CWRU Greek Life's Stance on Racial Injustice (2020)
Our statement below is a continuation of the sentiments expressed in an Instagram post earlier this week. We feel it is important to reiterate our support and continue to be advocates for change.
Dear Greek Members,
Our thoughts are with the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Desmond Franklin, and countless others that have been impacted by police brutality and systemic oppression. The Interfraternity Congress and Panhellenic Council at Case Western Reserve University condemn acts of racism, violence, and injustice. We strongly affirm that Black Lives Matter.
CWRU Greek Life represents a myriad of backgrounds, races, and ethnicities. We value diversity, inclusivity, and equality within all communities. However, we acknowledge that Greek Life has a predominantly white history. While our campus has become more diverse, it is our responsibility to carry our Greek community in the same direction. To our brothers and sisters of color and the Black community, we admit that we may never be able to understand the extent of your pain, but we are committed to uplifting your voices. We hear you, we see you, and we stand behind you.
We stand by our chapters, we stand by our members, and we will continue doing our part to stand by those seeking to promote equality. As we look to support members of our community and movements for all communities, we must also look inwards. How have we fostered diversity? What steps have we taken to make the Greek experience more inclusive? How have these two values created a greater sense of equality? Last year, we as a community passed a community standard that asks chapters to explore various lenses of identity through respectful discussion. Now, more than ever, this initiative has the potential to bring awareness to a large systemic problem that is ingrained in our country. We understand that programming alone is not enough, but it is a step in the right direction. From its creation just three years ago, the Inclusion Committee has focused on bringing structural change to chapters by creating inclusion positions on executive boards. Programs like Sustained Dialogue, an initiative that presented an opportunity for members to discuss what it meant to be Greek, gave students a voice while providing a platform for honest, boundary-breaking discussions. This is just the beginning of the action we plan to take in order to foster a more inclusive space.
Currently, our co-chairs Davu Keels and Rachel Bobko of the Inclusion Committee are diligently working to create an opportunity for us to come together and engage in a dialogue around racial inequality. Furthermore, they are planning to create spaces for marginalized students, to work to recognize historical injustices enacted by the Greek community and to prioritize inclusion in the PHC/IFC umbrella. As leaders, we carry the responsibility of educating ourselves on how to navigate these tough conversations. While we prepare ourselves to host this dialogue, we ask all of you to start conversations, contribute to ongoing discussions, raise awareness, and hold yourselves accountable for your actions. Inaction is not an option.
Our rituals may compel us to act in different ways, but they are 30 versions of one common goal: to apply our Greek experience in the service of others for the betterment of all. We have a responsibility to use our experience to reflect on our rights and privileges, to empower others, to engage with our world, to educate ourselves, and to find ways to support meaningful efforts towards racial justice.
As the situation changes day by day, we will continue to adjust accordingly; but our support for the Black community will remain unchanged. We recognize that we do not have all the answers. Your engagement as Greek members is critical in helping us find ways to support the movement towards a more equal and inclusive future. Lend us your voice and share your thoughts on how IFC and PHC can continue to make CWRU Greek Life a safer, more diverse, and more accepting space for all.
Sincerely,
Interfraternity Congress and Panhellenic Council Executive Board Members
National Pan-Hellenic Council Chapter Presidents
National Pan-Hellenic Council Chapter Presidents
Greek Life Office Staff
