
Past RVP Ronnie Jenkins Was True Servant of All
A
lpha Phi Alpha lost another regional icon this summer when Brother Ronnie S. “Ron” Jenkins [Eta Lambda, ’89] entered Omega Chapter on July 25. Jenkins was not only a past regional vice president of the Southern Region, he was former district director of Georgia and a past president of Eta Lambda Chapter in Atlanta. Jenkins influenced many people through education, information, mentorship and just being a good steward of the aims of the fraternity. Born May 19, 1944, in DeLand, Fla., he attended Euclid High School. After In 1962, he moved to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry. After Morehouse, he earned a master’s in health administration at nearby Georgia State University. He also did post graduate work at John Hopkins University. He also worked at Atlanta’s world famous Grady Memorial Hospital as a health educator and community organizer. New York City came calling, and he went to work for the American Cancer Society there before returning to Atlanta to take a post with the Georgia state government, in its Division of Public Health. He retired in 2000. Even after retirement, Jenkins had more work left in him. He became a consultant and eventually a
an analyst for Danya International in Silver Spring, Md. Brother Jenkins wrote grants, worked with nonprofit groups and educated the community on subjects such as chronic diseases, AIDS, and environmental health and safety. It is an understatement to say Jenkins was a very active member of Alpha. From the time he was initiated, until his death, he was the resolute Alpha man. Brothers did not always agree with him, but they always respected him. He was a strong advocate for education, helping others find funding for programs, and helping young people.” “Ron would send out two dozen e-mails a day about grant opportunities and kept the chapter well informed about ways it could be helpful in the community” said Brother Leandras “Bob” Jones, a past president of Eta Lambda. Among his largest contributions in the community, Jenkins will be remembered for his instrumental role in helping establish a Head Start program, housed at Eta Lambda’s Alpha Center building.
Napoleon Johnson III [Kappa Theta Lambda, ’90]
B
rother Napoleon B. Johnson III [Kappa Theta Lambda, ’90] was a thirdgeneration Alpha. Initiated in Teaneck, N.J., he was a life member. He served in various roles, including chapter vice president, historian, associate editor to The Sphinx, and a board member of the Kappa Theta Lambda Scholarship Fund. In 2006, he was unanimously voted Man of the Year. He also was a founding member of the Alpha Achievers male enrichment program at Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin Middle Schools in Teaneck. Born in Atlanta, he graduated from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. Brother Johnson entered Omega Chapter September 2.
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THE SPHINX
OMEGA CHAPTER CHAPTER NEWS
The following is a listing of members who have entered Omega Chapter. For each member: we list his name; the category of membership (college, alumni or life; with life member number if available); chapter of initiation; date of initiation; last chapter active with; and date of death. All of the information is based on what is submitted by chapters and family members and reconciled with the fraternity’s records.
Ray A. Alfred LM 9733 Beta Phi: 11/1/74 Pi Pi Lambda Omega: 9/17/14
George Lenard Faust Alumni Mu Pi Lambda: 2/2/92 Mu Pi Lambda Omega: 8/10/14
David L. Mosley Alumni Iota Alpha Lambda: 5/31/86 General Organization Omega: 10/21/14
Percy L. Blackmon Jr. LM 3492 Delta Kappa: 4/1/69 Alpha Upsilon Lambda Omega: 9/30/14
Arthur M. Freeman Sr. Alumni Gamma: 5/17/39 Mu Lambda Omega: 9/3/14
William J. Patterson LM 9855 Gamma Zeta: 11/1/53 Alpha Chi Lambda Omega: 8/15/14
William Arthur Burgess LM 8847 Alpha Upsilon: 5/25/47 Sigma Delta Lambda Omega: 9/15/14
Napoleon B. Johnson III LM 10887 Kappa Theta Lambda: 5/5/90 Kappa Theta Lambda Omega: 9/2/14
Lewis E. Randall Alumni Theta Iota Lambda: 10/1/65 Theta Iota Lambda Omega: 9/12/14
Michael Dowdy College Beta Chi: 3/9/83 Beta Chi Omega: 9/27/14
Sloan T. Letman III LM 5651 Xi Lambda: 5/27/72 Rho Zeta Lambda Omega: 9/28/14
Williams A Skinner Alumni Gamma: 11/30/51 Beta Delta Lambda Omega: 9/16/14
TO ALL OUR BROTHERS IN OMEGA CHAPTER, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.
