Bacon Says...Greek Life

Greek organizations have been somewhat a big part of my life. I have many family members who are apart of the various greek organizations as well as frineds & just people I know. For those of you who don't know, the Black greek organizations, better known as the Divine Nine, include Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorrority Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorrority Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorrority Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorrority Inc., & finally Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. My mother, grandmother, godmother, & quite a few aunts & cousins are all apart of Alpha Kappa Alpha. I have a couple cousins who are Deltas and as far as the men go, there aren't too many involved in fraternities in my family. As far as my family goes, and often in most black families, joining a greek organization is about tradition. Most of the time offspring join the same organization as their parents, but sometimes it doesn't quite work out that way. It's all about which organization fits your personality and fulfills your desires. I asked a few people I've met this past school year about why they chose their specific greek organization.
First I asked Shannon Robinson, a member of Zeta Phi Beta. She joined in Spring 09. When I asked her why she joined ZPB she said "I wanted to be apart of an organization on campus that was involved in community service and be a part of a sisterhood where I wasn't just a number, but my opinion mattered. ZPB was the most comfortbale for me". Another thing she mentioned, which I have found common nowadays, is that she's the only person in her family that's a part of a greek oranization. I also asked Mathew Good about his decision. Mat became a brother of Iota Phi Theta in the Fall of 2006. He told me he joined the greek council as a part of family tradition but he chose Iota Phi Theta "because this organization is different". The last person I asked was Kiana Moaney. Ki is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho and joined in Spring 2008. Ki told me that she is also one of few in her family to join a greek oranization. She also told me that her parents are big fans of greek life but that she too wanted to be part of an organization and that the motto "Greater Service, Greater Progress, fit her perfectly.
From what I have personally observed, black greek organizations are very different from the non-black organizations. I think black people take their organizations more seriously because they were founded not just as social fraternities/sorrorities but as brotherhoods and sisterhoods to help each other at a time when all blacks had were each other. Now, although they have become a little more about popularity,they still strive for the advancement of the black community, service, scholarship and other positive things. I think thats what non-black greek organizations are about as well, popularity. The process itself does not seem like a serious matter. The non-black greeks may do a lot for their school as far as programs and other things, but what do they do after college? I have never heard of a person in a non-black greek organization even mention that they were apart of a greek organization, however with blacks, it is a life long decision and commitment, which is what it should be.

Mathew Good - Iota Phi Theta
Fall 06
Why? - A part of family tradition; because this organization is different.