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ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS General President Mark S. Tillman president@apa1906.net General Treasurer Hyacinth C. Ahuruonye general.treasurer@apa1906.net Comptroller Steven M. Sims comptroller@apa1906.net Regional Vice President - East R. Anthony Mills eastvp@apa1906.net Regional Vice President - Midwest Elgie R. Sims Jr. midwestvp@apa1906.net Regional Vice President - South Ronald M. Natson Sr. southvp@apa1906.net
GENERAL CONVENTION OFFICIALS Director of Conventions Van L. Strickland director.conventions@apa1906.net Parliamentarian Lucien J. Metellus parliamentarian@apa1906.net Chaplain Clyde D. Carnegie chaplain@apa1906.net Sergeant At Arms Darrell M. Chase sergeant.at.arms@apa1906.net Security Director Donald L. Woods security@apa1906.net
GENERAL CONVENTION COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN
COLLEGE BROTHERS AFFAIRS (COMMISSION) Frederick L. Cox III college@apa1906.net RACIAL JUSTICE (COMMISSION) Gregory S. Parks racial.justice@apa1906.net
BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (COMMISSION) Jermaine B. Patterson BED@apa1906.net LIFE MEMBERSHIP Alex DeJarnett life@apa1906.net
SPECIAL COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN Audit Steven Sims comptroller@apa1906.net
Leadership Development Institute Brandon R. Tucker LDI@apa1906.net M.I.S. and Technology Rufus P. Credle Jr. MIS@apa1906.net March of Dimes Wilbert L. Brown MOD@apa1906.net Military Brothers Melvin L. Fogle military@apa1906.net Miss Black and Gold Pageant André P. Prospere pageant@apa1906.net Project Alpha William T. Ealy , Co-chair Ramon E. Peralta, Co-chair project.alpha@apa1906.net Protocol and Logistics Kenyatta N. Shamburger Protocol@apa1906.net
Regional Vice President Southwest Maurice D. Gipson southwestvp@apa1906.net
RULES & CREDENTIALS Ronald D. Stovall Jr. rules@apa1906.net
A. Charles Haston Brother’s Keeper Adrian G. Brockington brothers.keeper@apa1906.net
Regional Vice President - West Russell E. Flye westvp@apa1906.net
RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Joseph K. Byrd resolutions@apa1906.net
Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest LeAaron A. Foley oratorical@apa1906.net
Regional Assistant Vice President - East Julian Jackson eastavp@apa1906.net
AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENT Rodney T. Frank awards@apa1906.net
Big Brothers Big Sisters Dale H. Long BBBSA@apa1906.net
GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINE Hervery B.O. Young grievances@apa1906.net
Boy Scouts Bobby R. Williams boy.scouts@apa1906.net
STANDING COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN
College Life to Corporate Life Kevin P. McAllister C2C@apa1906.net
CONSTITUTION John M. Williams constitution@apa1906.net
Go to High School Go to College Ernest Black GTHGTC@apa1906.net
Training and Development Clifford M. Clarke training@apa1906.net
Educational Activities James E. Baker education@apa1906.net
Voteless People is a Hopeless People Steven L. Jones VPHP@apa1906.net
Regional Assistant Vice President - Midwest Jameson Taylor midwestavp@apa1906.net Regional Assistant Vice President - South Devin Jenkins southavp@apa1906.net Regional Assistant Vice President - Southwest Demario A. Lowe southwestavp@apa1906.net Regional Assistant Vice President - West Gary Daniels westavp@apa1906.net
Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer William Douglass Lyle edcoo@apa1906.net
APPOINTED OFFICERS General Counsel Wayne C. Harvey counsel@apa1906.net
Historian Robert L. Harris Jr. historian@apa1906.net
BUDGET & FINANCE Anthony D. Wilson budget@apa1906.net ELECTIONS Lucious Turner III elections@apa1906.net MEMBERSHIP, STANDARDS & EXTENSION Anthony L. Cheatham MSE@apa1906.net PUBLICATIONS Paul E. Brown publications@apa1906.net HISTORICAL COMMISSION Robert L. Harris Jr. historian@apa1906.net PUBLIC POLICY Jean Accius II public.policy@apa1906.net HUMAN RESOURCES Roger R. Gregory Antonio Johnson HR@apa1906.net
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Health and Wellness Felix Gallagher health@apa1906.net Hobart S. Jarrett Debate Competition Ryan T. Brown debate@apa1906.net Internal Audit Review Team Dexter Leon Taylor audit@apa1906.net International Affairs André A. Moss international.affairs@apa1906.net Investment Hyacinth C. Ahuruonye investment@apa1906.net John Hope Franklin Collegiate Scholars’ Bowl Thomas A. Vance Jr. scholars.bowl@apa1906.net
Reclamation Frank Russell Jr. reclamation@apa1906.net Ritual and Ceremonies Ryle A. Bell ritual@apa1906.net Senior Alpha Affairs senior.affairs@apa1906.net Step Show Competition Warren D. Isenhour step.show@apa1906.net
Time and Place Parker Burton III time.place@apa1906.net
World Policy Council Horace G. Dawson WPC@apa1906.net
FOUNDATIONS Alpha Phi Alpha Building Foundation R. Leandras “Bob” Jones building.foundation@apa1906.net Alpha Building Foundation Corporation James R. Williams 1733 Brookwood Drive Akron, OH 44313 (330) 867-7536 Alpha Phi Alpha Charitable Foundation Dennis G. Kemp Sr. charitable.foundation@ apa1906.net
Alpha Phi Alpha Education Foundation Ruben Barkley education.foundation@ apa1906.net Jewel Heritage Project Foundations E. Eric Elmore JHP@apa1906.net
PAST GENERAL PRESIDENTS Acting General President Aaron Crutison Sr. AGP@apa1906.net 33rd General President Herman “Skip” Mason Jr. 32nd General President Darryl R. Matthews Sr. 32@apa1906.net 31st General President Harry E. Johnson Sr. 31@apa1906.net 30th General President Adrian L. Wallace 30@apa1906.net 29th General President Milton C. Davis 29@apa1906.net 28th General President Henry Ponder 28@apa1906.net 27th General President Charles C. Teamer Sr. 27@apa1906.net 26th General President Ozell Sutton 1640 Loch Lomond Trail, SW Atlanta, GA 30331 (404) 344-0370 25th General President James Williams 1733 Brookwood Drive Akron, OH 44313 (330) 867-7536
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Corporate Office 2313 St. Paul St. Baltimore, MD 21218 (410) 554-0040 membersupport@apa1906.net www.apa1906.net
ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY JEWEL FOUNDERS Henry Arthur Callis Charles Henry Chapman Eugene Kinckle Jones George Biddle Kelley Nathaniel Allison Murray Robert Harold Ogle Vertner Woodson Tandy
THE SPHINX
MORE THAN 50%
OF COLLEGE STUDENTS INVOLVED IN CLUBS, TEAMS, AND ORGANIZATIONS EXPERIENCE HAZING. Hazing in View: College Students at Risk
Allan/Madden(2008)
HAZING. IT’S NEVER OK. REPORT HAZING ANONYMOUSLY AT (888) 668-4293 OR (888) NOT-HAZE
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. joins other fraternities, sororities, parents and academic institutions in the fight against hazing. No one person can eliminate hazing. It takes the commitment of everyone involved in the process of joining a group organization to make it happen. We encourage you to join us to make this world a better place through hazing prevention. The more we know about hazing the smarter we can work to stop it. Go to apa1906.net/hazing to learn more about hazing prevention.
TOGETHER, WE CAN STOP HAZING.
DEFINITION: Hazing is any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.
9 OUT OF 10
STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HAZING BEHAVIORS DO NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO HAVE BEEN HAZED. Hazing in View: College Students at Risk
Allan/Madden(2008)
HAZING. IT’S NEVER OK. REPORT HAZING ANONYMOUSLY AT (888) 668-4293 OR (888) NOT-HAZE
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. joins other fraternities, sororities, parents and academic institutions in the fight against hazing. No one person can eliminate hazing. It takes the commitment of everyone involved in the process of joining a group organization to make it happen. We encourage you to join us to make this world a better place through hazing prevention. The more we know about hazing the smarter we can work to stop it. Go to apa1906.net/hazing to learn more about hazing prevention.
TOGETHER, WE CAN STOP HAZING.
DEFINITION: Hazing is any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.